Quiet Riding on a Vespa Scooter
Among other reasons, I ride to relax. On the quiet rural roads near my home, I can pilot the scooter along and breathe in the landscape — through my eyes, ears and nose. The sensory tapestry created as the Vespa rolls along is rich and seductive. On this morning I only planned a short ride; too much tennis ball play with the dogs had me on the road later than normal. An early afternoon engagement meant a short ride.
There’s something about the Vespa scooter that brings childish behaviors to the surface. On the empty roads I find myself weaving the scooter back and forth like a bird swooping over a field. The Vespa moves effortlessly, to and fro, in a hedonistic ritual I practice more than I like to admit.
Country Roads Take Me Home
A funny thing happens when I go for a short, quiet ride on the scooter. Like eating potato chips, it’s hard to stop after one or two. My intention to ride a few miles to unwind and head home was being undermined by “one more mile” thinking. There’s always one more little road, one more reach before heading home.
For the first time I sensed the coming of fall during the ride. Here and there leaves were beginning to turn color and some of the late summer flowers were blooming — Chickory and Milkweed. And the cicadas were droning their late summer hymns. The slow rides turn into a series of slow stops where five miles of travel is a major accomplishment.
This is home. It’s the place I accidentally chose to live.
Into the Mountains, On to the Gravel
I suppose I know that I’m not going to do a short ride long before I consciously admit it. Choice after choice, I get farther from home. When I decide to ride “a little farther” to Poe Valley State Park I’ve jumped off the diving board.
I’m going to get wet.
It’s been 25 years or more since I’ve come this way. Never on two wheels. I knew the approach used to be dirt and gravel but surely by this time the roads were paved. Without maps and dwindling cell coverage I started up the mountain toward the park.
Seduced by Vistas
Had I stayed on the main road to the park I would have arrived in 15 minutes and wandered home on schedule. But I was seduced by a sign with an arrow promising “Vistas.” Just as it’s hard to pass a fine diner or opportunity for a good donut, the chance to take in a vista is more than I can resist.
Riding along what seems to be the valley floor through a darkening forest and narrowing road I’m no longer sure where I’m going. There’s no cell coverage and I haven’t seen another vehicle or person for 40 minutes. The road is smooth with only occasional spots than require extra attention.
So on I go on dirt, gravel and eventually upwards toward the ridge top and the promise of vistas.
Penn’s View Overlook
Even with the haze, Penn’s View Overlook is breathtaking. Call me a sucker for rooms with a view. Wandering around the ridge and rock outcrops I’m wishing I had binoculars. Or had packed a lunch and sit for awhile and eat. When you lie to yourself about short rides you’re unprepared for the consequences of your actions sometimes.
Wishing for a map and trying to remember where things were located was a futile exercise. With plenty of fuel and a workhorse Vespa, seemed appropriate to continue ahead in hopes I would arrive somewhere familiar.
The feeling of being lost is exquisite. Or so I tell myself.
The Road Less Traveled
Some roads seem robust and well traveled. As I made my way down off the ridge and continued on I could not help notice the road turning into two tracks and evidence of traffic getting smaller and smaller. Still no cell coverage, no signs and only a vague sense of where I hoped I was going — on I went.
Nothing like scooter adventure.
Road Not Maintain (sic)
Should have suspected a poorly spelled sign meant trouble. Or that a Vespa scooter isn’t a Baja dirt bike screaming for a change to pound along a bad road. Magical thinking whispered, “How bad could it be?”
And just like that I started down a steep, rough road on my Vespa adventure scooter.
The Magic of Twelve Inch Wheels
Alone, without cell coverage, hot and exhausted from muscling the scooter over large rocks and obstacles, I began thinking about my conversation with Kim regarding the purchase of a Gen3 Spot Tracker.
The photograph doesn’t do a very good job depicting the steepness of the road or the difficulty of the terrain. Too tired to do a good job with the camera, and too difficult to stop for pictures on the steeper and near impassable sections, I had to just keep going and hope nothing broke.
The little tires aren’t made for this kind of riding. The only magic I saw is there were no flat tires.
Rocky Road
This was a relatively tame section of road. The rocks were large but there was a lot of room to move between them. But in some places I had to muscle the scooter over a big rock and hope nothing crashed through the bottom of the engine. And twice as the scooter lurched over a rock and into loose gravel below I had to use divine assistance to kept the scooter upright and not break an ankle or leg.
Still no cell coverage.
