Early in the winter riding season I find I must overcome mental and physical barriers before I fully adapt to the cold weather. Once it happens though riding is sublime. Around the beginning of December I notice the rapid appearance of Christmas decorations. I also notice the shortening daylight, more troublesome than the decline in temperatures. Riding to work in the dark, riding home in the dark, it can be discouraging. Almost claustrophobic. Inertia grows and I feel glued to chairs and couches. Riding gear is heavy and ponderous. It’s so much easier to drive to work.
I recognize a slow transformation as I adapt to the season. As I push myself past the litany of excuses a change occurs and I become a winter rider. I learn over and over again that if I engage in a process of action good things come about. I cannot wait for inspiration. The change and adaptation occurs while I am riding, writing, or making photographs. Inspiration comes through the doing of something, not the thinking about it.
I’m ready to ride and continue riding through the winter. Any misgivings or concerns have been swept away in the adaptation. Make no mistake I am aware there are challenges and risks to manage. I do not venture forth in a foolhardy manner. But I do travel with a smile on my face now despite the cold. I ride and am rewarded in spirit. And sometimes in material ways. It is still nice to curl up at the end of a cold day with Kim and have a cup of tea and a few chocolates.
I love reading your blog. It’s very soothing to me. This particular post seems very relevant to me as this is my first winter riding. I’m from the Central Valley of California (prime farm/ag land) and our winters are comparatively mild. I recently purchased some gloves for winter riding that are supposed to be good for very cold riding, but my hands get very cold even though it’s only been mid-50’s while I’ve been riding.
I’d like to know which gloves you wear during the winter. My gloves are supposed to be good down to the lower 30’s, but my hands get cold just thinking about that possibility.
In response to Keith, I have found that cold hands mean my core is cold and my system is closing off the capillaries in my fingers to force blood back to the core. If I add a layer to my torso, my hands stay much warmer.
Yamaha xf50 in South Carolina.
Wow. Chocolate, Wine and Fudge.
The only thing that would be better would be some sort of Chocolate Wine Fudge. Three tremendous powers combine to form a single entity, like Voltron.
“I’ll form the gooey nougat!”
Time you got a windshield. If only to make me feel less chilled. I know I know, only for wimps.
well, a good motivation for riding might be a new camera, as I just bought…!
I’m struggling to go to visit a not-so-far from here geothermal spot, sort of infernal land, to enjoy a good ride and shoot some pics.
Yet, cold wind and rain whip my visor, but I happen to like it. My gloves have a nice gum bar on the ridge of my left thumb to rinse the visor from water, just like one does to clean a car’s windshield. That’s just enough to make me comfortably see the road and be careful.
Your shared thoughts on curves (and Dan’s as well) made me re-learn to lean and turn, making me more confident.
This weekend I’ll go on the mountains above Carrara to visit a big white marble quarry, but I am forced to leave my Vespa at home, as it’s too far from my hometown. I’m sure I’ll shoot nice pictures, marble and snow, but I long for putting my butt on the Vespa again!
Ale-
L’Insetto Scoppiettante
I suppose COLD is okay but it’s the rain and cold combined that we get up here. Torential rains that soak through your gloves that makes your fingers cold. In the pools of water you cannot see the potholes, nor the ripples in the road. Leaves block drainage forming little intersection Lakes and they are very hard to see in the dark with light shining off those water droplets on your face shield. but you get such a good fealing as the cagers look at you at the stop lights and wonder to themselves “what fools we are”
“I learn over and over again that if I engage in a process of action good things come about. I cannot wait for inspiration. The change and adaptation occurs while I am riding, writing, or making photographs. Inspiration comes through the doing of something, not the thinking about it.”
Beautiful. Thanks.
It was 19 degrees when I left the house this morning. The sun had just risen and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was cold, but crisp and clear. If I had driven a car to work, I am not sure I would have noticed what a beautiful day it was. I sometimes wonder why I am so determined to ride my scooter all the way through the winter except for snowy and icy days. Many people think I am nuts to ride when it is so cold. Maybe it is some sort of tribal instinct in me. Maybe it is the.desire to take on the challenge. There I am, me on my trusty steed, (a SYM HD 200, named “Max”) together taking on the challenges of the environment
of planet earth. When I first bought then scooter I was unaware that I would find the ride to and from work to be so exciting and invigorating. I find that I actually get grumpy on days that I have been unable to ride to work. Part of the sheer joy I find in riding is in being so much more aware of the nature that surrounds me as I ride. I am not always sure why I do some of the things I do, but when it comes to scootering, I am not going to worry about the why of it as much as I am just going to continue to enjoy it. The rewards of enjoying a beautiful day like today far outweigh the little inconvenience of a bit of cold weather.
Been following the blog for some time. I too am a professional photographer who rides a Vespa – in my case a 1964 vintage. I haven’t packed it up yet for the winter, but am down to maybe 2 days a week in Central PA.
