Bathed in Wind and Light
The scooter is the lightest it will be all year. The first rides after removing the winter protection from the scooter. The machine feels as if it’s floating over the road, nimbly dodging patches of gravel and pavement holes and cracks from a too harsh winter. And with it all goes a lightness of being that’s nearly beyond description. How do you tell someone of a smile wrapped around a heartache fired by a sense of freedom felt while bathed in wind and light.
I no longer manufacture reasons to ride. More often than not I say to my wife, “I’m going for a scooter ride.” She understands that I get something from them even if she can’t experience the feelings first hand. The rides of early spring bring a new optimism and hope for better things ahead. Winter quickly burns from memory as the scooter travels through a complex mix of birdsong, fragrances of flowers and moist earth.
Astonishment rides along with me as I drink in the spring.
Vespa in Happy Valley
Even the short rides, like this one through the local countryside, are a banquet for the senses. For fifteen short miles through valley and forest I’m a spectator of the world, an observer of my perceptions. I can’t be alone in these experiences. Other scooter and motorcycle riders must react the same.
It’s not often I read such things in the moto-press.
Destination: Pump Station
I left the house an hour earlier to visit the Pump Station for breakfast. It’s less than a half mile from my doorstep. It’s common to inhale more miles than necessary to get anywhere when I’m riding. Add to the adventure frequent stops to smell the roses and just look at the world. There’s a thrill, especially in the spring, to be alive and walking (or riding) on the earth.
And suddenly I’m at the Pump Station.
Early.
Not a single vehicle there yet promising moments alone with my thoughts and a journal. And just as it happens on the road it does the same sitting with a cup of tea — mental shifts of faith, hope and well being.
I’ve emerged from the cold and darkness of winter and the ride has opened my eyes just a bit, so I can see the gifts bestowed upon me.
I just love going for a scooter ride.
Don’t you love to ride?
Indeed, I love riding. The feeling has never diminished.
The heightened sensation of Spring comes in part from the shedding of those Winter layers: suddenly, I feel like I’ve lost a psychological 10-15lbs in an instant. This allows the warmer air to flow through to the skin in a way that at first feels a bit alien, after what seems like a year of frosty countenance, but then becomes this luscious sensation that somehow both invigorates and calms the spirit in one go. This lightness-of being is much more incredible than unbearable.
And then there’s anticipation: of nicer weather still; of better roads. (Yes, they’ve been fixing up out lousy roads here, and with unforeseen haste at that!) Our one-year-old local scooter club has swelled to over forty members as of this writing.
And, yes, Le Wife gets this. She’s even noticed when I’ve had a hard time with my freelance work or the like, and once in a while said “hey, why don’t you just go for a ride?” That’s merely one of the moments when you know, all said and done, that It’s All Good.
Lots of things change when we transition away from winter. Physical and mental. Same with riding.
Forty members in a scooter club — that’s amazing. Every now and then there’s talk about starting one here but so far nothing. Maybe someday.
Anyways, maybe you should go for a ride now!
Here it has been Spring for several weeks now and soon the summer heat and humidity will creep in. It’s now 6:00 a.m. Easter morning and I’ve told wife when she wakes up I’ll be gone on “a ride.” One of only a handful of Sunday mornings throughout the year, my area is not packed with traffic congestion.
As I type this it’s 54 degrees and clear. I’ll head out at sunrise and point the bike South. Somewhere. Anywhere. Morning rides like this are like taking a happy pill, minus the pill. Any problems of yesterday will become history and potential ones of tomorrow certainly won’t be on my mind.
Enjoy your Spring rides Steve. Soak every moment in and whether 1 mile round trip or 100 – it’s all about the ride.
Hope you had a fine morning ride. The idea that they are happy pills is spot on. For me at least.
The weather continues to clear here. Would go for a ride this morning but am expecting a crew to arrive to cut a tree up that fell on the garage. Always something. But after they’re done — then I can ride!
May Jesus Bless all my Scooter riding brothers and sisters and keep them sunny side up. I’m just on the border of the Derbyshire Peak District, a wonderful place of steep country roads twisting bends, sleepy old villages quaint small towns and rolling heather moors, in winter it’s rather grim cold and windy but yesterday here was a 22c sunny cloudless day and I took the opportunity to go on a special mission to get me and my wife a pork pie from this butchers in two dales that’s been serving the village since the 1700s. It was as you described, the scents of blossom, grass and fresh air. The twang of warming road surface and that fantastic feeling I got coming back up out of the village onto the moors was sublime I couldn’t grin wide enough, the Vespa GTS 300 took it all in its stride, incidentally God must have saved the last pie in the shop for me, and coming back on the very pot holed roads didn’t shake the pie to pieces.
