Out and About Jan

LINCS WINGS Out and About

(Jan - Apr) 2024

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Here are photos from different events and visits during the year
sent in by our members.

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Lincswings 28 April Meeting 2024

You never know just what the weather will bring when you plan a meeting a few months in advance. Well last week started off cold and wet and it was slowly improving towards the weekend. Saturday wasn't too bad (if you squint and look at it with one eye). However, Sunday turned out to be absolutely awful. It didn't pour down, it blasted down! Thankfully, we had all decided ahead of time to go to the meeting by car and it was a great decision to make. The rain smashed down on the windscreen and wind whipped it all up from the road. Great big puddles rested in the elbow of each bend and it was definitely not the right day to take your Goldwing out for a run.

    None the less, we had a good turn-out at Market Rasen Cricket club with Sandy presiding as our new Rep. It was good to see Stephen and Lorraine as Lorraine had been quite ill over the past few months. Peggy was also bearing up with Sandy as she was still suffering from a kind of vertigo and cannot ride on the back of the bike without feeling sick. Ah well, we are all getting a bit older day by day.

    Sandy gave us an update on the Skegness Light Parade and arrangement are progressing well. This year we have permission to close the Grand parade from MacDonalds up to the clock Tower, and then control the whole of the Parade up to the top car park for the actual Light Parade. This year should be a belter so we hope that everyone can attend. Accommodation is available at the Golden Palm Caravan Park at a really good rate, so contact them (details are on our website) to book your caravan for the weekend.

    We had planned to hold a Wing Ding in June but this fell through due to a lack of available sites. Instead we will be holding our event from 9 - 11 August at the Kirton Graves Park, just south of Boston.   This is a site we have used before and it offers all the facilities that we need. Trev is now planning a nice ride-out for the Saturday and we will have a band to keep us entertained in the evening. We also hope to organise a Hog Roast - yummy.

Although we had elected to have a Wing Ding every alternate year a while back, the meeting decided that we should go back to organising an event every year. Sandy continues to look out for new sites so let him know if you think you have found one that is suitable.

    Finally, we discussed ride-outs for the year and mentioned a number of good places to aim for. Mark agreed to put together a list of prospective routes that we can pick from as needed. We also agreed that we would hold a Christmas Party (over a weekend) and Sandy would speak with the Royal Hotel in Skegness to see what deal we can get.

    Here are few pictures of us huddling in the meeting room away from the pouring rain!

Pictures by Stephen

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Trevor and Marion out for a visit - April 2024

On the 7th April I attended the Bikesafe event at the Police HQ in Nettleham. While it was well attended, I didn't see any other wings! I understand that most but not all of the observed ride slots were booked well in advance. I had a ride with (I believe) Steve the Chief Observer for the IAM in Boston. We had a great run around some of the great roads around Lincoln for around 45 minutes. Although Steve said we would stop and have a chat about half way, we didn't, which I thought a bit odd!

We had a debrief back at Police HQ and the reason became clear. Apparently he didn't have anything to comment on, other than to say I would pass an advanced test at any time! I thought I might learn something from the day and that was great news. It's nice to know that my riding style can still pass muster.

Bikesafe Day at Nettleham

Grafham Water

On the 13th April Marion and I had a run out to Grafham Water. It was a longer run to see how my neck and shoulder would hold up and thankfully all went well. I decided to go out via Spalding and Crowland then avoiding Peterborough and the A1, sticking to B roads and looping around to the west of Grafham Water.   As reservoirs go it is quite a nice spot with a visitors centre and a good cafe. After a light lunch, coffee and cake, and a short walk along the water's edge we returned back along part of our route. Then skirting Corby and back to Sleaford via Stamford and Bourne around a 160 mile round trip.   My neck must be getting better as there haven't been any side-effects.

