Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.

What’s in a Name?

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Steve Williams blogger

photo by Frank Armstrong

Inception

If you’ve wondered why I’ve been posting so much the past few weeks there is a simple answer – I made a decision to take on a challenge to create 29 original posts on 29 consecutive days – one for each day in February.  To make the posting challenge easier  (or more difficult), a topic was predetermined for each day of the month.

While browsing motorcycle blogs I stumbled across a reference to a challenge proposed by the author of Toadmama.com in a post titled Brave, Bold, Blogger Challenge 2016. The challenge was offered as a way to cope with the motorcycle blogging doldrums of late winter:

Why is it that February, the shortest month, often feels the longest? Really. It always, ALWAYS takes forever to get through February. And this year, there are 29 days!

And so the blogging challenge came to life.

Leica M6 with Tri-X film and contact sheetsSticks and Carrots

I respond best to the sticks.   Forced goals and deadlines however arbitrary work for me.  In art school I had to show up twice a week with new photographs.  Quality and content didn’t matter – working mattered and showing up with new prints was the expected evidence.  No matter how terrible the worked seemed the forced routine honed my creative muscle and sharpened my skills.  I continued it for a long time with the 3 Prints Project — a personal challenge to expose and process two rolls of film every week and make three finished prints.  I’m pondering another photographic challenge.

So taking on the blogging challenge seemed like a good investment.

Today’s theme, day 23: “Meaning behind your blog name”.

glowing sunrise view of Vespa GTS scooterScooter in the Sticks

The blog began like an easy sunrise without drama or turmoil.

The origins of the name – I had nothing to do with it.  My wife Kim, in response to a question back in 2005:

What should I call this blog about my Vespa?

And without hesitation or thought, the words floated across her lips as if she was holding them for just this moment:

Scooter in the Sticks.

Kim lives amidst words. While writing this post she’s a few feet away holding three big books.

What are those?” I ask.

My synonym finders,” she says. “Well, one’s actually a rhyming dictionary”

Writers have those sorts of things.  She is always writing, investigating, thinking.  There are hundreds of journals stacked in the house with mysterious words and sentences, phrases and ideas.  All things I’ll never see.  Writers have their ways.

And from her mind sprang complete, “Scooter in the Sticks”. She did the hard part, she gave the gift.

The rest was up to me.

Top 12 Search Phrases Bringing People to This Blog

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I saw a post over at Fuzzygalore.com that I found intriguing — what search terms bring people to a blog.  Hers were definitely different than mine.  For Friday, November 22, here’s what people came looking for:

1. Sons of Anarchy

Really?  The number one reason are coming to my Vespa riding blog is to find my stupid post about Sons of Anarchy?

2.  Scooter in the Sticks

Duh.  I should remind people that my wife Kim is responsible for the name “Scooter in the Sticks”.  She’s a peach.

3.  Alaska/Motorcycles/Photography Blogs

Ummm, what the hell?

4.   BMW K1600

I guess people liked the review of the K1600GTL I did for Kissell Motorsports.  I’m almost half way through the top ten list and nothing about a Vespa.

5.  Ducati Hypermotard 1100 beginner

I forgot, I’m a Ducati expert.  That’s why this one is there.

6.  Pictures of Faith Equation

This one sent me to Google and eventually I figured out how it got someone to Scooter in the Sticks in an image search.  One of my photos showed up next to a graphic titled “God is bigger than your worries.”

7.  RIDING SCOOTERS IN THE WINTER

Now we’re in serious territory.  So serious that the searcher had to use all caps.

8.  Riding vespa around the world

Remember, all references to this phrase on Scooter in the Sticks included the additional terms “Not going to happen”.

9.  Texas Tech Mechanic

Huh? Couldn’t figure this one out.  I assume it was a Google search hiccup caused by a momentary failed integration with one of the NSA’s applications.

10.  Trip in BMW R100R

I wouldn’t want to ride in a BMW R100R.  On it maybe.  Did ride an R100 GS.  It was seductive.

