Last weekend I took a ride to deliver a Father’s Day card, an excuse to ride 125 miles on a fine Sunday morning, leaving behind Happy Valley as my friend Paul and I took a wandering route to Altoona, Pennsylvania. It’s not often the air is this clear or the view this good from Jo Hays Overlook.
On any ride there is always some strange, odd thing to see. On a bench at the overlook were a series of sunflowers — like rock cairns along the ocean.
Paul Ruby alternated his photographic efforts between an iPhone and a Nikon D800. For anyone thinking that a 250cc scooter and a big motorcycle can’t ride together, the BMW K1200 GT was a fine companion for the Vespa.
Forty miles south of home sits the Route 22 Diner, our breakfast destination. A fine place to stop for food before continuing on to Altoona.
I didn’t shoot many pictures on this ride. Sunny days don’t fire the photographic engine and it’s harder to stop as I would like when riding with someone else. After delivering the Father’s Day card Paul made a stop to inspect a Buick station wagon. He has an unhealthy attraction to these old yachts but decided he didn’t need this one.
And that was it, a fine morning ride under a blue sky. No photographic distractions, just piloting the scooter along the road, taking in the light and air, letting cares and worries fly away until nothing mattered but the ride.
What a great Father’s Day. Until I got home. A big plumbing problem. Thank heaven I had a good ride under my belt…
Steve, that first picture is very much like one I’ve taken in DERBYSHIRE UK.
I’ll find it out and let you have a look ….it bears a very close image match…..only a couple of thousand mile difference 😉
Regards
Len
I often wonder what it is that makes one day a photo day and another not one. I might never figure out what accounts for that, but it’s good to know that I’m now alone in feeling it.
reglazeit (Len): I would love to ride in the UK. My wife has a dream of visiting the Lake region and such. Look forward to seeing your photo. Maybe I don’t have to visit the UK after all!
Joe: There are definitely weather events that affect the atmospheric light which drive me to pick up the camera. Sunny days, at least from late morning to late afternoon are generally visually boring to me. But rain, snow, fog, night — there are pictures there!
I can why those flowers on the bench caught your eyes…unexpected and colorful.
Sunny days do tend to paint everything in flat colors don’t they…I prefer variety in my weather….
Now that RichardM is coming over to the “dark side” of motorcycling….you going to join us soon? The water is fine…..trust me.
Charlie6: As much as I admire the URAL and they are fun to ride, I’m not ready to make that drastic change. Every two (and three) wheeled machine has it’s own unique character and I think each rider finds something that they connect with on a physical level. For me, today, it’s the Vespa GTS. Someday down the road, who knows, it may be a URAL…
I love those Caprice and Buick station wagons. They literally ride like a big ol’ Cadillac.
I’d buy another one if I had a place to keep it. I have to stop thinking about it lest I start looking on ebay for one.