Behold the Morning
There’s something thrilling to be on the road with the Vespa on a cold, crisp morning under a dramatic sky. Scanning the horizon the world seems strange, different than the one I normally inhabit. My old hearten quickens and I feel a crackle of energy through my body. For a moment I feel on fire, right there, right now. And that feeling follows me throughout the day.
Sitting here now, looking at this photograph of my Vespa GTS scooter, the memories of that morning feel melodramatic. Almost like a dream. And if it were not for the fact that I’ve experienced that same feeling dozens and dozens of times I might dismiss it as the odd ramblings of a riding eccentric.
Perhaps that’s what I am.
Lost in the Countryside
The way to Saint’s Cafe in State College, Pennsylvania is familiar. I’ve come this way many times. I’ve parked the scooter in this spot many times. I’ve wandered around looking at the road, the farm lane, and the little creek many times. And still, I’m compelled to stop. There’s something here. I see something different every time. Or perhaps I’m reminded of something. A feeling. If I were superstitious I might call it a premonition of something. Not all stops are about pretty pictures. I stop because something is there.
What? I have no idea. But I suspect I’ll stop again in hopes of finding out what’s there.
Look Old Man
I first see a luscious green wall with a golden bordered mirror. And then I see the old man. Slightly expanding midsection, continually receding hairline, and an odd look on the face while using a tired old digital camera.
I make a lot of photos of myself in reflections. Vanity? Perhaps. But I think you have to be young and attractive to pull that off. It requires a sense of pride in appearance that I think disqualifies me. But I am interested in my appearance in as much as I am fascinated by the slow aging that would otherwise be easy to pretend wasn’t happening if you never look in the mirror.
James McClure, Art Director
Thirty years ago Jim and I produced a photograph for the cover of a magazine to illustrate an article that my wife wrote called, “Christmas Trees Don’t Grow Wild.” Jim was fascinated by the artificiality of Christmas trees and how different they look from the trees in the wild. So we visited a Christmas tree farm for a tree, gathered up lights, decorations, presents and a generator and produced a full color photo of this little gem in the woods. It ended up appearing on the cover of several magazines.
I brought a print to Saint’s Cafe to give to one of the baristas – Alison – who is Jim’s granddaughter. I don’t think she was born yet when we made this photograph.
Jim McClure had a dramatic effect on my aesthetic as a photographer. He was demanding and prized innovation and hard work. I was lucky to be able to work with him for over 20 years.
Looking at Prints
Paul and I have re-established a near-weekly gathering at Saint’s Cafe to look at the photographic work we’ve done during the week. A revival of sorts of the Three Prints Project my friend Gordon and I started 12 years ago. It’s good to have a goal to strive for, at least for me. Otherwise, I’m prone to procrastination and anxiously await inspiration.
Here’s the first (I think) installment of the Three Prints Project.
Avoiding the Freeway
I have a love/hate relationship with the expressway. When I need to get somewhere fast, even on the scooter, I’ll choose it. Gratefully, the freeways and Interstate highways here are in good shape. Smooth, even, and with a reasonable amount of traffic. The Vespa is capable of cruising along at 65 to 70 miles per hour. And the BMW motorcycle, it can go faster but cruises nicely at the same speeds as the scooter.
On this morning I wandered home at a leisurely pace. I didn’t stop much other than to ponder what the police were doing along the highway, and then went home to play with the dogs.
The bottomline?
The entire morning was made better by a little scooter riding.
Oh…. and sorry for the ramblings of a riding eccentric.
Oh, how timely this is! (Are we bros of different mo’s?)
I had a tech gig in Manhattan yesterday. I had previously said to the wife that I would take the Vespa straight into town if said gig was in Brooklyn, but this time I said “screw it, train’s been too unreliable lately.” Also, I had a bank errand to do involving both of us, and I felt the “direct drive” method would be more efficient overall. Yes, I think I called this one right.
124 miles total, with a refueling stop at a Mobil station on the Upper West Side that I hadn’t seen the inside of since I was seven years old. Had a chat with the staff while filling Melody’s tank. Came in through the Holland Tunnel, left through the Lincoln Tunnel. A bit cold, but I lived. Yes, wild. Yes, mostly fun.
And. yes, your photographs still mesmerize.
