Lured by Baked Goods
I have no idea what to write. Only a handful of photos from a recent ride. A ride fueled by a desire to be on the road and in the world. No goals. No destination. Just the need to recharge my spiritual batteries. To take a long Vespa ride.
At this point in my life you wouldn’t think I would need to justify or rationalize why I’m getting on the Vespa. Oddly though, I find myself at times struggling for a reason. Perhaps desire is enough.
I sat at the end of the driveway for a few minutes wondering which way to go. I was reduced to left or right. Growing impatient I muttered to myself, “F*ck it” and turned left.
All I was doing was keeping the Vespa in motion, confident that some plan or idea would surface. As the scooter rolled along familiar pavement I remembered a conversation with a friend about an Amish bakery. A plan emerged and 40 minutes later found myself surveying boxes of Bear Claws and cream filled donuts in a self-serve bakery along Smulton Road in Smulton, Pennsylvania.
No one was around. A can with cash sat on a table to accept payments. All the regular donuts were gone — the telltale chocolate rings evidence of the prize I was after. I left without sampling the more complex cream filled offerings.
Crossing Nittany Mountain
With donut dreams dashed, I decided to cross over the mountain into Sugar Valley. A week later I would learn of another Amish bakery there. For now though, I was just riding to where ever I ended up.
The air was still cool and damp as I crested Nittany Mountain. I had been there before. Many times. And each time it feels different. No two rides are quite the same.
Long Vespa Ride Through Sugar Valley
The road stretches to the horizon in Sugar Valley as I pass farm after farm. Sometimes this route feels endless; almost tedious. And other times it’s flush with scenes of tractors and cows, Amish buggies and men plowing fields with teams of draft horses. I find myself often passing this way again and again.
Peg and Bill’s Diner
And suddenly I’m in Williamsport. The miles passed with little I can now recall other than I had to stop for fuel and I was hungry. On a back street of some unknown neighborhood I found Peg and Bill’s Diner where I would enjoy one of the better breakfast’s I have had in a long, long time.
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
I don’t often ride in urban areas. While Williamsport isn’t New York City or Philadelphia, it is as urban as one will find in central Pennsylvania and I took the opportunity to wander back and forth along streets and alleys, surveying stores and businesses and taking in the sights.
Roy’s Bakery
I had heard of Roy’s Bakery and the delicious cookies they bake. After the near miss at the Amish Bakery it was a pleasant surprise to find it. All they seem to bake is cookies. I left with a small waxed bag with three cookies — chocolate chip, peanut butter, and a pumpkin-shaped sugar cookie.
A snack for the road.
Roadside Rest
Not sure if it was the call of the cookies or the fact that I had been riding for six hours that drew me to the roadside rest area not far from Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland; a good place to go if you’re frightened by snakes and alligators.
Another trip.
These old style rest stops are at best — seedy. Nothing like their Interstate cousins. This one had trash strewn everywhere, paths into the woods for bathroom breaks and more, and all topped off with an annoying swarm of mosquitoes. Any joy from the cookies was sucked away by this place.
Autumn Agriculture
Corn is being chopped and winter wheat and other cover crops planted. Sure signs of autumn and the melancholy approach of winter. I’ve always felt odd this time of year, some quasi genetic/spiritual recognition of the passing of time and the universal dying of things. As I get older it continues to change and intensify as I sense the rhythm of life.
Damn odd feelings for a ride.
Lessons on the Road
By the time I stopped to make this photograph I had ridden 125 miles. My right shoulder ached from holding the throttle — a sure sign of not doing a lot of long rides. Thankfully, my backside has remained adequately tempered for time in the saddle — near six hours at this point. Traffic all day had been low and only a few other riders passed by.
I still didn’t know where I was going other than home. Pulled into the garage seven hours after I left with a 150 more miles on the clock. From the moment I left in the morning it seemed like I was heading home. Not sure what that’s about. Not sure I care.
It was good to ride. And eat sugar cookies.
“It was good to ride”
Done deal.
Yes. A great deal.
Farm land, Amish buggies, diners, bear paws, meandering roads, peanut butter cookies.
Sigh!
Yes please.
I’m lucky to be here.
The thing about home is, we’re always headed there sooner or later. We’re the cookes any good?
The cookies were great. One of the people working for me used to bring a box to our weekly production meeting. That’s where I sampled them for the first time.
I may have said this before but may times I don’t know where I’m going… I can pour over maps for an hour and have no idea. When I get on the bike it is different … I now have the ability to go in that direction, down that road that feels more appealing. The bike or scoot whichever I’m on sets you free. What a wonderful invention. Best “toy” I have ever had. Brent.
Similar to my experience Brent. It is the best toy.
Ya Mang!
I need to take more long rides!
Its one thing to not know where you’re goin….and a whole other thing to not know where you are…I was there yesterday.
Gotta wire a GPS I guess or get a new phone that doesnt flip like a Phaser….
No sweets where I was except a sweet humbling reminder of fallibility.
Get lost…highly recommended for periodic rejuvenation.
I love discovering I don’t know where I am. That’s really a difficult place for me to find myself in Pennsylvania since I”ve traveled so much in this state for the past 45 years. But every now and then I achieve that special place and am turned around and lost.
I’m with you — get lost!
I do things like that when wanderlust strikes, only not as far. My 150cc Chinese scooter makes an excellent companion for sub 100 mile rides. I used it several times for runs to Binghamton for burritos from Moe’s. A brief eighty mile round trip but an adventure for sure. It’s fun, isn’t it?
Wanderlust is always near. And I can pretty much indulge the shorter trips. Circumstances at home limit my ability to go farther. Even so, it is fun. Great fun. Fantastic!
If the time comes when I have to relocate, central PA is at the top of the list.❤️
It’s a great place in my opinion. I’m a bit biased though.
Nice that the Amish bakery felt that simply leaving a can out for cash for their offerings was enough….no need to monitor the customers that show up!
That’s a good amount of miles for just “meandering”….nice.
There are a lot of small rural enterprises that work on the honor system. Roadside produce, baked goods, I’ve even seen yard sales working that way. Must be something in the water here…
Beautiful.
Thanks Tom.
No! How could you pass up the filled doughnuts at Smullton? This lady’s filled doughnuts are the best in the region. They used to be available on occasion at the Locust Street farmers market, and very briefly at Spring Mills and Boalsburg as well, very much worth seeking out.
I’ve just never been a fan of filled donuts. Maybe it’s something I’ll develop a taste for when I grow up. Still haven’t had a cup of coffee. Perhaps I’ll learn to love them on the same day. I am planning another ride out that way earlier in the morning to get a real donut!
Really enjoyed your blog, Steve. There’s something about the quiet competence of a Vespa that permits one to relax into your surroundings…
Sounds like you had an ideal day!?
Relax is the right word to associate with a Vespa. I know they can go fast and chew up miles and roads. But almost every time I go for a ride I find myself relaxing… This ride was an ideal day.
Thanks for stopping in your day and commenting. I do appreciate it.
Please keep up your blog. Your writing is intelligent and insightful.
Thanks for your kind words. I plan to keep posting. Since I’ve retired I find myself blogging less because I have more time. Makes no sense at all.
I have a half dozen posts started at the moment but haven’t managed to complete them. I’ll find the groove eventually.
What a nice day…a long ride, breakfast, and cookies. ?
It was a fine day on the road. Near perfect.