Poe Valley State Park
Down the mountain, through two switchbacks, over countless too large rocks I finally made it to Poe Paddy State Park and the relative splendor of a normal gravel road. Surprisingly, the only thing that broke on the scooter was the glue gave way on the left heated grip — I would have to reglue onto the handle bars. All the pulling and muscling of the machine was more than the glue could endure.
Not quite home free, a short but pleasant stretch of gravel, then freshly paved road, and then more gravel and dirt until I reached US 322. Wasn’t shooting pictures or doing much of anything else. Just riding on home to have some lunch and give thanks that I didn’t break anything on the scooter or me.
The Vespa scooter is not an off-road machine. This ride proved that even with aggressive tires, the suspension and tire size would make this kind of riding painfully slow and difficult.
Still, I survived the scooter in the rocks.
Wonder what will be next?
All hail Scooter man…that “road” has claimed many machines….one of my favorites going UP….down not so much…even on the right machine….
I can believe it would claim things. I’m glad I had water with me. Was sweating hard and getting tired. Should have checked my pulse. That tool on my iPhone works without cell service.
Up would definitely be easier. Less fighting the scooter. Not much suspension travel on the Vespa to deal with the radical surface changes. Happy to get past it without breaking the scooter or me.
POE….no one mentioned the supposed connection to the “Raven” yet.
Yes, Edgar….I hear your heart.
There are certainly a lot of stories about Edgar Allen Poe and that area. Most debunked I think. But still interesting. There’s a good bit of information regarding Poe’s alleged stay at the Eutaw House.
I gave up my Honda CR250 dirt bike many many years ago. Now the Vespa stays on pretty good roads.
I should stay on good roads. The scooter takes a real hammering on those rocky paths. Even on well maintained gravel roads the rocks grind away at the paint. With 36K miles on the clock, maybe it doesn’t matter anymore…
Steve, that was a fine adventure, there is a beauty and lonely solace that being on a trail or road unknown brings. I like the feeling, it takes me back to my very young days, when each hike up the nearby mountain was a new epic unfolding.
I’ve mostly given up though, on dirt roads. One nearby follows a creek fed by the coastal mountain springs, it connects U.S. 101 to Old Creek Road (paved), a beautiful back-road which eventually leads to the coast and the quaint little town of Cayucos, CA. The ruts and rocks have loosened the glove-box door hinges, fixing them is quite a chore so I live with it, but vowed not to subject Silver to that kind of abuse again.
Your post makes me reconsider…
Adventure was so easy when we were kids. I walk in a woodlot was a journey into a new world. Riding has helped recapture some of that simple satisfaction.
I’ve ridden quite a few rough and rocky roads but nothing like this one. I keep thinking something has to break but so far nothing. Haven’t checked the glove-box door hinges though!
You’re plan to keep Silver off the rough stuff is probably a good one.
This essay should titled:” No winter maintenance, or any other time for that matter”>
You’re retired hence your schedule is yours except for dogs and home responsibilities. And so it should be so.
Enjoy!
The sign definitely undersold the experience. I’m wiser now.
My schedule is mostly mine. I have a pot of time gold. Just want to spend it sensibly…
I have found myself in similar circumstances and the plastic on my scooter has the scraps to bear witness to my indiscretions. Thank you for adding the links, I have been lost in them for the last hour.
There is a lot of fine riding out in that neck of the woods. I didn’t really do it justice. A single track trail led off into a rising valley. Wondered if the Vespa could manage that.
Glad I could help you get lost for a little while…
Ha ha! You’ve proven you can take that scooter anywhere! Yes, that trail is rockier than pictures can show.
If I ever venture down (or up) that road again, I’ll endeavor to make more descriptive photos of the challenges it presents.
The vista pictures were lovely. Gravel is NOT my favourite thing, in fact I get downright anxious. My bike’s geometry is not made for it, it gets heavy, cumbersome, and unweildy. It’s exhausting muscling around 480 lbs of machine. Just the pictures of the rocky road was making me think “Oh my!”
Spot tracker is on my long list of purchases. Good investment particularly when a ramble becomes an unscheduled adventure where there is no cell service.
I sometimes look at YouTube videos of people riding big KTM or BMW Adventure bikes through that kind of stuff. Can’t imagine how difficult that must be. Shows the limitations of my riding skills. As a kid I used to tear through stuff like this on a Kawasaki 175 dirt bike. But I was young, stupid and physically resilient. Now my body just would break I fear.
There’s nothing aside from procrastination standing between me and the Spot Tracker. I should just order one.