Get ready for the rapture brothers and sisters we won’t need our scooter then xx
Sounds like you have some lovely riding. Any time you can combine scooter and moors sounds great to me.
Glad you were able to acquire that last pork pie. Hope the meal was filling and pleasant and that you had a fine day — on the road and with family.
The weather report in the winter is useful for knowing when to batten down the hatches, but in the spring the forecast becomes the last site clicked at night and the first app opened in the morning as I calculate riding potential for the day ahead. They say you know you’re a professional when you’d rather be doing something else. In the spring, that something else is riding NelliBee, (Vespa GTS). And, yes, my lovely wife, Stacy, calls NelliBee, “the other woman!”
I think I never named my scooter so Kim wouldn’t refer to it as the other woman. It’s just a machine I’m obsessed with.
Like you, I’m always checking the riding weather. More now that in the past since I desire pleasant weather. Used to be it didn’t matter save for how I geared up.
Purr-fectly put and you are certainly not alone. With any luck I might be able to squeeze a few quality clicks in this afternoon ?
“Even the short rides, like this one through the local countryside, are a banquet for the senses. For fifteen short miles through valley and forest I’m a spectator of the world, an observer of my perceptions. I can’t be alone in these experiences. Other scooter and motorcycle riders must react the same”
Hope you were able to squeeze in some riding today. I hope to do the same tomorrow. And thanks for the kind words about the post.
Did manage a favourite 50 mile loop and it did indeed hit the spot. Question for you here Steve. I am about to look at a friend’s 2006 BV250 that is for sale and I am interested. Any advice as to things to look out for? I believe this machine runs a similar drivetrain to your era GTS?
Since Saturday night Supercross is taking an Easter Break, we watched “Why We Ride” last night, a better movie than I realized the first time I watched it. Yes, me thinks at least a short ride is on order for the day.
Ride on Robert!
Steve, the reason you’ve not read such prose on the moto sites is… you’re here, not there! No one captures the joys of a Vespa ride like you do, thanks for using your gift so generously, we owe you a debt of gratitude, at least I do, thank you!
Hah! Perhaps there’s just no place for non-technical pieces or travelogues in the moto magazines. Regardless, I keep posting stuff here. And thank you so much for your kind words about my writing. I’ll try and live up to them.
Steve – love your words and pictures. Keep riding, keep writing!
Thank you. I’ll keep at the photography and writing as best I can.
Riding a motorcycle is the best therapy.
While I don’t know if it’s the “best” it sure is high up on the list of things to do that can transform a person. No, wait, it is the best!
I envy the time you have with your Vespa. Almost a human to human relationship :). I can relate.
I have to admit that I’ve never antropromorphized the scooter in the terms you suggest. I know that some do but for me it has just been a reliable tool. I’ll have to reread some of the things I’m writing. Perhaps I am suggesting a relationship without knowing it. Either way, the rides do open an internal conversation. I just didn’t think it was with the Vespa!
“How do you tell someone of a smile wrapped around a heartache fired by a sense of freedom felt while bathed in wind and light.”
That is poetry, Steve. With all due respect to everything I’ve read so far on your blog, this is my favorite because it articulates best what riding has meant for me.
Thanks Andy. You know what they say, every now and again even a blind squirrel finds an acorn. I find myself continually trying to put into words the feelings I have when riding. This time it came closer than usual.
Actually Peter Eagan writes about the history and heritage of places all the time in Cycle World. The magazines that write about tours usually give a fair impression of sites and scenery. Road Tests all all about the equipment. With Indian back in business there is a lot of heritage articles being written about Indians and Harleys. The scooter hasn’t left the garage in 2019 yet. The ’91 Nighthawk 250 is another story. It’s my go-to ride these days.
Peter Egan. Yes, forgot about him. And I have his two Leanings books. I was thinking more of the articles than the essays and columns but you’re right about Egan. And Clement Salvadori at Rider Magazine often had similar works. The things I shrink from are the reviews and technical stuff talking about engine characteristics, dual this, 270 degree that. But they help sell bikes I suppose.
The Nighthawk is a fine machine. Easy to get consumed by it. The scooter will wait. Hope you’re enjoying the softening weather and having a good time on the road.