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HELP: Lost Saddlebag In Maine

SIBUD said:
Don't give up hope. I just think that somehow this will turn out OK for you and that you will get it all back. :thumb
Click to expand...

Thanks for the hope! We have sincerely appreciated the response to our little misadventure. Thank for the thoughts. - Bob
 
I now have the email of the person in Cornish, Maine who (I hope) has our left side case. Donna at Whitehorse was extremely helpful in all of this. The help of so many people is so appreciated. Sounds like 'thank you beers' are in order in Penn next July eh? - Bob

:bar
 
And now you know.....

....... THE REST OF THE STORY

I just got off the phone with a gentleman from Cornish, Maine. He found our sidecase on the side of the road near his house. It sat for a couple of days until he decided to check out just what this was. Took it home and pried the locks enough to open. No ID. Not sure just what steps to take next, he posts on Craig's List as lost item. Nothing.

He then talks with a local HD rider who suggests contacting Whitehorse in NH. He speaks with Donna and she contacts Roy (Yankee Beemers President) and he posts over here http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=48406 I call Donna and get the finder's email. We have now confirmed that it is our case.

All of this successful outcome speaks volumns about how a network can ultimately work. Gail (sheridesabeemer) jumps right in and posts the loss wherever possible; Bud (sibud) provides near mystical insights and support; Irene (iRene) is the Maine connection; Roy (rbertalotto) carries the message from Whitehorse and makes the pivotal connection; Chris (statdawg), through PMs, is a logistical wizard for coming up with a broad range of options for retrieving the case; Donna at Whitehorse for taking the time and effort to forward the info in the most expedient way;and, thanks to the many others who assisted. Every negative has a positive and there are many in this 'Lost 'n' Found' story. Now we are all going to be sure that we ID cases on the outside and make sure that bag security has a 'back up plan'...... just in case.

Turns out that the finder works in South Portland, my parents and siblings live in Portland, and, my brother works just around the corner from the finder. So, we will coordinate a pick-up and I'll figure a way to get the bag up here some time by next Spring.

Thank you all! :hug - Bob
 
tourunigo said:
....... THE REST OF THE STORY

I just got off the phone with a gentleman from Cornish, Maine. He found our sidecase on the side of the road near his house. It sat for a couple of days until he decided to check out just what this was. Took it home and pried the locks enough to open. No ID. Not sure just what steps to take next, he posts on Craig's List as lost item. Nothing.

He then talks with a local HD rider who suggests contacting Whitehorse in NH. He speaks with Donna and she contacts Roy (Yankee Beemers President) and he posts over here http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=48406 I call Donna and get the finder's email. We have now confirmed that it is our case.

All of this successful outcome speaks volumns about how a network can ultimately work. Gail (sheridesabeemer) jumps right in and posts the loss wherever possible; Bud (sibud) provides near mystical insights and support; Irene (iRene) is the Maine connection; Roy (rbertalotto) carries the message from Whitehorse and makes the pivotal connection; Chris (statdawg), through PMs, is a logistical wizard for coming up with a broad range of options for retrieving the case; Donna at Whitehorse for taking the time and effort to forward the info in the most expedient way;and, thanks to the many others who assisted. Every negative has a positive and there are many in this 'Lost 'n' Found' story. Now we are all going to be sure that we ID cases on the outside and make sure that bag security has a 'back up plan'...... just in case.

Turns out that the finder works in South Portland, my parents and siblings live in Portland, and, my brother works just around the corner from the finder. So, we will coordinate a pick-up and I'll figure a way to get the bag up here some time by next Spring.

Thank you all! :hug - Bob
Click to expand...


Well, It doesn't get much better than this. It's great when people are looking out for each other :thumb . I'm going to move the other half of the story http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=48406 out of Ride Reports here to Regional Northeast so everyone can enjoy the great ending in one spot. Gary
 
Awesome!

I'd now recommend stopping at a Hallmark or other stationary store and picking up a paint pen (the kind you use to sign photographs) - they come in white, gold or silver, and putting your phone number on the outside inner portion that is hidden when the bag is on the bike but quite visible should it fall off again :) If you don't want to mark up the bag, you can also write it on a slip of paper and use clear packing tape to affix it to the bag in the same location.

I used the tape method and mine says, "If Found Please Call 703-XXX-XXXX, Reward for Return." I also put them inside the battery covers and RT fairing pocket covers - both of which rarely fall off but are expensive to replace. Here is something I put together about losing things when touring.
 
SheRidesABeemer said:
This is great news, you gotta write this up for the ON!
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea. A few different ways to come at it while providing some practical ideas for securing cases and methods of repatriating those cases that go missing. Will give it some more concentrated thought. Ted, Paul and others have suggested some ideas so if anyone else has strategies for both securing bags and/or identifying the owner of wayward cases then PM me. :scratch hmmm.... think that I will start another thread whereby ideas/strategies can be posted. In the meantime I'll start slapping some words around for that little writeup. Thanks for the idea Gail. - Bob
 
I would do as Ted said. Someplace not visible while riding, like on the bottom of the case, or the side that's next to the bike just write your cell phone number and "reward". Do Not write : "If found return to [address]" ! For a reason that should be obvious!
 
Recovery: Short Version

.... so my brother in Portland meets up with the side case finder, who actually lives in Limington, Maine ( near Cornish), and gets the case. My brother leaves it over at my parents' place in Portland until I can figure a way to get it up here to Nova Scotia. :scratch

Two weeks ago I was invited to video tape a moose hunt up in Cape Breton so I go up into the hills for a little bog based adventure. The guide is from Larry's River (shameless plug: base camp for the Salty Fog Riders Rally) and he mentions that once back home he and his wife are heading to Portland, Maine for a little shopping. huh? Well yes he'll pick up the bag. :thumb .... and he did. All contents in excellent condition and the locks are in fine shape even though the finder was able to get them open. A few expected scratches but that's it. Amazing eh? AND.... I now have my Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia shirt back! :dance

Whole adventure is a great human interest story as well as a tale emphasizing the labeling and additional securing of luggage. I will try writing down the beginning to end particulars. Maybe something for the ON I suppose. - Bob
 
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