There is no better time to ride than at dawn. To be present to watch the genesis of a new day. To be happy and alive and riding on the earth. Those minutes between the glow of light and the first rays of sunlight are magical regardless of how I experience them. Looking out across the landscape at a group of trees in the fog reminds me of how simple things are.
At dawn the roads are empty. I watch more for deer than for vehicles. The temperature was 62 degrees and chilly as it poured through my vented jacket and t-shirt. Stopping for pictures gave me a moment to warm. On this day the sun was scheduled to arrive at 5:50 and since I didn’t get on the road until 5:40 I didn’t have much time.
On Saturday morning I was off for a 60-mile ride to meet my father-in-law Bob and swap my Vespa GTS for his Vespa ET4. I was bringing the ET4 back for service at the local Vespa dealer Kissell Motor Sports. I was only 12 miles from home as the sun swept out across the landscape.
Patches of fog diminished the full force of sunlight and a few times disappeared as I rode through some areas of dense fog. Fog is challenging. My scanning behind me becomes as intense as ahead. Pre-planning exit strategies for things fore and aft are appropriate in these conditions. The fog didn’t last long and the day was upon me.
Aside from a brief stop to inspect some water slides I rode directly to the meeting place and breakfast. Part of me wants to go back to those water slides when they’re open. Seems wrong that they are wasted on kids. They can have fun with a cardboard box. I require a more refined experience.
The switch from the GTS to the ET4 was noticeable both in size of the machine and in performance. Acceleration was noticeably less, stability was reduced, and a comfortable cruising speed was lower. The human brain is a wonderful thing though and by the time I stopped at Gardners Candies in Tyrone for a treat the ET4 felt pretty much like the GTS.
I didn’t stop much to shoot pictures on the way home. It was getting hot and the light was boring. I was reminded though of how easily the smaller scooter handles the road and can easily eat up miles all day long.
I’ll make the trip again after the ET4 is serviced. At breakfast I met a friend of Bob’s who has a new Triumph Bonneville that needs service. The next ride I may be shuttling a motorcycle instead of a scooter.
Fortunately, I get to experience the early morning ride everyday on my morning commute, lately I’ve been watching the sun inch closer to the horizon as the summer wears on. Soon enough, I’ll be out before the sun rises.
I am planning a cross-state ride to Mt. St. Helens in the coming weeks and plan to be out in the pre-dawn light to beat the oppressive midday heat of the Columbia Basin that lies directly in my path of travel.
The waterslides sound like fun, but oddly enough, I can still seem to entertain myself with a simple cardboard box…….perhaps I should just keep that to myself.
E.T.
I’d barely begun to read you when your swan song to the tune of Theoretical Agriculture appeared along with your hiatus during which I kept checking back hoping you’d be back with Scooter in the Sticks. You write things that I feel more eloquently than I can even think them. Thanks for coming back and continuing to post.
Joe
Weird. My Bonneville was getting anew front tire and i was riding the wife’s Alabaster ET4 and had the same brain switch for the three days I was on the Vespa.My wife is a generous woman and I came to understand that the Bonneville and the ET4 are a perfect combination of two wheelers.
Are you back? Do I recreate the link without fear of disappointment?
I read somewhere that photographers working for car manufacturers like to photograph new models at dawn. Apparently the special quality of the light at that time enhances the lines and the look of the car.
I have to say, though, a Vespa looks good in almost any light.
after reading this blog for almost a year, this post and this batch of photos might just be my favorite.
Cade
earl: Your upcoming trip sounds exciting. My wife and I hope to get out to that part of the country someday.
Cardboard boxes are great. All kid stuff is. At around midnight under an orange full moon my wife and I were swinging on swings in a local park. Now that was fun!
joe: Thanks for the kind words. I’ll keep posting as things occur to me.
conchscooter: My wife rode her dad’s ET4 yesterday around a school parking lot. Slowly but surely the bug is infecting her.
Yes, I’m back. Maybe not as prolific as in the past but sure you can put Scooter in the Sticks back on your blogroll.
john: Over time shooting the scooter so much I have learned what makes it look good and where it doesn’t look so good. I continue to discover things about the Vespa and photography.
cade: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the pictures.
Steve,
So the Triumph is on your mind…. I find the Triumph Bonneville a beautiful piece of Art on wheels – gracefully handles the weekend rides as well as long distance touring trips. I do marvel the simple air-cooled engine for its less maintenance and no worries of radiator leaks or damage by road projectiles.
Ride Safe,
Phil
Ok. I get busy and don’t read blogs for a while. Then you go and sneak in some great posts. I really appreciated the Rider in the Mirror post. You’ve always impressed me with your ability to honestly assess yourself and share it with us.
I’d like to add that practice is a great thing. However, a lot of folks espouse the “practice makes perfect” philosophy. I think more in terms of “perfect practice makes perfect”. That’s why you’re also wise to go to formal training once in a while. It tunes up how you practice.
Your blog took up right where it left off. You couldn’t shake it, could you? Sick puppy, you are!
Tyrone PA. I’ll date myself. When I first visited the paper mill/lumbering town, the proper Pennsylvania Railroad station still stood by thetracks and the railraod was still the Pennsylvania as it swept around the long four track curve through town. And then there was Penn=Central and the two worms in love then Amtrak and a bus shelter station, and now Norfolk Southerm,
a small branch line operates also into Tyrone and all things have changed.
So, where is Garner’s Candies and what is the large vertical bricked structure
behind Gardner’s?
pvino: I’ve always liked the Triumph motorcycles and almost bought one instead of the Vespa. Had I done that Scooter in the Sticks might never been born…
Turns out my father-in-law’s friend doesn’t have the Bonneville. He has the Triumph America. Slightly bigger but still nice looking. He’ll call when he has an appointment scheduled and I’ll go and retrieve the bike.
irondad: You seem so busy I can’t imagine where you find time to read anything.
Perfect practice. That’s a good notion. It always seems to come back to professional instruction. No way around a good teacher.
And yes, I did miss blogging. Not doing as much but still getting what I need!
bryce: I remember those things as well from trips through Tyrone in the early 1970’s in my VW bug. A train derailment took out the railroad station. Now just a stop along the tracks but you can still hop a train to New York or Chicago there.
Not sure what that building behind the candy store is. I’ll have to look next time I pass through Tyrone.
I drive 18 miles to work at 5 am, starting the trip on about 3 miles of the pacific coast highway watching the waves roll in and I still shake my head everyday saying “I can’t believe I get to see this everyday!” Often the commuter train from San Diego is coming up behind me and I can see it’s headlight in the rearview mirror. It is rare you can find any time of day without traffic in SoCal but at 5 am I do and it is peaceful, cool and the highlight of my day, just me and my scooter cutting through the darkness…
Cherie
i just purchase an mc13 150 cc bali scooter.. hoping to get the same enjoyment you have riding..