So there I was, retired and looking for something to do
today. I rode my Goldwing onto the Williams Grove Road just thinking I would
head out to get some wine, lettuce or romaine and maybe some gas today before I
went back home and did my little household things.
I recently retired from active full time work and decided
that part time working was just not my cup of tea. So retirement looked really
good to me. I knew I needed to start enjoying the little things in life that I
have ignored oh these many years.
While riding down William’s Grove Road I noticed a dead deer
laying in the field and a big bird standing in front of the carcass. I thought,
Wow! A great big vulture but low and behold it had a white head and white tail
feathers. It was not a vulture but an American Bald Eagle. I continued on past
the bird and thought damn I am retired and nothing is stopping me from taking
my time and stopping to watch the bird and make sure it was in fact a Bald
Eagle. I turned around at the nearest driveway and ran back to where I could
stop safely. I got off the bike and retrieved my binoculars from the boot. My
movements must have spooked the bird because it flew off and landed in a tree
at the edge of the field. Sure enough I identified an American Bale Eagle. I watched
it for some time. I thought this is what retirement is all about. WOW!! What
fun this is looking at something that in the Eastern US is not something seen
every day.
Once I had seen enough and decided to continue my daily run
to obtain groceries and wine I got back on the Goldwing and started it up. I
needed to back up some to get started properly but was unable to move the over
900 lb bike by myself. I thought great let’s just use the reverse option on
this bike. I placed the transmission into reverse and pressed the reverse
button on the right handle bar. The bike responsibly started to back up and I
turned the handle bars to get a good heading forward once the reverse option
was complete. Well unfortunately when I tried to disengage the reverse option
the bike would not respond to my pressing the “OFF” button to disengage
reverse. I kept pressing the button many times and still not turning off the
reverse option. I thought well what am I going to do? I turned the motor off
and tried to release the reverse option to no avail. I called the shop for some
advice on how to turn this reverse option off. They only had advice as to
pressing the button until it became unstuck. That did not happen for as many
times as I tried.
Ok a call to AAA was in order. I called and asked if the
Plus membership would cover a motorcycle? It would not, I had to have the RV
coverage. Or I could do a cash call and have to charge my towing on my credit
card instead of having AAA cover the expense. So I said to go ahead and do a
cash call. After a half an hour I received a call from the local towing
service. It seems the quote of $150 dollars would have to do for a pick up and
carrying the bike and me to the local Honda shop. I said go ahead. Well in
about 45 minutes a very nice young man on a tow vehicle arrived. Eventually,
after consulting the Goldwing owner’s manual several times the bike was placed
on the tow truck, I might add that the bike seemed locked in gear but it was
only the starter that was engaged and forward movement was not a great problem.
The winch pulled the bike onto the flat bed and by my sitting on it to guide
the bike to the middle and most forward spot seemed to make the attachment work
wonderfully well.
Leaving the driveway on the top of the truck was interesting.
I advised the young driver as to the quickest and most direct route to the
Velocity Cycle shop that would repair the bike. Our drive was not very long and
the conversation with the driver was good. Upon arriving at the shop the driver
unbuckled the bike and I was sitting on it to steady it while on the incline
and would ease the bike back down the ramp. Unfortunately the bike just didn’t
want to coast backwards. Forwards getting on the truck was not much problem
with the winch but backing off was difficult. The driver pushed and the local
mechanic pushed and so did I but to little avail. The tech went back into the
shop to get a can of something to unstick the reverse button and that worked
successfully. The button released and I backed the bike off the flatbed and
onto the macadam.
The mechanic would be not just spraying the reverse button
to allow it to work for a while and then stick again but he would be replacing
the switch. I also had the cruise control button stuck since last year when I
bought the bike and he will be fixing that also. Goldwing’s are notorious for
their cruise buttons sticking.
Anyway I called my brother to see when he got off work but
he did not answer. So I called my wife and asked her if she could come and pick
me up at the bike shop. She said she would ask and I mentioned that if she
couldn’t I would understand. After hanging up with Judy my brother Bo called me
and asked what was up? I told him I was sitting at the bike shop and looking
for a ride home. He said he would be right there. That was great! I called Judy
to tell her she did not have to come and she said she was already on Center
Street on her way to pick me up. I have never seen an old lady move so fast.
She was out to save her loving husband and she is a wonderful wife to do that.
Anyway I advised her to go back to work and my brother would pick me up and
take me home.
The day was saved and I got to spend time by myself with the
bike and the dead deer, the eagle and just myself. Something I must learn how
to do more of.
I stopped and smelt the roses today and am very happy to
have had the opportunity to do just that.
Retirement is great!
No comments:
Post a Comment