Grafham Water
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Pictures by Trev and Marion

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Hunstanton Light Parade - 23 Mar 2024

The weather on the morning of 23 March started out to be rainy and windy here in Lincolnshire. So, it was probably just as well that I had opted out of going this year. My absence was due to a bad back, but it saved me a soaking. However, in Hunstanton, Lincswingers appeared in their usual droves and managed once again to bag the 'Best Attended Region' award. Sue & Doug, Mark and Debbs, Martin Good, Sandy & Jayne and Mick & Helen attended with their wings to add to the event. In fact, the weather in Hunstanton turned out to be quite mild and so a good show was enjoyed by all. At the conclusion of the festivities, Mick and Helen were very happy to pick up the award for best trike.

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Pictures by Debbie

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MacMillan Nurses 17 March 2024

On this very rainy Sunday, Lincs wingers met at the Hive in Skegness
to present a cheque for £5000 which we raised at the 2023 Skegness Light Parade.



We met with (left to right) Sue Kirk, Sally Farman and Sarah Clyde for Sandy to hand over the cheque and to offer thanks for the excellent work they do. Sue is the committee President, Sally is the Chair of Fundraising and Sarah is the Treasurer. Unfortunately it was teeming with rain all day so there were no Goldwings to put in the background of our photo. However, we did enjoy a lunchtime treat of Fish and Chips before heading back home.

This year's Skegness Light Parade is planned to be the biggest yet. We have permission to close off the Grand Parade from the Clock Tower up to MacDonalds and there are plans for street entertainment and a special draw to find the leader of the light parade and also for the person who will set off the firework display at the conclusion.

So tell all your friends and we look forward to seeing you this year for the last Saturday in September.

Pictures by Stephen

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Time for a Service

Winter time isn’t always the best time to work in the garage but it’s the best time to service your bike. This year I (Stephen) decided to take the plunge and change my air filter as well as plugs, filters and oils. I also checked brake fluids and had to replace that!!! Anyway, everyone will tell you what a mare of a job it is to change the air filter, and if you have the GL1800 A model with airbag and ABS then its even more complicated. I stripped off the obvious panels and then took a while to find the two little plastic plugs that hold the little side panels in for the airbag straps. It took a few hours to strip down to expose the airbag unit and then I got stuck because whoever had put in the Torx bolts that hold the airbag unit, must have used a hammer drill. It defeated my impact screwdriver and broke my one and only torx bit. So Amazon to the rescue and I ordered new bits and an adapter for my torque wrench. Kitted with the new equipment. The bolts came out and I finally got down to the air filter unit. My bike is a 2009 model and I don’t think the air filter has ever been changed. So I think this was a good idea to do it this year (15 years later !!). You can see from the photo that it was about time for a change. Then I had to put it all back together and – yes – you guessed it, I had two bolts left over. Fortunately, I worked out where they came from and popped them back into place.

Next I decided to change the rear axle oil. A simple task you might think. However, someone had replaced the filler cap using dynamite or something and it would not budge. So now, starting from the front I had to remove all of the bottom panels so that I could remove the silencer to get a proper socket on the job. Success. Then I had to put it all back together again. Well, the rest of the service went okay and the bike is now fit and back on the road awaiting the Hunstanton Light parade in March.

Pictures and story by Stephen

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Christmas Party -13 Jan 2024

Lincs wingers decided to enjoy a late Christmas Party on 13 January. We booked in for bed and breakfast at the Premier Inn, Canwick Hill, Lincoln, which is just over the road from the Bomber Command Memorial Centre. Our party kicked off at 6.30 pm in the Beefeater Restaurant attached to the hotel. Present were Sandy/Jayne, Mark/Debbie, Doug/Sue, Trev/Marion, Mick/Helen, Dave/Katie and Stephen/Lynne. The nice lady serving us explained that there was a special meal deal to be had for residents of the hotel to include our evening meal, a drink of our choice and breakfast. To access this kind offer we (the men with wallets that is) all trouped back to reception where we paid for the deal before returning to our wives and loved ones. The meals were most generous (apparently the meal deal allowed you to order extras with the set menu). So we all had a most convivial evening, plenty to drink, and followed by a pleasant nights sleep. The morning was topped off with a yummy cooked breakfast before we made our way back home.

    Our next regular meeting will be held at Market Rasen Cricket Club on Sunday 4th February starting at 10.30.

Sorry there are no photos of us being blitzed by drink and merriment but we were all too busy enjoying ourselves. Better luck next time.

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