Empty Streets
Black Friday. Early into town for breakfast with a friend. Town seems deserted on what is supposed to be one of the busiest retail days of the year. It’s one thing to be alone on the road in the forests and mountains outside of town. But in town, well, it almost feels creepy to not see anyone.
Toy Duck on a Vespa Scooter
After breakfast I passed a toy store, Growing Tree Toys, and thought it made sense to browse their wares for something that might interest my granddaughter. Ducks are high on her list of interests so this fellow joined me for a little ride.
Ride Through the Woods
My back wasn’t up to a ride and to be honest, I sort of forced myself to take the scooter out at all. I have a pack of reasons why I should keep riding but few suggesting I stay off the machine and let my back heal a bit more. Recovery is slow but moving in the right direction.
I let the Vespa draw me along some forest roads to enjoy the last of autumn before the snow begins to fall. And on Monday an army of deer hunters will make riding in Pennsylvania forests a bit unnerving — even with a high VIZ jacket on my back.
Utilitarian Vespa Scooter
As transportation the Vespa scooter is outstanding. It gets from point A to point B without a fuss. And it’s indifferent to the type of road; comfortable on backroads, freeways or tours across a cornfield.
I don’t know why I keep choosing paths that bump along. My back is far more pleased with smooth pavement than bouncing around of the road. I did stop at a local body shop for an estimate to repaint the undercarriage of the scooter. Many winters of salt and much have made a mess of things. In a couple weeks I drop it off for a bit of restoration work…
Cafe Life…
I suspect for most of December I’ll be without the scooter. Opportunities to be alone on the road may give way to more work on other projects — ones I plan to work on in retirement. I’m still trying to figure out how that second career will unfold and where my “office” will take shape. I’ve considered cafes and coffee shops along with the local library. I’ve also thought about renting an office space somewhere so I’ll have a place to provide some structure to any new endeavors.
For now though, I just keep wandering, alone on the road…
Thanks again for the blog.
Really inspiring me to get sorted and start my own.
I love your relaxed conversational style
I’ve found blogging to be a good way to explore some of the thoughts and actions that are part of my life. Riding, photography, writing and more. If you start your own blog have fun with it.
+Here I thought “oh Great” someone else likes to have duck and a goose for Christmas instead of Turkey. This post is very likeable even if I was fooled into thinking about food instead of riding.
Still haven’t delivered that duck.
Sorry I fooled you on the food. I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten duck or goose. A lot of gamebirds but no waterfowl. Missing out I guess.
A suitably sized RV could function as a mobile office /scooter mothership/travel HQ….
I like the way you think Dom.
Steve,
After a short ride and far fewer projects than I had planed I spent the day with my neck supported. A surgery seems not far in my future. Keep up with the stretching & did you give therapeutic massage a try?
Like so much in my life of desire Dom — I have trouble separating what I want from what I need and may actually use. I see so many RVs in the neighborhood sitting along the house and never move. I have a basement full of such things so I have become more careful pulling the trigger on purchases.
I do like the idea of a mobile office though!
That downtown street scene looks pretty eerie. Maybe you stumbled into a movie. This spring I think that I may finally finish moving out of my office at the university. I don’t have too much stuff there but it’s still a convenient place to go and get things done. Plus it has fast Internet.
I am sure your granddaughter will love the duck its pretty cute. I wonder if you put some memory foam on your seat if it will help for the bumps gor your back.
Good idea Dar. I’ve even used those gel filled seat pads and they help quite a bit.
I think it was mentioned previously, but a Back-A-Line back brace/belt receives very good reviews and may be a useful interim step to full recovery.
It’s been awhile since you posted this comment and I’m way behind responding to things — mainly because I’ve been sick as a dog for the last 10 days. During that time my sore back has improved a lot and the search for solutions has faded. That and I didn’t have the energy to do much.
I’ll have a look at the Back-A-Line though. That’s for the head’s up.
Downtown State College is as if something clapped hands, and all the people disappeared; and left the lights turned on; except for a lone Vespa parked on the verge.
Yes scary in retrospect.
Your time this year and to next June 30 shall be a series of “lasts.”
Last Thanksgiving, last Christmas, last Easter and so on. Your employment revolves
around holidays, after retirement not so much.
As to an office, is there no small space in your home, a large closet somewhere
perhaps. You require a space to call your own; away from home responsibilities
with decent internet. You could rent space, somewhere or maybe go to the Saint’s Cafe each morning, take your Moleskin notebook and write, much as you’re doing now; except you’re now writing, a book.
You have time to plan for your retirement; many of us did not , for various reasons.
I don’t believe you’ll escape the “State College” environment completely;
it will be part of your past and in a way your future as well.
As to the pain of your physical structure; we all have medical issues of one sort or another; you’ll do just fine! The stuffed duck is cute! You need one as a mascot
on the Vespa.
At a University the holidays always present themselves in a big way with the migration of tens of thousands of students toward home. In a day things transform from chaos to those abandoned streets. But I understand how I’ll be less exposed to those rhythms once I retire.
There is definitely space at home for an office. I’ve just not always had a lot of success working at home save for when I was processing film and printing in a darkroom. No one bothers you there.
I’ve been scoping out spaces in town. The library is sort of amazing if you get there at the right time. And since almost everything I do revolves around writing all I really need is a little laptop and a Moleskine and I’m ready to roll.
Kim and I look at houses every now and again. A few times we were ready to jump when someone bought the place we were standing in out from under us. I like State College but who knows, somewhere else might do. If we were both healthier, or younger, we would likely be moving to Maine. But sometimes your plans have to change.
I’ve been sick as a dog the past 10 days. Finally on the mend and my back is much better. Probably the Prednisone they gave me to quiet the wildly inflamed sinuses. That was a gift to be released from the worse pain I may have ever experienced.
No mascots on my Vespa. No names for it either!
I love the duck.
There is always such beauty in your images, and in your words. You inspire me to become a better blogger. Thanks for that. Inspiration has been very hard to come by of late.
I’ve sort of given up on inspiration. I think it’s one of those romantic ideas that just isn’t too reliable. I work best in those more mechanical and goal driven environments like the one you ran last February where you write a post every day for a month on a predefined topic. My inspiration always comes AFTER I start working. Seldom before. All that happens when I am waiting for inspiration is self doubt and a lot of beating myself up…