I have a question about how you carry your photography equipment. Vintage Vespas have little storage equipment, and I have difficulty carrying what I need to.
Usually about this time of year (Beginning of the cold season), I’m stricken with a pretty bad case of “Fletchertitus”. I wake up and look out the window to see the thick fog rolling through the cold damp air and all at once, I let out a collective “ughh”. After gearing up and settling in on the bike for my morning commute, my regrets usually disappear and I know that I made the right choice to press on and ride, even during this time of year.
E.T.
Mark: vintage Vespas as well had a great opportunity to carry things, which are chrome tubes, front and rear racks! I bought my modern Vespa asking for a front rack before getting it, and this way I could tour Sardinia for a grand total of 1400 kms with my girlfriend on the rear seat, a backpack on the back rack, tent and camping stuff on the front rack and a big backpack between my legs. Carrying just photographic stuff is really easy, then!
Ale-
L’Insetto Scoppiettante
I’ve been busy and have neglected to respond in a timely manner to the comments on this post. But up early enough today to spend some time here.
Keith: First, thank you for your kind words about Scooter in the Sticks. It is always nice to hear that someone finds things here useful and relevant.
As far as gloves go I found that what some dealers call winter gloves and what I call winter gloves are two entirely different things. 60 degrees means winter riding for a lot of people. Heavy, heavy gloves are the thing. Must be absolutely wind proof. I finally gave up trying to find something good below freezing and now have Gerbing electric gloves.
Dave Gray: I have been thinking about what you said in regard to core temperature and I think you are absolutely correct. I have been paying attention to it the past few 20 degree mornings and a little experimenting bears out the truth in your words. Thanks!
RickRussellTX: I fear my abandon with chocolate and fudge will soon go the way of wine. My body couldn’t handle the wine anymore without an insane headache and I think I am eating so much chocolate that my body is screaming again.
I should stop before I make myself sick and actually turn into gooey nougat!
Conchscooter: NO windscreen! I like feeling the air blast. I like knowing I am in the world.
No wimps, just a different sense of things. Room for windscreens in the world.
ale: I’m always interested in a new camera but I think it’s just a diversion for me, keeps me from paying attention to the work.
I saw a picture of a Yashica Mat on your blog. I’ve always loved those twin-lens reflex cameras.
Looking forward to seeing pictures of snow and marble!
bobskoot: Looking at some of the pictures you make along the water and canals I can only imagine a foggy, icy mess in winter. Certainly not the usual bone dry, skin cracking cold I see here for much of the winter. My Vespa would probably sit in the garage much of the time if I had your weather to deal with.
Be careful!
anonymous: The real challenge is to stay out of my head and engaged in activity. It’s just amazing what my brain tells me…
cpa3485: I’m with you on the cold morning rides — they are invigorating in a way that is hard to describe. Someone once told me the “why” questions are best left to God and we can concentrate on the “what” questions, like enjoying a ride. The beauty and enjoyment do outweigh the discomfort. And generally I am dressed so I have no discomfort.
And I do get grumpy if I can’t ride. Like today. My rear brake left me yesterday and I have to take it in to the shop. New pad, bleed the system, who knows? I just know I won’t ride it today…
Mark: Glad to know a fellow central PA photographer is also a scooter rider.
I carry my gear under the seat, in the rear bag I have, or bungee cord a camera bag onto the seat behind me along with a tripod if needed. You can see an example of the tripod and gear packed on the post THE PRICE OF BETTER PICTURES.
I used to worry about vibration a bit but I just wrap the cameras in some camera wraps and things seem ok.
Earl Thomas: Exactly the same with me early in the winter. It is getting easier to head out in the cold now though after I have been reminded enough how great it is to ride in the cold.
Steve:
As you noticed, we get a lot of ice in our area due to temps below freezing at night, but melts in the day and refreezes. Lots of fog which turns to ice immediately upon hitting the asphalt and freezing rain lately.
Mark:
I know what you mean about vintage scoots. I used to have a Lambretta GP200 SIL. No storage what-so-ever and lots of vibration
While I did manage to have a 16 mile “monitored” ride at -23F from Lebanon to Canaan, NH on Thursday, January 22, 2009, I was recently injured in an accident Feb. 9, and wish any winter riders willing to venture out at a colder temp or a greater distance all the best. I am recovering from an ankle fracture…and remind everyone to watch out for “pea gravel”…Bob
Bob Olcott: I hope the ankle heals fast and well. Having a broken ankle is no fun and in the winter even worse.
16 miles at -23F! That’s cold. What were you riding on and how did it function at that temperature?
You’re the winter riding man!
Pea gravel. Lots of it here. A colleague dropped his scooter on the road taking a gravelly turn to fast. This time of year it is one more risk to consider.