Comments on: Mistakes and Lessons on Riding

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 22:34:39 +0000

In reply to Alessandro Melillo. You are in the advanced mode of ink and paper. Far beyond where I am by temperament and choice. I'll try and stop just short of addiction!

By: Alessandro Melillo

Alessandro Melillo — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 08:30:37 +0000

In reply to Steve Williams.

I actually bind my own notebooks and sketchbooks, so I don’t care much about the offer on the market; I just buy the paper I love and turn it into A6 booklets. At the moment my favourite paper for writing is G.Lalo vergé paper, ivory toned, 100 gsm.
And yes, I don’t like much lined paper, mainly because I’m a sketcher and I often draw on my sketchbooks.
Stationery addiction, that’s what it is… 🙂

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 17:16:33 +0000

In reply to Alessandro Melillo. I've been looking at a lot of notebooks. My go-to have been Moleskine. I like writing on unlined pages and the world seems full of lines. I've been experimenting with a lined notebook and it's not so bad. Maybe the Clairefontaine offerings will be in my future!

By: Alessandro Melillo

Alessandro Melillo — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 21:53:30 +0000

In reply to Steve Williams.

Oh and you shouldn’t miss some good old Clairefontaine paper.
Now you’re hooked again 😉

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 06:51:01 +0000

In reply to Alessandro Melillo.

It’s easy to miss those details of language, grammar and spelling!

I’ve cleaned three of my four fountain pens and am writing again. Can’t find one of my Watermann pens. It’s here somewhere…

Now that the pens are working, I may order some of that Noodler Antietam Ink.

By: Alessandro Melillo

Alessandro Melillo — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 22:00:47 +0000

In reply to Steve Williams.

I’m glad to have refueled a healthy habit: writing with a fountain pen. Though I actually had to make a couple of horrible mistakes to do that (i.e. “it’s” instead of “its” and “thing” instead of “think”) 😉

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 16:58:38 +0000

In reply to Alessandro Melillo.

I had to do some internet sleuthing regarding “Sailing to Philadelphia.” I had not heard that album or the lovely song by Knopfler and Taylor. Haunting lyrics and sound. Antietam was a terrible battle, the bloodiest in American history of any war, and the lead off to the American Civil War. I’ve been to a number of those battlefields and they have a haunted feeling. I’m always amazed at what old men can talk young men into doing.

Thanks for rekindling my fountain pen addiction. Looked up Noodler’s Antietam Red ink and now my mind is off to the races. And just when I thought I put my fountain pen work behind me!

Paul doesn’t have any dedicated cold-weather gear. He just adds layers. And in warm weather, he’ll ride with a t-short and low shoes. But he doesn’t ride in the cold weather like I do.

It snowed here this morning. First time the world was white this season. And off course I had to take the Vespa for a ride. And then I found shelter and hot tea at a local cafe. Life is good.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 15:30:15 +0000

In reply to scottabrodie. I agree, preemptively donning rain gear makes sense. I can't figure out why I still resist doing it...

By: Alessandro Melillo

Alessandro Melillo — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 09:25:32 +0000

It actually took me a while to read this post but – except for the freezing conditions – it was a pleasant read. Many hints inside: the Mason-Dixon line which reminded me of the J.Taylor-M.Knopfler’s song “Sailing to Philadelphia” which was one of my Chuggabug’s riding songs while riding along SS1 back in my long commute days; then Noodler’s Antietam red ink which fills my Aurora fountain pen and borrows it’s name from one of the bloodiest (and most inconclusive) battles in Civil War; I use it daily at school to correct my student’s work and it sometimes feels creepy if you know a bit of American history (which Italians actually don’t study at all).
I wonder how Paul can get well with blue jeans and I believe that under that wonderful Ducati Jacket he must wear some sort of overpants, ain’t it? I do, on the Vespa, especially if weather gets wet and cold.
Now I’ve just gotten up and had my usual two cups of tea for breakfast, I want to ride, it’s heavily raining outside and the south west wind is blasting the rocky coastline of my hometown; I’m a hundred miles away from the Chuggabug and I seek refuge in a good read. I started to thing that, at a certain point, you’d improvise a sort of tarp tent to find – just to quote another song – shelter from the storm.
I’m happy you made it home safely. The Post office is a plus in a story.
Thank you 🙂

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:43:03 +0000

In reply to scottabrodie. As I get old I am less willing to push limits regarding weather and light. I used to love riding at night but thoughts of deer and changes in eyesight have tempered things. Same with snow and ice. I will go to much greater lengths to avoid it and will almost certainly no longer venture out in it. I guess I'm becoming a fair weather rider. Well, I will still ride in rain and fog. For now.