Comments on: The Darker it gets the Brighter the Ride

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 21:41:00 +0000

Nice humane portrayal of life, death and memory.

Jorge

By: NP36

NP36 — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 01:22:00 +0000

I'm new to this whole Vespa thing, and I'm not yet even an owner. I pick up my 2006 LX50 tomorrow at 11:30, and I'm worried about the weather ... it's 23 F right now in Boston ... but reading your post has given me hope, so thanks.

One more comment, from a photographer I once knew. If we were meant to take vertical photos, our eyes would be stacked on top of each other ...

Justin

By: SimplyTim

SimplyTim — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:07:00 +0000

Steve,

I saw your video previously and was moved by it. I was the "anonymous" who left a comment there. Maybe I'll resend it and see if it comes through with my handle on it this time and then you could remove the "anonymous" one.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:10:00 +0000

tinker: I don't think whining or comparing the Vespa to a wild electric toothbrush quite touches on the sound. It's such an agreeable machine that I think it has to be a solid, positive image. I know what you mean about it being practically silent though. Maybe the roar is only in my mind.

Bill: Maybe happiness and eating go hand in hand. Every scooter trip is a party afterall.

giest: You probably have a lot more long term snow and ice on the road than we have here. Unless it is an unusually heavy snowstorm the roads are generally clear and clean in hours. At least my commuting route. All I really have to do is cope with the cold.

I like purrs into existence or purrs to life.

combatscoot: vacuums and shop vacs are nasty. I have earplugs on my shop vac for everytime I use that thing. I remember as a kid watching cartoons on a Saturday morning and all was right with the world and my mother would come into the livingroom with the damn vacuum...

Hannah: fresh bread Tuesdays and Thursdays.

lucky: Breathers and whispers has a supernatural feel to it, like the Vespa is a ghostly body that I've made friends with. I'll have to think about that one.

The Big Dumb Grin (tm). That's a special feeling isn't it!

simplytim: What you describe is one of the powerful and unexpected outcomes for me of riding. Being present is a wonderful thing and so hard to come by. I have used photography towards that end and while it did deliver me into the present for periods of time it generally did not provide the Big Dumb Grin (tm) that lucky refers to. Another great payoff in a chaotic world.

I posted a video awhile back that talked about using photography to be present. It can be found HERE
.

Sam: I like vibrates to life. It has the right feeling but not the sound. So I'm halfway there!

By: Sam Perry

Sam Perry — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 05:40:00 +0000

Hey Steve, thanks for the first comment. I’m thinking vibrates to life maybe, or buzzes, depending on the engine.

By: SimplyTim

SimplyTim — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:11:00 +0000

Reading your entries always reminds me of the mandate to “come to your senses.” You reap the benefits of doing that on your daily wanderings. The heightened awareness that is your companion during those rides brings rich rewards of “presentness.”

By: Lucky

Lucky — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:51:00 +0000

Suggested scooter equivalents to "roars" -

sneaks
putters
whispers
breathes

Great post. You know you've got the right bike when it gives you the "Big Dumb Grin" (tm).

By: hrw115

hrw115 — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:37:00 +0000

I didn’t know Agostonelli’s had fresh bread on Tuesdays!!!

By: Combatscoot

Combatscoot — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 13:50:00 +0000

They should have tighter noise reduction regs on those darn vacuums!
John

By: Giest

Giest — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 08:08:00 +0000

snow and ice up here in the great white north, won't be riding for a while. as a matter of fact, i had to take the battery out tonight due to the temperature (-17C, 1.4F). it's nice to know that a ride can make a long day at work seem like it never existed.

how about:
"thrums to life."
"purrs into existence."

love the pics

good journey,
giest