The Vespa starts right up in freezing weather, my brain not so much…
At the beginning of the cold-weather riding season an adjustment is in order — for me at least. I don’t worry much about the Vespa and instead focus on the subtle ways my mind works to avoid the cold. Perhaps it’s merely a form of homeostasis that struggles to preserve comfort. As the years progress and a new season of cold arrives I have to work a little harder to ride the Vespa in freezing weather.
Accept the Obvious
Some might say I’m in denial and that my mind and body is trying to tell me not to ride. Or that I really don’t enjoy being out on the scooter of a crisp, bright morning in bracing air. The resistance I’ve encountered from others to cold-weather riding ranges from philosophical beliefs on the subject bordering on fanaticism to garden variety disbelief or head-shaking at the thought of riding when it’s not warm.
I got up this morning with only a sense that I could ride. As I moved through the morning rituals to prepare to depart for work the clear skies and lack of wind allowed me to slowly move toward a two-wheeled departure. By the time I came back in the house after 30 minutes of dog action I was moving my riding gear toward the cast-iron radiator to begin warming up.
After making the photograph of the scooter with the frosty window I paused to walk out to the road and think about ice. At 27F, despite the dry weather of late, riding would demand an extra measure of observation and care in riding.
Alone with Your Thoughts
A stop on the way to work to visit the chiropractor for some final touch-up work on my back. In the office, thinking about how long it has taken me to recover after this latest lumbar event, I could hear my father saying, “It’s hell to get old boy.”.
Boy. My name forever with my dad. I don’t remember him ever calling me anything different. Even when introducing me. “That’s my boy.”.
Funny what comes into your head when you’re alone.
Rising Above Freezing
On the way to work the temperature quickly climbed above the freezing mark and combined with the bright sun to bamboozle my brain into thinking it was warm. I’ve had a few concerns since my heart attack about how well I would be able to handle cold-weather riding but so far it’s not been an issue. The only thing I’ve had to wrestle with is the usually mental resistance that I generally categorize as laziness. The more I ride in the cold though the hardier I become.
Bring on the winter — I’m ready to ride the Vespa in freezing weather. Big talk for someone sitting in an easy chair in a toasty living room.
The next few days promise some warmer weather so I may see some fellow riders but I won’t hold my breath. The few I’ve spoken with already have Stabil in their gas tanks and are storing their machines in anticipation of spring.
A sad state of affairs. I think…
OK Steve, you have to overcome this inertia….a photo of porta-potties? The Vespa can only do so much to overcome the rest of that picture!
Seriously though, I hope to see your usual repertoire of gorgeous pics….take the usual care, you’ll be fine….
I thought those blue porta-potties would make for an edgy photo. I guess I missed the target. I’ll have to look for something more exotic. I don’t have snow-capped mountains to work with you know.
No Stabil in my tank… yet. I’m hoping for a last ride. The snow that fell the day before yesterday has to go first though. I’m hopeful.
I hope you get some melting, drying and moderate weather to put a few more miles behind you before the Stabil comes out.
Beautiful photos and story again. It was 41F in Florida when I rode 80 miles to Amelia Island and back this week. On Rocket, no less. Cool but nice. I am glad that it mostly stays above freezing through the winter where I live, but I am envious of your hills and twisty roads.
41F is cold if you aren’t prepared for it. I know it gets that cold in Florida but it always surprises me. I have this picture of sun and heat when I think of Florida.
We do have hills and twisty roads. It makes riding more interesting that states where the roads are part of a grid on a flat surface.
Absolutely no commentary on the pink and blue porta-potties…
Around here, I hear very little about riding in the winter. Maybe because riding snow machines is a common winter activity around here.
I dated a girl back in the 1970s that worked for the government doing some remote sensing work. She told me they scoured aerial photos looking for porta-potties — it was one way of verifying distance because they knew the size of those things.
They sell snow machines here but the snowfall isn’t reliable and more and more areas are being put off limits for them. You can’t run all over anymore like you could once.
