If “thank you” is the only prayer you say, that will be enough.–Meister Eckhart
With Junior sleeping at my feet, the house quiet and no requirement to go to work today it’s easy to recall all the things I have to be thankful for. On those days not dedicated to giving thanks I find similar quiet moments while riding – small escapes from the chaos and noise that can fill the days when chasing chores and job and the responsibilities of living.
Riding the Vespa on winding roads past small, tree lined streams provides an opening to stop and release mental burdens and grasp the simple elegance of sight, sound and smell. I am often reminded of how fortunate I am to have what I have and do what I do.
These past weeks circumstance has kept me from riding as much as I would have liked. Writing, photography and riding have been supplanted with dog walks and training, new responsibilities at work, and a shrinking of daylight has led to fewer opportunities to ride forth into the landscape. When I finally did have a chance to take the Vespa for a ride I found myself stopping often and just standing along the road, taking in the world and saying to myself, “thank you”.
After years of dabbling in various forms of meditation and escape I would not have believed a scooter would be able to open the doors of perception that my Vespa has accomplished. In the most stressful and complicated moments it remains a powerful antidote and requires only moments to straighten out my head. Riding is a gift. The Vespa is the delivery vehicle.
I’ve been able to ride to work for most of the past week. Small detours in the commuting route seem inevitable, something I never do in the truck. Whatever I surrender in terms of creature comfort on the Vespa is repaid tenfold in other ways. I never find myself walking into my office saying “I wish I had driven the truck today”. Not even on the coldest days.
I live miles away to the right of the picture. I work miles away to the left. Standing in the open I can see how my life unfolds in a back and forth manner, commuting to and from home to work and back again. I’m not sure why but it is important for me to see this. It is invisible in the truck. There are only filtered views from the cage.
To all of you today — I hope you find the time to consider your own reasons to give thanks.
A nice thoughtful post. It’s pretty heavy for a Road Warrior like me. However, your words remind me of a couple of important things.
Firstly, we always seem to live richer lives if we can keep looking at the world through “fresh” eyes. As opposed to making everything fit into our preconceived notions. I think the same thing holds true in photography as well as riding. The camera and the bike are the delivery methods, as you so accurately point out.
Secondly, like Sharon said in a comment on my blog, sometimes the best thing we can do is to take time to “just be”. Like your last photo illustrates. Totally immerse yourself in the moment.
Thank you for sharing this. It is of great value to me right now.
Steve, what a wonderful post. Hope your Thanksgiving is a happy one!
__Orin
Scootin’ Old Skool
One of my favorite thoughts from Pirsig involves the concept that when you are in a car, the outside world seems like a television and you are just watching it. But on two wheels, you become part of the action. It makes me feel alive. I have come to crave that feeling when I am commuting. I for one am thankful to ride as much as I can.
Always found the motorcycle and riding solo, by myself was for me a psychiatric calming effect. However in the last few years the in rush of civlization in all too many places means those rides which were once peaceful are now hectic. When I moved here to Burlington Ontario with my parents in 1948, the village had just become a town with 2100 population. The new population signs on the multiple lane highways into, through and around the city are now sitting at 170,000 inhabitants and growing. The Greater Toronto Area of which I am at the western end is now pushing between 8 and 10 million people and growing. One has to ride many miles to find peace and quiet. That is also one reason I gave up riding, too many idiots going way too fast and for what?
I know of the roads in your area of Pennsylvania, many peaceful byways and county roads, unhurried and not much to push people.
Following old Pennsylvania railroad rights of way, many still with rails and the infrequent train showed me routes I would’ve never seen before, Now those railroads are long gone, the track removed and bicycle or walking trails occupy those spaces. And the gentle rolling hills, as so illustrated in your solitary photographs, equidistant between home on one side, work on the other, and then of course the desire to once again bring home a Christmas tree on the Vespa, maybe we can persuade Dan to do so likewise on the west coast???
