Just typed “Vespa GTS scooter at night in the snow” as the alt tag for the above image and thought “What the hell are you doing riding in the dark?”. After some thought the best I can come up with is a line from the the old Florida Citrus Commission campaign (remember Anita Bryant) “A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.”
Substitute “a scooter ride” with “orange juice”. I just needed a little ride and it was dark outside so what do you do? Sit inside on the couch? Even a 20 minute ride will change the way you look at the world.
Besides, it wasn’t cold — temperature hovering at the freezing mark. A the roads were mostly clear of snow and ice and not much traffic around. The Vespa has a bright high beam headlight that illuminates the roadway making scanning for obstacles simple.
Most of the holiday lighting is gone save for some twinkle lights wrapped around light poles in Boalsburg and a shrinking collection of lights on homes. Doesn’t dull the thrill of riding.
An aside related to the photos. Made them with a Canon G15 point and shoot camera. I continue to be amazed at what it can do. This one is a handheld shot at ISO 1600 with the zoom at a medium range setting. You can shoot pictures in the dark. I realize it’s another matter entirely to be riding in the dark. Some might say a fools errand and on the surface I might agree. Looking deeper it’s not so simple. It may seem risky but it only seems that way.
At home now drinking juice and gnawing on French bread. I am absolutely certain it tastes better because of the little ride I took earlier. Isn’t that your experience as well?
Your post title made me think of that swingin’ lounge tune Dancing In the Dark (sung by Bennett or Sinatra, of course), which, coincidentally, would be great accompaniment to scootering in the dark.
I love riding through sleeping communitites at night, and I totally agree with you, Steve: There’s nothing like a pleasant ride to readjust one’s perspective and promote a healthy appetite.
I’ve often thought it would be cool to include soundtracks to posts. An alternative to the swinging lounge tune would to go the other direction with Sinatra’s “Wee Small Hours of the Morning”.
Riding at night, especially on longer rides with greater distances, can be surreal. It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of those but maybe I should.
Did the snack after the ride taste better because you were still in the “afterglow” of the night ride? Of course!
I personally don’t like riding at night anymore, my vision is just not that good anymore I think, and as you mention re your Canon, it’s harder to shoot pictures with your typical point and shoots…..my Sony A5000 though, can go to ISO 16000 though, perhaps I should experiment. Interestingly to me now, I reviewed the ISO settings for recent sunset pics done in really low light and the ISO setting picked by the camera was only 3200.
I don’t think things tasted better but the experience of moving from the cold to the warm (and snacks) was enhanced. Just felt alive in a way that normally I don’t feel.
My night vision isn’t the clear, crisp, contrasty scene that it once was. My eye doctor says I have the beginnings of cataracts and I probably notice it at night. I do but only when there are lots of lights. Otherwise I’m still ok. I feel my age generally and am going to be pissed off when it starts getting in the way of riding.
Cameras today can do an astounding job of photographing in low light. ISO 3200 just a few years ago yielded ugly results. Now, especially with DSLR cameras, can produce dazzling results. You should definitely explore.
And I will get to those pictures you sent. I’m just absolutely swamped at work and at home. Just finished reviewing some documents for work. Things are out of whack at the moment. David Masse is still waiting for me to send him a print I promised just a few short years ago. Man, what a life.
Really cold here this Tuesday January 13 morning, minus 32 C with the wind. I live close to the north and west end of Lake Ontario and its cold this morning. No doubt Junior loves this cool weather.
The short ride in the dark clears the cobwebs from the mind, for sure. As long as you ride on roads with which you are familiar, those of us with aged vision should survive.
As to your wotk comment; for some reason those of us working in an educational environment find our days to be busy until about the Easterbreak, then a pause and then a mad rush until the end of the term. Found in 34 years of employment before being made redundant, that the schedule rarely varied.
You’ll survive. Just make sure you can escape by riding the Vespa or playing catch with Junior or just buggering off to have tea with friends and always riding…
And last few of those G series point and shoot Canon’s were really quite good!
Steve, I loathe driving at night, we live in a community which was settled at the turn of the last century when buggys were as (or more) common as automobiles. Our streets then, wend their way across and around our many hillsides. The blessing of this is many curves and almost all of our native oaks are intact (and protected!).
The downside is that deer love our community and anytime after dusk is their time to commit suicide (they loathe the new century and long for the days of old resulting in a high degree of depression). Since they are so eager to end their lives by jumping in front of vehicles of any sort, I have decided to give the night back to the deer.
I like riding when the sun’s out.
Here’s ammo for a blog thesis Steve. Your buds at MV are in a lather about this
http://modernvespa.com/forum/topic135675
What do you think the perception of the public will be when owners dress for a group ride like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJusyANx6ag
You seem to be all gear, all the time. What is your feeling about how some people dress to ride anything?