[Wingrider15]

Greetings one and all!

First a little background: I used to be on here many years ago as “Meat Popsicle”. I was the proud owner of a 2007 audio/comfort/navi. My wife and I loved that bike, and rode it every chance we got. My wife became ill and was forced to quit her job and could no longer ride. It no longer made sense to own the bike, so it was sold to another.

As time went on we discovered the Mazda MX5 Miata. We have a 2012 Special Edition which we take out every chance we get. I also picked up an ST 1300 at the beginning of summer for goofing around on. But we both still had a Goldwing shaped hole in our hearts. We consoled ourselves by saying the memories of the wing were probably better than the actual riding was. But I think, secretly, we both knew better....

So I needed something for the ST. A good enough reason for a car ride. Dropped the top, off we go! Once at the dealer (Central Maine Powersports, a great bunch of guys) I headed back to parts while my wife wandered around looking at stuff. I made my purchase and started to see where she had wandered off to, suddenly I see her with a big smile on her face, beckoning me to come see what she had found. This is what I saw:

Needless to say we made a deal on the spot! We took our first ride the other day, my wife struggled some, but the bike and the ride were just as good as we remembered. The riding season is about through here, but this Wing now has a home in our garage and in our hearts.

We’re making plans for rides next season, I’m seriously considering a (gulp) 4 Corners run, Americade, BRP, many possibilities. For now I’ll be content with farkling and shooting the breeze with you good folks. See ya around the board and maybe on the road next season!

Mark

 

[Bullet Bob]

great story......and welcome back Mark and the missus! :thumbup:

 

[INTHEWIND]

Congrats on the new bike and welcome back.:grin2:

 

[Andy Cote]

Welcome back neighbor. Another Mainer today.

Great looking bike. Good to hear your wife is back into riding. Did you trade in the ST? I have a friend in Topsham (where I used to live) who always wanted a Goldwing. He bought a ST1100 instead. But after the ST tried to mate with a sign post, he finally dug in the wallet and found the perfect Wing. He's never looked back. Actually I know four Wing owners right in Topsham.

There was a guy in Popham that used to be here frequently but I haven't seen him in a while. Had a campground and wintered in FL. I want to say he had a trike or a hack.

 

[UNCLEJOHN]

WELCOME BACK ! NICE BIKE ! JUMP ON IT AND HEAD SOUTH ! MOST SNOWBIRDS HEAD TO FLORIDA SO YOUR RIDING SEASON "NOT OVER " ! :wink2:

 

[MountainRider]

Congrats, you've got a beauty there, and the bike's pretty nice as well. :wink2: Welcome back, ride safe, and keep the shiny side up.

 

[lyle doverspike]

Congrats and Welcome!!!

 

[Wingrider15]

Thank you all for the warm welcome! Andy, I still have the ST. I haven’t decided if I’m keeping or selling yet, not the right season anyway,I’ll decide next Spring. UncleJohn I’m retired, but I’m doing the Winter season at Downeast Energy delivering propane. We’re planning to buy a new truck to pull our toy hauler 5th wheel next summer and then when winter comes, throw the Wing in the back and we’re outta here!

 

[tamathumper]

Welcome!

I was just Downeast proper, burying my mother in Holmes Bay, may she rest in peace. Grew up there and graduated from Thomas College in Waterville back in '88, then worked in Scarborough (lived in Brunswick, then Yarmouth).

Married a girl from Boothbay Harbor who worked at BIW.

I moved to Saratoga Springs, NY for 30 years, then just relocated to Charlotte, NC.

I do hope to get back up that way from time to time for nostalgia purposes. And to get some of that moose meat my brother just got.

 

[Wingrider15]

Tamathumper, I’m originally from about as far “away” as you can get! I was born and raised in Phoenix AZ. Went in the Navy in 1973, and spent the next 20 years or so stationed up and down the west coast. Near the end of that time my first wife and I divorced and I was casting about for a change of scenery. I met this cute little blonde from Boston who was visiting a friend of mine and we hit it off. It was transfer time, so I requested NAS South Weymouth, MA. We dated for a while, all was well, or so it seemed...

One day I came back to my office after my lunchtime run and there was a note from someone named Kim inviting me out for a drink sometime. Needless to say, I was very intrigued! I asked around and found out Kim was this cute fiery little redhead Chief Petty Officer who had all the other Chiefs in a tizzy. Of course we went out I’m no fool!

She bowled me over, I forgot all about the blonde, and Kim and I became an item. It came time for her to retire, and she said “I’m going home to Bath Maine, if you want to be with me, that’s where I’ll be”. As luck (fate?) would have it, Weymouth was closing down due to BRAC and my squadron was moving to NAS Brunswick. I knew it was hopeless to resist, and asked her to marry me.

The rest is history. We’ve been together for about 22 years now, we live in West Bath on land her parents gave us as a wedding gift. We’re both fully retired now and enjoy riding, driving, wandering, exploring, adventuring whenever and wherever we can. I consider Maine my home now even though I’ll always be “From Away”.

I GET REALLY TIRED OF THE FRICKIN’ WINTERS THOUGH!!