Those kinds of rides are great. They definitely fall out of what a lot of riders might consider great though, especially if a ride is defined as something away from the chaos of town. For me, circumstance has pushed me to redefine a great ride. That’s been a gift.
I’ve only ridden through one tunnel — the Squirrel Hill tunnel in Pittsburgh. At rush hour with traffic moving fast. Can’t imagine riding the Holland or Lincoln Tunnels.
Thanks for the comments on the photos. I feel the stuff I post has been getting stale. Maybe it’s not.
“There’s something thrilling to be on the road with the Vespa on a cold, crisp morning under a dramatic sky.”
Many people in the frozen north envy us in a state where the high will be 81 today. But, like you, I find it thrilling to ride a lonely road on a cold, crisp morning under a dramatic sky. Sunshine all the time is not good for the psyche. I need a variety of riding conditions. In fact, before I clicked on you scooter bait, I was looking at the calendar trying to work out when I could take a ride north just to experience, if I am lucky, what you had that morning. I have a scooter stored in NC and I am taking the overnight train to it next month, but with global warming, that may not produce the morning I am looking for. So, alas, I will live vicariously through your writings.
I see a gap in the schedule that might let me ride to Georgia next week. Hope the weather is overcast and dreary. Hold the rain..
I just returned from a walk with Junior. Clear skies and bright sunshine. Not a breath of wind. At 18F on the thermometer. Thought about going for a ride but I”m cold now. Tomorrow it will be similar but 10 degrees warmer. Maybe tomorrow. I am envious of your thermometer readings at the moment.
I agree with you that sunshine all the time might lull the psyche to sleep. Suffering is supposedly good for the soul. But I understand your desire for variation in the sky. We have a lot of dark, gloomy situations that are wonderful to witness. But in winter it can feel relentless placing us on the other end of the curve from you.
I hope you find the weather you desire when you head to Georgia!
I had ‘ol Bessy (motorcycle) out yesterday and I was reminded how much fun it is. I wanted to shoot off into the woods or down a dirt road (dirt bike). I’m going to do that soon. You have to dress for that though that takes planning. I notice you ride it the cold all the time. I guess your motivation level is higher or you have streamlined the dressing process. I’m going to put the darkroom enlarger up right now before I forget again.
pdr
You go Paul. Every Thursday I go down to the garage and start the Three Amigos and dream of riding. Here in Dutchess County, NY every time the Weather people say “Chance of snow” Trucks are out coating the roads with salt. I had one bike years ago that never recovered from one trip out on a salty, damp day. The spokes, rims and nipples had irremovable rust forever. So I simply fire up the team and count the days until the roads are clear.
Paul is pretty relentless about things. The cold may be an exception. He would not give up on that rust though!
Putting on all the gear, checking out the scooter or motorcycle in the cold, especially tire pressures, is just more resistance to going out for a ride. I’m always glad I go out but it literally takes 10 – 15 minutes to get dressed.
Take care of that Leitz enlarger. It’s a work of art. I would love to use it but have no place for it as long as I’m shooting 4×5.
“De-salting” the bike is something I normally do about three times over Winter, but this time around I’ve only had to do it once, since the trucks haven’t been out for the last month and a half. Lucky Melody!
As far as checking the tires, my ritual is every other week, whether I’m riding that day or not, making it one less “pre-flight check” constant on my list.
I’ve desalted once this season. I think. I may be confusing a cleaning of the BMW though with the Vespa. But I’ll be giving it a good cleaning soon.
Tires. I check them almost every time I ride. Especially on the motorcycle since the pressures seem to fluctuate more quickly. Tires are important when you only have two!
Character defect? I think not! Years from now, a compendium of these pics of your mirror image will be a nice recollection.
Maybe. Kim has indicated the same notion. At some point I’ll gather them all up and see how they look as a group. Young guy to old man…
Absolutely no need to apologise for rambling(s) on my score, a fine and noble perch in my estimation. We just happen to find ourselves in a warm and sunny clime, motorcycle nearby. Rambling beckons.
Rambling. I’ve grown to like it but some kind of Puritan ethic that was pounded into me as a kid makes it seem an idling not worry of a good man. Or something.
But I’ve given up enough vices in life already that I think I’ll hang on to this one!
Keep on rambling and if it suggests eccentricity then so be it…
I will!