Motorcycles, Rehabilitation And A Funky Jamboree
MOTORCYCLES, REHABILITATION AND A FUNKY JAMBOREE
UP FRONT
OVER THE YEARS, motorcycles have become prominent in the public eye for a number of reasons. In times of gasoline rationing or severe economic depression, motorcycles have been used as one of the more practical means of daily transportation. They’ve been used in countless thrill shows for entertainment, motorcycle racing is at last big enough to rate television coverage and, currently, the motorcycle is infiltrating recreational ranks to a pronounced degree.
But motorcycles have never been utilized in anything even remotely resembling a rehabilitation program...ne ver, that is, until now. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true and it’s on the level. The group is the Synanon Foundation Inc. and they are involved in helping drug addicts and alcoholics kick their respective habits and ultimately lead productive lives within the framework of our society.
At first, I had difficulty figuring out how the motorcycle could fit into, let alone benefit, a program like this. But after talking to Dan Sorkin of the Synanon Foundation, the motorcycle’s role made perfect sense.
Motorcycles have a magnetic appeal because they are thrilling to ride and yet are not out of the financial reach of the average person. Moreover, they are an object a person can be proud of owning. After adding these facts to the fact that 75 to 80 percent of the residents of Synanon have never really owned anything, especially anything brandnew, I began to see a connection between Synanon’s rehabilitation program and the motorcycle.
In theory, this is how the program works. The Synanon Foundation buys a motorcycle and loans it to a resident. This gives that resident a sense of personal ownership that is something he more than likely has never experienced. And there’s more.
To meet the terms of the loan, the resident must clean and service his bike and he must pay the foundation back at rates corresponding to the norm in his area. When the payment is complete, the bike is his.
What this adds up to is one giant lesson in productivity and what money is for—two necessities for functioning within the American society.
In practice, the Synanon Foundation Inc. is miles beyond this theory. To date, they have purchased some 200 motorcycles in groups of 10 to 15 and they have loaned them to residents (this has been going on for a year). And the residents have responded, so much so, in fact, that
Synanon organized one incredibly large motorcycle bash as a celebration.
Called the Funky Motorcycle Jamboree, the bash began on a Friday when 144 motorcycles and 278 riders deputed from various Synanon facilities and headed for oimp Badger, some 250 miles from Oakland, California.
The various groups were accompanied by service trucks complete with mechanics, spare parts, gasoline, and the like. Non-riders were bused up in a Greyhound.
Complimenting this first-cabin approach to touring were lunch stops fully-catered by the Synanon Food Service Department, and if the menu of two kinds of chicken, assorted cheeses and bowls of fresh strawberries didn’t suit you, you were out of luck.
Once at Camp Badger, skits put on by the high school hosts, live music, hiking excursions (complete with some spontaneous skinny dipping), and bike tours into Kings Canyon and the Sequoia National Forest kept everyone occupied.
Monday, the jamboree ended. The residents headed home. The caterers packed up. Only memories remain... memories of Bill Crawford winning the Funkiest Participant Award (Bill got so carried away with the theme that no one could stand near him or his bike)...memories of David Griggs doing a fantastic wheelie and unloading his passenger, Alice, in the same instant. And there were memo of a successful first year with a new program for Synanon.
So what about the future? No doubt there will be more motorcycles purchased, as Synanon Foundation residents number around 1300. And if things continue to go well, Synanon will begin acquiring camper units for a totally new Safari Club Program.
One of the ideas behind the Safari Club is to increase the mobility of the cyclists. Ultimately, it is hoped that eight to ten cyclists can go on weekend outings with a camper (for cooking and hauling sleeping bags, etc.) and a pick-up truck with spare parts and tools.
Again, residents will learn to live within our society by functioning as a part of it. And, they’ll be seeing a good deal of the country in the process. Also, this plan should appeal to residents who want to participate but can’t really get excited about the prospect of two-wheeled travel.
I for one can really get behind programs such as these and I hope that in the future there will be cause for more celebrations like the Synanon Funky Motorcycle Jamboree.
