Cruising through Griffith Park at last year’s sidecar rally. Photo by Joe Berk.
If you’re going to be in the greater Los Angeles area October 25, 2009, you need to check out the 38th Annual Griffith Park Sidecar Rally.
Now heading into its 38th year, the annual Griffith Park Sidecar Rally was inspired by a simple ride some 37-plus years ago, when organizer Doug Bingham and some pals stopped at Griffith Park for a break while out for a ride. They liked the spot so much, they decided it’d make the perfect place for a sidecar rally, something Bingham had been wanting to pull together.
Doug’s not exactly a stranger to sidecars. Known to sidecar fans as “Mr. Sidecar,” Doug’s made his living with sidecars through his business, Side Strider Inc., which he launched in 1969. Forty years later, he’s still importing sidecars, building sidecars and providing sidecars for bicycle races and the movie industry, where Doug gets to mix it up with the Hollywood glitterati. Ever seen the sidecar chase scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? You’ve seen Doug’s work, because he’s the man the producers turned to for that scene, relying on Doug for equipment and expertise.
Sidecars are Doug’s life, and the Griffith Park Sidecar Rally is Doug’s way of making sure everyone has an opportunity to learn what he’s known for decades; sidecars rock. Don’t miss it! – Richard Backus
Check out last year’s 37th Annual Griffith Park Sidecar Rally in the video below!