The Autumn Landscape
This tree knows things. Old, withered, but still alive and serving as sentinel across the valley encompassing Farmers Mills, Pennsylvania. The tree whispers of autumn and the winter not far off. Stopping along the road on a ride to breakfast with my friend Paul I’m reminded of the power a landscape can have if I take the time to look, and how my Vespa scooter has supported these discoveries for years now.
Cold Mornings
Slowly getting used to morning departures at 45F or below. Usually stops are for making photos. Now they serve as welcome opportunity to get warm. I need to adjust my gear for the colder weather while keeping in mind it will be twenty degrees warmer on the ride home. It’s nice to see steam rise off of Paul’s Thermos cup.
An overcast sky makes autumn feel heavier, as if winter is anxious to arrive. Our Vespa scooters are perfect to glide through the countryside.
Helmets for Photography
The modular HJC helmet that Paul uses allows him to move the chin bar out of the way so he can get the viewfinder of his Nikon D850 to his eye without removing the helmet. Why he uses an old non-coupled lens on the camera remains a mystery.
Intersection Between Autumn and Photography
I’ve photographed this place dozens of times and still haven’t made a good picture. Something I would enjoy looking at more than a few times. I feel the energy but containing it within a frame eludes me. I thought the autumn light and color would help. I’ll keep trying. Another reason to take the Vespa for a spin.
The Lure of an Open Landscape
Not far down the road I saw cattle grazing on a ridge top. One of the many sweeping views along the road to breakfast in Millheim, Pennsylvania. When I look at these scenes I feel as if my mind and body settle and I know my place in the world. Someone asked me recently how I learned to be so accepting of the noise and chaos I encounter in the world. Part of the answer relates to riding and the places it takes me. Physical spaces certainly. But mental ones as well.
Perhaps it is what some call “Wind Therapy.”
The Autumn Color Palette
The leaves were early in their color changes during this ride. The magnificent range of colors remind me of the many paintings I’ve seen as part of the Hudson River School. Impressionist painters interested in landscape, light, and color. Mix these elements with even a modicum of reverence for nature and a Vespa ride is a spiritual experience.
I keep telling Paul he ruins my pictures when he leaves the seat up on “Minty.” He responds telling me that seat is what keeps my pictures from being calendar pictures. Among photographers that’s a minor slight.
Like Bicycles
What makes a Vespa scooter so different that a motorcycle is its ability to creep around like a bicycle. Stopping, pulling aside, and generally wandering at very low speeds is just easier than any motorcycle I own including the Honda Trail 125. And when exploring autumn and taking pictures it’s a welcome companion.
Breakfast and Photographs
By the time we arrived at the Meandering Mallard I was starving. Their breakfast sandwiches are delicious. Someone needs to teach them how to make a brownie. Paul took the opportunity to share a few photos from his ongoing self-portrait project. And a story about a man he ran into with a rare Leica. Cameras and scooters can be great conversation starters.
Leaves and More Leaves
The ride home was relaxed on familiar roads that change dramatically with the seasons. The Vespa Sprint 150 looks good among the color of the autumn leaves. As I write I want to ride. The forecast calls for 36F in the morning. The leaves are changing color fast and I don’t want to miss a things. Autumn is calling and I will answer.
What about you? Does autumn call for you to ride and explore or have you already retired until spring?
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Wow. I have lived in a dozen or so states but nothing beats autumn and the trees changing colors in your area….Enjoy
This time of year is my favorite to ride. Since I’ve retired, I’ve been known to sneak in a ride all winter when the temps are above 40.
I usually get in a ride or two in autumn, but I hate to leave the wife behind, so we tend to take the car and go apple shopping and farmstand crawling. We make sure all the windows are clean. It’s not as fun as a scooter trip, perhaps, but the shared experience makes it worth it.