Those crazy Gold Wing riders are at it again. I have found two groups of motorcycle riders to be unusually passionate about their particular brand of bike. Harley Davidson jockeys and Gold Wing riders. That is not to say that the other brands don't have their die-hard devotees, but from a pure numbers standpoint it is the Hogs and the Wingers that win hands down.
July 3rd through the 6th marks a date where the Gold Wing crowd will prove that I am not totally out in left field with this opinion. That is when over 10,000 Honda Gold Wing and Valkeyrie enthusiasts will descend upon Greenville, South Carolina for the Gold Wing Road Rider Association's (GWRRA) "Wing Ding 30".
My previous bikes were a Suzuki Volusia and Kawasaki Nomad, so I have never had reason to search out and attempt to join in this rite of passage for Gold Wing owners. The trade to our current 2005 Gold Wing last November changed that. It is time to join the throngs of Honda owners as they make their way to Greenville from all points of the compass.
GWRRA is a not-for-profit organization with over 80,000 members in 52 countries. Their motto is "Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge" and I've got to say that my experiences with the group shows they try to live up to their motto. Throughout the year there are many socializing / ride opportunities (they usually end with a stop at the Dairy Queen!), rider training events and safety classes. Not to mention plenty of charitable activities.
The kids are not quite totally out of the nest yet, so Tammy and I are not able to attend many of the rides and events but we are kept abreast of what the local GWRRA chapter is doing and man do they stay busy!
I am told that Wing Ding has the largest collection of Gold Wing themed vendors in the country. I'm looking forward to that. Something tells me I better hand my wallet to Tammy and ask her to lock it down tight. Must....not....think...about....bling....... (how about a little "safety chrome"?).
It will be a pleasure meeting Wingers from all over the country and according to the website there will be more to do than one can possibly finish in a couple of days.
Guess I better keep an eye on the weather reports this coming week so I know if we need to start out with the rain gear on or keep it packed away in the saddlebags.
Man I love having a ride "just over the horizon"!
6 comments:
You can never have too much safety chrome, I always say!
Did I mention I upgraded from my 2001 Sportster to a 2007 Road King? Well I did - now I have six speeds and 96 inches to go where ever my heart desires... and it desires a lot!
Thanks for stopping by old friend,
Mike
Riding a Gold Wing to the DQ sounds like a good way to spend the afternoon to me.
Michele sent me.
Any event named "Wing ding" has got to be a good time. I think you are probably right about Harley and Wing owners. Though I own a Harley I wouldn't mind being passionate about a Wing too. errr... wife says no.
Thanks for swinging by my blog!
Hey Sarch, your iDoodle request is doodled. Hope you like it.
Sounds like a lot of fun. I was on a cruise a few years ago with a group of Model T enthusiasts (no Model T's on the boat, though) and it was really interesting hearing them talk about their cars.
I really gotta get on a motorcycle. Too bad that I've been away from driving so long, even a car freaks me out.
That sounds like a cool coupla days and a great event. Try not to break the bank on that safety chrome and make sure you post about it!
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