The spotlight is on my front door, the wreath will go up next week as well as some cheery coloured illumination. Now alone for the first time in 63 years at Christmas; this next few months could be interesting for me. Get Junior a red reflective collar for your walks, and you hold on to him with a green reflective leash, if he doesn’t knock you over first!
No snow here yet, last year at this time there was two feet of the stuff on the ground. The snowblower is ready, but am I ready for winter? Maybe not…
Ride safe, best wishes to you and wife for Thanksgiving, ditto Junior who looks like a big black watchdog, that likes biscuits…
Cheers…
Steve:
As others have stated, your ride on country roads with lack of traffic is very calming. I also like the forested areas you pass through, very tranquille, seemingly less hurried, unlike the rat race on crowded urban roads and traffic jams at every signal light.
You are very lucky to be able to live in a less stressful environment.
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
irondad: Fresh eyes is a challenge — to ability and ego I think. You make good comments about how those eyes work in riding and photography.
Even being willing to take time to just me is a hurdle. I struggle to do the things you outline even though I know how much better I will feel if I do.
Hope you had a fine holiday.
Orin: It was a fine day and a chance to get together with family. Hope your holiday went well too.
cpa3485: That passage from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance struck a chord when I first read it even though I wasn’t riding at the time. It continues to resonate today.
It does make commuting on two wheels pretty nice doesn’t it?
Bryce: Like you did in Ontario I see the relentless march of population here is central Pennsylvania. Places that were once open space are now thick with houses or businesses. There are still plenty of lonely roads for now.
I plan to bring another Christmas tree home on the back of the Vespa this year. One of the guys who works at the tree farm has already asked about it. I guess it’s odd enough to break up their routine. Maybe there should be a Christmas Tree riding challenge. Have riders all over the country do it and then send in a picture of the tree on their bike or scooter? Maybe it’s an idea…
I like the festive color suggestion for Junior. I might just give that a go.
Hope you had a fine holiday and are ready for the onslaught of winter!!
bobskoot: I only get occasional glimpses of the urban traffic pressure — when I ride to Harrisburg, Altoona or Pittsburgh. A far bigger challenge to let go and find release on those roads.
The stress in the environment I live in comes from other places…
Another wonderful post from you Steve. That’s why I follow your blog all the way thru. There are many things we have to say thanks.
But sometimes in the calmness we feel more. I like the way I ride my bike to the office too., It’s like 25kms of hard traffic. I really envy how your place is well organized. So for now, the only reason I could have is to thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes to the wonders of scooter and photography.
Keep it up pal…
“Riding is a gift” I think that even a bigger gift is to live in an area where you have roads with not too much traffic, crazy drivers and you can really enjoy your riding. Each one needs his way to relax and your combination vespa dog photography seems to be the winning one ! I like your blog
robert blu (italy)
PS living in the country from which the Vespa comes I’m a little (just a little) envious of your roads…
All my scooting is in an urban setting. Before the scooter I took the interstate and pushed to get to work as fast as I could. My 50cc scooter has transformed my eight-plus mile urban commute. The drive to and from work used to be just time between work and getting on with the rest of my life. Now it is a time filled with neighborhoods, with parents waiting with their children for the school bus, with bicycles cutting in front of me, with drivers in SUV’s with tinted windows thinking somehow I can see them waving me through four way stops before they roll their window down revealing themselves and their cellphones plastered to their ears, etc.
I bought the scooter to save on gas and it has done that, but I have received so much more than I bargained for.
I now find if I can’t scoot to work for some reason it impacts my mood. I’m a much happier and mentally healthy person when I’m scooting. Who knew? I suspect some, many, most, or perhaps all of those who scoot regularly knew.
Since I have owned Lil’ Blue my psychiatrist has been weaning me off the last of the medicine related to my head injury. Coincidence? I am scheduled to see him in January. He suspects it will be our last appointment. I told him I was going to buy the bumper sticker that reads: I bought a scooter and fired my shrink (http://bumperstickers.cafepress.com/item/scooter-therapy-bumper-sticker/220633274#). He thought that hilarious.
This is nice blog with good images and good details. Please keep on posting the more stuff. I will like to hear more from you.