For what it’s worth: I have no issue with the porta-potty picture. I only want to know what they were doing there, scattered about the meadow … I guess my way of saying I’m lacking some context ;-)….
Context — those porta-potties, and many others, are used by the 100K plus people who come to Penn State football games. The fields are full of cars and RVs of serious fans.
I saw the Porta-Potty’s as a metaphor for ultimate personal discomfort – a cold toilet seat.
I am struggling to get motivated to ride on these cold days. So far I have been unsuccessful. Florida sure is seductive, but a move there, even temporary, would be quite an undertaking for me. Not sure how to proceed, but I need to come up with something.
I just see them as splashes of color in an otherwise sort of brown landscape. As far as motivation, much like other situations, once I’m in motion I’m ok.
Living in Long Beach, Ca. the coldest I have seen in going to work is 36 f. and in my riding the coldest I have ridden in is 34 f. and I had to go looking for that. That being said I do not have the gear for serious cold wether riding. I do love riding in the winter, for what we have of it. My wife & I have started talking about what we want to do in our retirement, some much younger friends have suggested we join them outside of Portland Or. but when I look the weather lately I ask my self “do I want to live in real weather?” Until that time I will smile politely at my coworkers that complain about the heat being set to only 70 f. & think of the places I would much rather be riding.
Try using a port-a-pot when the job site thermometer is reading 126 f.
I cannot imagine using a portable toilet when it’s 126F. Ugh.
Moving to a colder climate would be rough. I used to think about it but the older I get the more crazy that seems. My big winter battle is with Kim. I would have the thermostat set at 78F. She would set it at 55F. We are worlds apart in our ideal temperature.
I could title this reply as a turd for the worst, however at least the colour of them is not brown, or black! The last two days have been clear, full moon, hence a killing frost, killing those plants which insisted on growing even after the first chilly night.
The sun has appeared today November 26, I shoulddosome photography however other chores beckon.
You enjoy your traditional Thanksgiving; be thankful you’re alive to do so and not confined to a rehabilitation centre or nursing home or worse; planted in a stone orchard. Your grand-daughter shall keep you young and positive forthe future.
Given the last two winters here, suspect with El Nino in a far different location winter
shall bbe muchless for those of use in the same general area. Buffalo B+NY will as usual get hammered with snow however the balance shall not be as snowed in.
It’s your Thanksgiving. The nearby IKEA (head office for Canada) store has numerous
vehicles with license plates from New York State and Pennsylvania. Without a nearby
IKEA store in western New york and I think the closest one to you is Pittsburg or Syracuse, numerous residents of those states appear here; it is a regular business day here in Canada. We had our Thanksgiving the second Monday in October; a more reasonable time given possible weather difficultires in the USA andCanada late November.
Enjoy your family Steve, and maybe take time to put the snow tires on the Vespa; winter is coming, very slowly!
“A turd of the worst”– that’s funny. I’ll have to store that away for a rainy day.
The family had a fine Thanksgiving get together with everyone around the table including my granddaughter. I can almost remember when I was her size and sitting around a different thanksgiving get together. Time has really flown by. I really am grateful to be here.
Winter. It’s almost a bad word for me. I’m hoping I’ll come to an accommodation with it and not struggle for months with the cold. Thank god I’m not in Buffalo.
The closest IKEA is Pittsburgh and then Philadelphia and Baltimore. Syracuse is a bit further.
Hope you had a good day and fear not, those snow tires will go on eventually. I usually wait until I feel snow is not just a fluke.
And yet…
I just got back from a 20-mile ride from Asbury Park to the edge of Long Branch, with a side-trip to donate a book. Temps just south of 60, with a bit of mist in the low sun. Wide roads, narrow roads. Stopping long the beach for a few minutes’ quietude. A fun, slightly-spirited ride home, not much traffic. Near-winter weather sucks, but not today. Just one more thing to be thankful for today.
Your ride sounds perfect and how can any ride not be magnificent when some beach side quietude is involved. Best wishes to you for more days like today.