For Jamie Lone, it started with a motorcycle, a dog, and a quiet need to heal.

Six years and nearly 20,000 kilometres later, it’s grown into something that brings joy to an entire community.

Jamie, a 37-year resident of Victoria, never set out to become known as the man on the motorcycle with the dog in the sidecar.

In fact, the story of Flyin' Joe began in a moment of hardship. After a 32-year career in the Navy, stationed out of CFB Esquimalt, Lone returned from deployment in 2014 and was rear-ended on his motorcycle near Nanaimo. The crash left him with a traumatic brain injury, a new hip, and more than a year of outpatient rehab.

"I had a good team of doctors that got me through, and support from my family," Lone said. "And then Joe came into our life."

Joe – a Doberman, border collie, and blue heeler mix – was originally adopted by Jamie’s son, Ty. But when Ty took a job in a remote construction camp, the dog stayed behind with Jamie and his wife.

The timing was serendipitous.

"My son Ty realized that, 'Hey, this is good for Dad and Mom.' So he gifted him to me," Lone said.

At first, the pair simply coexisted. But Jamie, still missing the road, wanted to ride again – this time with Joe. He found a motorcycle with a sidecar in Port Alberni, drove up with Joe, and brought the rig home. That night, while Jamie was cleaning it, Joe climbed into the sidecar and promptly fell asleep.

"The next morning we did two laps around the cul-de-sac," Lone said. "Now we’ve got about 20,000 kilometres."

These days, Jamie and Joe – often with Joe sporting his now-signature goggles – can be found cruising around Victoria, from Clover Point to the Empress Hotel. Tourists love them. So do locals. And Jamie doesn’t mind stopping for photos.

"He knows when he’s in the sidecar, he keeps his goggles on, and when we stop, they come off," Lone said. "He’s not harmed in any way. He’s pampered, well-groomed, well-loved by all."

The goggles, by the way, are called Rex Specs – dog-specific eyewear Jamie discovered after experimenting with human riding goggles. He eventually connected with The Pet Store in Cadboro Bay, helping them become the only distributor in B.C.

Joe’s name lives on in more than just goggles. When Jamie’s son helped him create an , the handle FlyinJoe stuck – partly thanks to a quirk of sidecar riding.

"When you turn right, the sidecar will come up," Jamie said. "You can fly the sidecar."

The Instagram page – and the bike itself – have become part of Jamie’s healing. So has something else: music.

"I don’t ride with the radio on, but I do pull out my harmonica and just play while Joe and I are parked somewhere, and of course, Joe howls with me" Jamie said. "It draws people in. Kids love it. Dogs come over. It’s a moment to connect."

Those moments matter to Jamie.

"It brings me joy to be able to give back," he said. "From what I’ve gone through, I understand how important pets – not just dogs – can be to people."

For Jamie, Joe has been more than a pet. He’s been a companion through PTSD, injury recovery, and quiet reflection.

"There really aren’t any words for it," Jamie said. "He’s with me 98 per cent of the time. Wherever I go. We’ll spend hours down at the beach. It’s good mental health stuff for me."

Jamie’s relationship with motorcycles hasn’t always been easy. In 1991, his younger brother died in a motorcycle crash in Ontario. Jamie made a pact with his mother not to ride again.

"So I bought a dirt bike instead," he said with a grin.

In 1994, that too went sideways. A crash near Spectacle Lake left him with a piece of wood embedded in his groin – missing his femoral artery by a millimetre. Nine months later, doctors discovered a 10-inch splinter still lodged in his lower abdomen.

Even after all that, he found his way back to motorcycles – and this time, with a partner riding shotgun.

"If you have a dog and you love motorcycles, don’t wait," Lone said. "Get a sidecar. And if you see us, give us a wave. If you want us to stop, give us a holler. We’ll pull over. You can take a picture."