I took the day off work. Too bad I couldn’t ride all day but I had to be home to meet a contractor to talk about replacement windows. Could be worse I suppose. I did have an hour to ride before that meeting so I just ventured off down one of the roads I ride regularly. And wouldn’t you know it I find a little track moving off into a wooded area between two farms. Like magic the little kid in me lights up, I look to see if anyone sees me, and off I go into the unknown.
This is the kind of place that as a kid we would have had forts and battles, hikes and camps. No evidence of kid activity here today — not sure parents let their kids out for stuff like that anymore. But damn, I felt like a kid exploring the wilderness. Here I am, 54 years old, riding a Vespa and having more fun that a person is entitled to.
The woods were dense and secretive, just as I imagined Sherwood Forest as a kid. The track ran for less than half a mile but that’s plenty for an imagination to soar. These little rides recharge my spirit by reconnecting me with that wonderment I had as a child. Seeing a grove of bamboo growing along the road, stopping to climb to the top of a big dirt pile, things like that.
Definitely not the kind of riding experience most riders are after but I won’t pass it up.
Nice picture Steve and isn’t it great at this time of the year with all the colours. Sometimes you cannot beat going off the straight and narrow.
Great photo.
What was the track surface? I get panic attacks when I’m not on tarmac.
We so admire your spirit of adventure and fantasies. If we could all call upon our inner child more often, we could enjoy those small pleasures. Isn’t it sad that kids are no longer safe to explore the woods as we did as children. Our favorite time of the year was our summer visits to our grandfather’s farm. We roamed the woods, fields, and lakes all day with a sense of freedom and adventure. It was wonderful…
Steve,
Your little adventure brings back memories of when I was a kid. I had a Honda 110 trailbike and I explored every little trail I could find within several miles of my home. Back then, gas was cheap and the only known video game was “Pong”.
Greg
I say its wonderful to go off road with a scooter. You definitely know the your riding capabilities and off road limits. Your adventure also reminded my days as a youth riding a banana seat stingray bike off road (mountain bike wannabe) and into the wilderness…What a great time so long ago. That is why my next bike will either be a F650GS, Triumph Bonneville, or Scrambler. Let the kid in me come out… 🙂 Happy Trails to you.
Phil
No. Don’t tell me you are going to get a gun rack too? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Just doesn’t seem like a Vespa accessorie to me.
I have to share this with you guys! The coolest way to blaze the roads on your motorcycle and ensure that other motorists notice you…is to check this place out – http://www.ironhorsehelmets.com ,they have some of the coolest bling for your helmets. We all have to be safe out there, but we can have fun doing it! One of the greatest benefits is the fact that YOU ARE NOTICED! It is shown that the majority of our motorcycle accidents are due to other motorists…who say they DO NOT SEE US!, lets throw that excuse out their window! Yeah I know the famous t-shirts all you fellows wear that say “If You Can Read This…The Bitch Fell Off” are the only accessory you feel you need, but I have to say, there is something hot about a guy with a Mohawk…..especially a purple one! I wear mine and I love it, I get lots of attention, not that a lady on a bike does not anyway…but the more the better! The helmets are affordable and I plan on getting a few for my riding buddies for Christmas gifts, I want to keep them safe, and I do think this is a cool way to do it….make motorcycle helmet wearing fun.
I haven’t ridden in Sherwood Forest lately. It’s tax time, however, and I’m pretty sure I’m living in Nottingham!
A great post. I’m glad I’m not the only one who still has their inner child stirred by riding their two wheeler 🙂 Thanks Steve.
bikerted: Diversions away from the pavement seldom fail to deliver something special.
john mcclane: That little lane was mostly grass and leaves. Firm but definitely not anything with exceptional traction. And you never know what might be underneath — groundhog holes, barbed wire. You have to keep an eye out.
heinz n frenchie: From all the crime statistics I have looked at related to kids and risk of being outside it appears that the risk today is no different than when I was a kid. The perception and awareness of risk is much different though now thanks to the kind of instant access to disaster we now have. Kids are missing out today though, no doubt about it. Playing a video game is not good substitute for climbing a tree…
Greg: Ah, simpler times…
Phil: I coveted a stingray bike as a kid. Never managed to get one though. I had to get by on renting one at the beach when we went to Wildwood, New Jersey.
I looked at a new Triumph Scrambler a couple days ago. They still look nice…
anonymous: No gun rack for me. I did see a guy on a bicycle though with a rifle slung over his back. He must be confident in his masculinity not needing a big truck.
I don’t know about those Mohawk helmets though…
irondad: Tax time? I have that confined to one day in April.
sarch: The older I get the bigger my inner child becomes. It won’t be long until its all there is!
It might not be the ride most riders are after but I’m sure it’s the kind of ride most of us need on occasion! I enjoyed riding along with you! As one who rides alone…I’m far less likely to go into such places, but I dream of them…