A grey cloak has been pulled over central Pennsylvania for the past few days forcing a rather dramatic decline in the number of scooter and motorcycle riders on the road despite temperatures remaining in the 65F to 75F range. The skies have threatened rain and squeezed a few sprinkles of water and an occasional drizzle but otherwise the road is open for those ready to embrace the grey. Some of the most magical scenes are shrouded in the dim, dull light.
I suppose there are strong reasons not to ride on days like these.
I don’t want to get wet.
Hard to argue with that because even with good rain gear you will still likely get a little wet.
It’s dangerous to ride when it’s wet.
Again, hard to argue with that statement. I refine it a bit myself and acknowledge the risk on wet roads and in the rain do increase. It requires an honest evaluation of conditions, experience, skill, and willingness to assume the increased risk. That process comes through practice and is definitely now something any of us does naturally.
I don’t want to get my scooter or motorcycle dirty.
Yes, it will get dirty, the chrome will have water spots. What can I say?
For me, aside from the quality of light on these grey days, one of the attractive reasons for riding is the lessening of traffic in general, at least on a weekend. It’s not just riders who stay at home, a lot of people take to the couch on the grey days. I remember some years back the kids and I went to a water slide park on a day like this. The temperature was in the 80s but it looked as if it was going to rain. We went and were pleasantly surprised at how few people were there. Instead of long lines to the tops of the slides we could slide down and run right back to the top and slide down again all day long without waiting for anyone.
A side benefit of grey.
Traffic is so light, especially moving into the Rothrock State Forest, that I can park the scooter in the road for a picture. Underneath the forest canopy protects the road from some of the rain that washes away the slickness that develops when things first get wet. The pavement stays damps longer and you need to be careful on these tame looking paths lest the scooter rotate onto the ground.
Photography is far easier on a grey day where the light is completely diffused with no huge range of contrast from direct sunlight battling with deep shade.
This picture represents the biggest risk I took during this ride. Wandering off into the woods for a picture I almost walked into one of the thickest patches of poison ivy I’ve encountered. The magic of photography belies the darkness from which the picture was made. Lots of light on the road but nearly black under the trees. I’m glad my eyes had adjusted enough to see the poison…
The ride ended with me having the chance to photograph one of the plants that Kim has helped me learn to appreciate, Verbascum thapsus, or what some refer to as great mullein or common mullein. It grows throughout the United States but was brought into the country in the 1700s from Africa. On a grey day it looks great to me and almost pushes the ride from my mind.
So the grey shrouded ride ends or ever narrower paths. And it never did rain.
Unfortunately, a disturbing number of books calling themselves guides to safe motorcycling strongly state that one should only ride in dry, sunny weather, and only during daylight hours. But then, most of these same books also say one should never, EVER use the front brake, lest one go flying over the handlebars.
That riding a motorcycle or scooter exists so far on the fringes in the U.S. might feed some peoples’ need for an identity, but it has always made my life as a rider needlessly difficult. And it’s not just all the people who feel compelled to point out that riding a scooter or motorcycle is DANGEROUS (and so is riding a bicycle, thanks). It’s not being able to find competent, professional service and repair… or even a place to BUY a scooter (you are so very lucky to have Kissell Motorsports in your backyard). There isn’t one where I live.
At least there’s an upside: All the no-miles bikes, for sale cheap on Craigslist.
Orin
Scootin’ Old Skool
When I first started to ride I was convinced that a scooter was a fair weather vehicle. Looking back I’m not sure if the authors painted things that way for fear of liability in providing training for foul weather riding or if they really believed it.
I think it is important though that people be really mindful of riding in less than perfect conditions. It’s definitely different and can surprise event experienced riders.
It’s laughable the warnings against the front brake — it’s the key to stopping power. But again, it’s all in how it’s used. Go out in the rain, snow, gravel or mud and you have have to be careful with it.
I am fortunate to have Kissell Motorsports here. I only wish I could give them more business but I haven’t been changing scoots and more and more I try to learn how to do some of my own maintenance. Am approaching another belt and roller change and am pondering whether to try it myself or drop it off at Kissell’s. Leaning towards having them do it.
As always Orin, thanks for commenting.
Frankly Steve, I’d swap weather with you right now…..
