I've ridden motorcycles for forty some odd years now, and I never get over the excitement of hearing that engine come to life in anticipation of a ride. Sometimes it's just down to the store for a quart of milk, and other times it's been thousands of miles. When I get the urge, I go, and when I want to come home, I do. This page is about that.
In 1985 I bought a used '83 Goldwing that had 500 miles on her. She was a stripper model you could buy at that time with no windshield or anything else. I have since installed a fairing of unknown origin, and a set of used fiberglass bags from an old Harley. I change her oil once a year, and change tires when necessary. A couple of batteries and that is about all she ever asked of me. First I named her "The Wanderer", but later changed that to "The Wayward Wind." So far she has stuck by me.
I live in New York, and together we have also been to Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusettts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, West Virginia, and Ontario and Quebec, Canada.
I've ridden New York's Adirondack Mountains from end to end and side to side. I've ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway. I've been to the Americade in Lake George, New York several times. I've done breakfast on Super Sunday at Marcus' Dairy in Danville, Connecticut.
My son, Carl, borrowed her and they went to Idaho together. He took a picture of her at the top of the great divide. You guys from Wyoming will know this is just below Yellowstone National Park.
My latest dream is to cross the St Lawrence River at my home town of Ogdensburg into Ontario, Canada. Then I'd like to wander up through Quebec and circle the Gaspe Peninsula. From there I think I'd like to drop down through New Brunswick until I got in the vicinity of Prince Edward Island. I understand there is a bridge now out to the island so I'd try that. After some time out there looking around I think I'd like to come back off of the island and circle Nova Scotia. After I work my way around that I'd like to sort of head west across New Brunswick some more and come out in Maine. Then I could work my way across that state as well as New Hampshire and Vermont, and I'd get back home some day. I'm just thinking about it now, but don't bet I won't do it.
© 1998 llawton@gisco.net