Did a story on an ADV course, I was loaned a BMW 650, it was so heavy and cumbersome, I was fighting that bike the entire time. If I was going to off road I’d purchase a Honda CRF250 or a Yamaha XT due to it being more light weight and flickable. It is not about ginormous bikes for me.
I suppose with enough practice and experience a person will become comfortable and proficient with a bigger dual sport bike off road. I’ve seen a lot of videos of people navigating some pretty rough single trail courses on BMW R1200 GS Adventure bikes. But they are seen muscling those machines along on foot or pulling them out of mud — my back won’t tolerate that work anymore.
A little Yamaha XT225 would be something I can see myself having fun with. Could take me anywhere in Pennsylvania so I wouldn’t need more power. I’m slow…
SPOT is excellent. I’ve used one for years. Matter of fact I’m on my second. I’d recommend it over the more expensive Delorme, which failed me.
Rough trails can lead to great spots, but mostly, they lead to bone jarring…suspension straining….moments of brief lucidity where one does wonder what one was thinking when one took a certain road.
My Urals do fine when pointed downwards, going up said trails it is forced to charge them as they’ve no “granny gear” and then it’s basically lots of hoping you can keep the rig on the trail and maintain forward momentum….once it’s lost, it’s not long at all before you’re stopped because the clutch disks are overheated (if you’re lucky).
I’ve learned, the hard way, that my skillset and my choice of two-wheeled motorcycles aren’t suited for roads that the Ural shrugs of…..
Usually those moments of brief lucidity occur in the snow for me. First time that a dry road in warm weather instructed me.
I didn’t realize 1st gear in the URAL was a problem like that. Glad you told me. I’ll hold off on a purchase until they address that issue.
My skillset is limited as well. I am a slow, stubborn rider. That’s about it.
Such gorgeous back roads. Now you can say your Vespa really rocks!
Those downhill rocky grades might have also been daunting even on a larger bike, but you handled it well. More room for picking lines with smaller tires.
Problem was that in some places there were no lines between the rocks. Only over top of some big stuff. And the suspension was maxed out. Just sort of bang, bang, bang all the way down.
The Vespa does rock though!
Oh yeah, I know Pine Flat Road to Penns View, Ingleby View, Raven’s Knob and down to Poe Paddy very well indeed. I usually ride it on mountain bike, launch from Weikert, up the railbed through the Poe Paddy tunnel, then up that rocky climb on the eighth and ninth pictures. Fun! Pine Flat leads to near the Poe Mountain fire tower, then down the mountain to Poe Valley and back to Poe Paddy. One of my very favorite parts of the world in PA.
Up from the railbed to the top of the mountain on a bicycle — YIKES! Those days are far, far behind me. But you’re right about it being a beautiful area. It’s as lovely as it comes in Pennsylvania.
Hi steve, just wanted to say I really enjoy your blogs. You always make them interesting and I love the pictures, especially the ones of a silver Vespa in the greenery of the woods. Looks stunning.
What is the silver tube in front of the glove box, a drinks flask or something else?
Keep up the good work, I always look forward to a notification in my inbox.
Thanks
Barry
Thanks for the kind words Barry. I appreciate them.
The silver canister is a Kleen Kanteen water bottle. Use it a lot. Just fill it with tap water. Has saved me hundreds and hundreds of dollars by now not buying bottled water. And I still do buy bottled water.
They not longer make the exact one I have. But there are close alternatives.
Wow, this a perfect example of that saying “it’s the Indian, not the arrow”! However politically incorrect, it is truthful. My 1200 GS has much higher clearance, but I am not sure I would be as skilled on that road as you were.
And that view…nothing like a beautiful view for feeding the soul!
I know intellectually that there are riders who could navigate that road on a 1200 GS, but in practice, I don’t see how I ever could do it. I was so jostled around on the scooter that I couldn’t see myself keeping it upright in some places. I suppose it just means more practice. But at my age, I think the opportunity has passed.
Those views do feed the soul!
Those rocky roads are fun with an enduro style motorcycle (not a big 1200 GS BMW a 250 Honda). I recognize that boulder in the “room/view” photo. Funny that that boulder shape is stored in my mind when I’ve seen 1 million boulders. Paul “Boulder Head” Ruby
I think the route would be difficult even on a small dirt bike. The rocks and drops are much bigger than you might suspect. Would be easy to damage the crankcase if you didn’t have a crash plate on the engine.
Some boulders have personality!