You can’t have good weather and good scenery. That would be greedy!
Steve:
while I am able to do minor service, I chose not to. Somebody has to support the dealer. Several dealers have closed here, and there are no more reliable Vespa dealers in town. Dealers don’t stock many accessories because everyone goes there to try them on, then they leave, go home, and buy it on-line. It is always about the lowest price. I try my best to support the dealer and even pay a premium and kept my spending local
There are other reasons not to ride. I am on the verge of a big trip and I generally don’t ride the month before just in case something bad were to happen which would prevent me from my plans and I have already prepaid for airfare and some hotel nights. I am not sure right now whether I’m going to be able to ride again until late September, when I return.
as you say, diffused light is the best, unless of course you are into HDR
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
I’m moving towards your approach but there are a few things I would like to know if the case of an emergency. Probably not a realistic approach considering the likelihood that parts won’t be on hand when that problem arises.
HDR — I’ve experimented with that technique but it always feels artificial to me. I suppose the traditional photographer in my isn’t ready for that move.
Steve:
I used to think as you, that processing (ie editing) was cheating, but you have to remember that digital is not the same as film. Film has much more dynamic range than a digital sensor. Early digitals only had about DR5, now they are up to DR14, still cannot compare with film. Also remember that even Ansel used to burn and dodge relentlessly and he would camp until the right light came along. So even in the analogue days, there was “editing”. HDR is merely the compressing of tones within the digital sensors spectrum.
I am still not sure whether you can transfer the digital image to paper on high DR scenes due to the limited DR of the paper itself. Perhaps if you experimented a bit more you could expand your photo opportunities from “grey skies”, and actually take some photos in the sunshine. Just some rambling thoughts to ponder
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Steve:
I am at a loss to figure out what happened. I thought this was moderated. And beyond belief my comment is not invisible
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
It’s like magic isn’t it. Or maybe you are a VIP celebrity reader!
Great photos as usual. And now I know what, if not who, to blame for my yard full of common mullein. When we lost all those trees a couple of years ago the first plant to take advantage of all that new light was the mullein. Now if only the deer would eat it instead of the good stuff….
Thanks for the kind words about the photos. As I’ve said many times the Vespa makes a nice model.
Don’t think deer much like the mullein. Lot’s of poisonous stuff in them.
In regards to changing the belt and rollers, I found it to be a relatively easy task, though time consuming. I do all the maintainance and repairs on my Granturismo. You Tube as well as Modern Vespa are a great source of how tos. I too belive in supporting local business, but I find working on my own Vespa pleasurable and as a retiree on a fixed income there is the added benefit of more disposable income.
I think I could manage the belt and roller change but commitments at work and at home seem to whisper, “let Kissell Motorsports do it”. I’m calling them tomorrow to schedule.
Sorry about the double psting, I don’ know what happened.
Not a problem. I deleted the duplicate.
Take it to the dealer Steve, Remember what happened to the 150cc scooter.
I had a motorcycle that I rode in all kinds of weather. Like Steve having his seams corrode I faced all sorts of perplexing troubles from doing it. Chiefly burned wheel bearings when the grease rinsed out and steering head bearings that started to jam from the grease washing away. A dual sport motorcycle might be resistant to these things but I would rather let the rain pass than spring for an Adventure Bike.
Jim,
I still remember that disaster though I will say the job is more complex on the LX150 than on the GTS because of the kickstarter. That’s what killed me, or more precisely the scooter.
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I am going to see the Vespa die before it’s time because of the adverse circumstances I expose it to. And during the process the scooter will live part of its life as a rat scooter.
Steve, Vespas truly are works of art. Owning a Vespa, and riding it often is to learn that it’s also a very capable work horse.
As the Vespa ages, it’s bound to show signs of use. I think it wears its age with pride.
The rattiest Vespas are in Italy. I still have a fond memory of an ancient two-stroke small frame Vespa in Capri. It was parked outside a shop. The saddle was beaten up, crackled and scuffed, and the paint had long since lost its shine. There were dents here and there, and the more delicate bits like mirrors, the bag hook, and the kickstarter were lost to hard use.
