A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ‘APPY WANDERERS’ TOURING GROUP

It all started on a cold November day, as I was sitting in the shop chatting with close friend John Harvey, discussing the reasons why so many people, including Goldwing owners, buy a touring bike with all the best intentions of touring Europe or Scotland etc, but never do it because they are either afraid of touring abroad on their own or they don’t speak a language other than English or they don’t know how to organize a tour. Even after years of package holidays, I still don’t know all the answers!

“What we should do is organize a tour, we are both seasoned travelers in Europe” said I. So, that day the ‘Appy Wanderers’ idea was born.

John sorted the routes and I sorted the people from our huge database of Colin Appleyard Goldwing Centre customers. Letters were sent out and the response was incredible.  To make it work we initially limited the group to 15 wings but we had 40 couples wishing to go in the first instance.  To make things fair we worked on a first come basis and kept it to a workable group of 15 bikes.

Colin Appleyard sponsored the tour with t-shirts and paid all the admin costs so it could be run as a non-profit making event, which it still is.  I would use my holidays, as would John, to lead the tour and the cost would be the same for everyone.

That first tour in June 2005 was a learning curve for me but I am pleased to say it was a success. The 15 couples who had never really met not only enjoyed each others company then but have remained close friends to this day.  Indeed as I write this, 7 ‘Appy Wanderers’ couples have just arrived back from a tour of County Clare, Ireland.

For me, the idea of a touring group worked.  It had been very enjoyable but involved a lot of hard work.  Did I really want to do it again I asked myself?  I was already being asked to organize a 2006 tour, not only by those from the 2005 tour but, by more Goldwing owners who had heard about the ‘Appy Wanderers’.

John Harvey, for health reasons had to give up riding Goldwings and with it, touring Europe.  I had ridden in Europe many times with John and have some great memories thanks to him, his knowledge of touring and Europe had been invaluable on that first tour. Thank you John for all your input and help.

Offers of help with the 2006 tour came from two new friends Dave Sharp and Mali Lacey along with one old friend Ian Jones, all had co-incidentally been on the 2005 tour.

The 2006 tour went ahead again in June with 15 couples, four on trikes the rest on solos.  Another great holiday was enjoyed, there were some new and different problems but ones that were worked out, most were of a technical nature, and thanks to a real team effort by Dave, Mali and Ian (not forgetting the wives) these problems were overcome.

During the 2006 tour,  Dave ‘The Scribe’ Sharp had ridden the back door for me, he still does this on Sunday ride-outs, plus he has become my regular riding partner and close friend and co-organiser of the ‘Appy Wanderers’ tours and Sunday ride-outs.  What a sterling job he does, plus his write-ups of our holiday antics were becoming an infamous must read in Goldwing circles. MAG Magazine published a shortened version of the 2005 tour write up in one of their 2006 bi-monthly magazines.  Whilst the Wingspan reproduced the whole version over two copies.

For 2007, I had been asked to take a small group of Americans around Europe, so my wife Tina and I did this tour on our own.  So again in June 2007 we were heading for Europe although this time with a very small group.  The work to organize it was the same.

In late September 2007, myself and a small group of the original ‘Appy Wanderers’ took our bikes through Germany and into Austria.  We stopped for a few days in Vienna then went on through Hungary, Romania and into Bulgaria to visit fellow ‘Wanderers’ Mali and Janice who had recently moved out there to live.

For 2008, I thought about a tour but after 3 years I quite fancied a holiday with just my wife.  Well, that’s what most of the ‘Wanderers’ had told me I needed!  Tina and I went down to the south of France before cutting across into The Alps.

September 2008 saw Dave, Julie, Tina and I heading for the Alps.  My 50th birthday treat and to discuss the way forward for the Appy Wanderers touring group and check out a new hotel for a possible 2009 tour.

Well the result of that weeks holiday was, Dave became joint organizer (thanks mate).  Not forgetting Julie and Tina, they offered help and support, thank you ladies.

December 2008 arrived and after 3 months of planning and many late nights (not forgetting a great deal of work and commitment from our resident I.T. “geek” and all-round computer genius Chris Wray) the Wanderers Website was launched.  We were up and running in a whole new way.

The 2009’s list of monthly ride outs included a European tour and in June 2009, 12 couples crossed Europe to visit southern Germany and Austria for two weeks under the guidance of “The Wanderers Action Team” better known as T1 and T2.  For the first time ever the weather let us down a bit, but it didn’t stop the fun and laughter, or the superb rides in the mountains.

“Chalk the 2009 tour up as the best to date”.

That was the statement from the oldies (previous tour veterans) and the newbies on the tour didn’t want it to end. New friendships were made and time spent with old friends, what better way could you spend a Goldwing touring holiday.

The plans for 2010 are almost complete for another busy year.  The websiter has been updated and improved (thanks again Chris),  Dave, Julie, Tina and I are heading to southern Italy in June on a fact finding tour, checking out routes, roads and hotels for 2011, so watch this space, as they say.

Another European tour is planned for September 2010 and at least one weekend away in Scotland,  plus a whole host of ride-outs. Details are here on the website and should you have any questions please use the contact page to ask them,  either I or Dave Sharp will be only too pleased to give help and advice.

Happy Riding

BARRY WALTON
Appy Wanderers Goldwing Touring Group, December 2009