An impossibly big, burly oaf of a guy bounded enthusiastically out of the shop in full bluster, mashed a cartoonishly small half helmet onto his head, the strap permanently cinched and dangling uselessly low, grabbed the poor little Vespa’s handlebars, whipped it off the stand in a half run, jump started it in the process, flopped his considerable weight mercilessly onto the saddle, and ripped off down the road, trailing generous wisps of two-stroke smoke, leaving in his wake the diminishing sound of a motor showing no audible sound of its age.
That bike was still very much a work of art.
Who knows, maybe our bikes will have restoration projects in their future. Maybe they’ll just soldier on without quitting us like that war horse of a Vespa from Capri.
David,
You’re affection for Vespa scooters is showing. I have to agree with your assessment of them both as workhorses and objects of art. They do grow on you and remind of of a different way of life if you let them.
I hope to ride a Vespa in Italy someday. For now it’s merely a fleeting, foggy dream…
PS: it’s much, much, much easier to comment on WordPress than Blogger using an iPhone.
With Blogger the editor stalls constantly, I have to click “done” then poke at the text hoping to land in approximately a useful place that will allow me to correct my fat-fingered blunders.
No such drama with WordPress.
So far WordPress has been fun though managing a self-hosted version has been an eye opener. Lot’s of things are beyond my skill to handle and I get to see a lot of sausage making that Google hid from me in Blogger — like the hacker attacks. Now I see how people are trying to log in over and over to gain access. Luckily, I don’t use a password like 12345.
I haven’t tried to comment using the iPhone. Glad to hear it’s a breeze!
You should remove the login link from whatever pages it appears on. Instead, bookmark the page that appears when you click on “Log in” and use that when you need to log in. I see no reason to put the idea in random peoples’ heads by providing that link (which probably comes from 20 years spent in IT). If at some future time you want to offer premium content that requires subscribers to log in, bring it back, but until then, get rid of the login link.
Hmmm, I’ll have to see if I can figure out how to do that.
Great post, Steve, and great comments, folks. On dealers, and service, we’ve witnessed the demise of small, independent mechanics over the past generation or so. It seems that dealers are some of the only places left to get your ride serviced these days, though I remember a time when nearly every town had at least one good independent mechanic (for cars). Admittedly, motorcycle mechanics were fewer and further in between, but today the herd of independent guys has really thinned. Thank goodness for internet resources like YouTube and forums for DIY repairs and service.
I agree, there have been a lot of thoughtful comments lately.
We’re lucky in State College to have several dealers and a couple independent motorcycle mechanics. And within a 50 mile radius there are even more.
If I had more time I would attempt a lot more mechanical work. Maybe in retirement I’ll try to take on a project bike or scooter. For now I am going to let the dealer do everything. Next week the Vespa will be in for a belt and rollers change.
Beautiful photos especially the one with the Vespa highlighted… 😉
Self-hosted WordPress. I’m impressed, you must feel like you have some free time. I used to run WordPress on Linux and I just looked into running a site on WordPress.com and I can’t believe the restrictions and fees. SquareSpace seems to be a better deal though not optimized for blogging but much more cost effective option.
I would agree with David’s comment about comments from an iOS anything is much easier and more predictable. Blogger is broken in so many ways but there aren’t many good, free options available.
Well, so far not much work on WordPress aside from moderating comments and keeping everything updated. Backup is automated along with a few other things. I’m trying to keep it simple.
No restrictions on the self-hosted site. Limited only by skill, imagination, grit and cash. I’m in trouble I guess. As far as the cost goes, I’ve always been involved in some sort of creative project and film, paper, the things I needed cost money. Now I”m spending on the blog instead.
Nice clear pictures Steve .
I like the fact you use Kissel and the fact Bob supports his local service agent ….if we all Learnt and could be bothered to do it ourself …..where would we be then !
Regards
Len
It’s sort of like growing your own food. We could all probably do it, but who would want to? I’m glad I have some choices.
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so furry and so fine, glow like torches, and all mine.
prev error:
proper citation:
people the world over search web each day for mention of Verbascum thapsis . you shall gain many new & curious followers as result of this post. In Bed.
feel like velvet, tall & fine, glow like torches, mine all mine
kymm deeoneeonyass,
Poets seldom venture this way. Thanks for the gift!