11. Triumph Scrambler

I still want one of these.  Perhaps my favorite motorcycle.  One of the Hammarhead Jack Pine versions would be nice for any of you with loads of extra cash looking to give a really cool Christmas present.

12.  Vespa Riding in the Winter

This one makes sense.  There’s a lot of information and experiences in this area.

And there you have it, a brief glimpse of the reasons why visitors come to Scooter in the Sticks…

Learning from Moto-Bloggers

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Steve Williams with his Vespa GTS scooter
Can you see how I’ve changed as a result of meeting three Canadian moto-bloggers at the beginning of August?  (Answer at the bottom of the page)
Meeting people whose skills and experience stretch far beyond my own is always a pleasure and I mark my good fortune at having the opportunity to talk with them.  I’ve met a handful of moto-bloggers since Scooter in the Sticks was born in 2005 and the lessons learned continue to inform what I do today.
In March of 2011 I had the opportunity to meet Dom Chang (Charlie6), author of Redleg’s Rides, while at a conference in Denver, Colorado.  I came away from that encounter with a better understanding of what commitment meant, drive, focus, passion and dogged persistence in the riding world can mean.  When I find myself stuck, unmotivated or generally floundering I’ll often say to myself, “What would Dom do?”.  No small gift from a moto-blogger.
And one other example — meeting Jack Riepe, author of Twisted Roads by Jack Riepe, at the BMW International Rally in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.  Riepe (officially pronounced “reep — eeee”) was presenting conducting a writing workshop at the event for less competent, capable or inventive moto-bloggers which pretty much means anyone currently writing in that genre. I left the event knowing how far my writing exists from real storytelling.  Always good for me to get a clear picture of where I sit.  And since that time I’ve come to call Mr. Riepe a friend.
So on to the arrival of David Masse from Montreal, author of Life on Two Wheels, the Scoot Commute; Bob Leong (aka bobskoot) from Vancouver, author of Riding the Wet Coast; and Karen (aka V Star Lady) from Ontario, author of Motorcycle Touring – Riding on my V Star.
Bob Leong's crocs

The pink Crocs on the sidewalk next to a BMW motorcycle are a dead giveaway to the presence of bobskoot.  Those shoes thread through many pictures on his blog and represent a sort of emblematic representation of him for me.

Vespa GTS300 scooter with motorcycles

The three converged on State College, Pennsylvania to meet me and I had hoped to show them some of the more exotic riding routes that a rider wouldn’t find without some assistance.  Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances meant I was only able to spend a few hours with them over the two days they were in town.

Bob Leong, Paul Ruby, David Masse and Karen - aka V-Star Lady.
Breakfast at the Corner Room in State College.  Bob, Paul, David and Karen posed for a quick portrait before I had to leave town.  Thankfully Paul Ruby was able to serve as host and show them around the area.  Bob and David had appointments with Kissell Motorsports to have some things serviced on their machines so the days were full.
But on to the lessons learned from these three riders.

David Masse and his Vespa scooter

Let’s start with David who is standing here with his Vespa at the KOA Campground in Bellefonte.

He probably doesn’t realize how strongly his attitude towards safety and care of his Vespa affected me.  When I rode out to visit with them before they departed for Maine my focus on the mechanical state of the Vespa and personal protection in terms of gear was in a state of flux.  Looking at the improvements and upgrades to lighting, horn, and other aspects of the scooter along with his steady commitment to riding with all the protective gear in place (ATGATT) affected me strongly.  Since then I have returned to riding with ALL the gear AND I have had all the outstanding service completed on my scooter, actually washed the Vespa, and have been investigating some of the safety upgrades he has implemented.

Thank you David for the example you’ve set.

Karen and Bob checking the air in a tire

I didn’t really know Karen but she mirrored David’s commitment to safety and the machine and it was obvious she paid careful attention to detail.  Here she is checking tire pressure utilizing a little battery powered air pump that bobskoot developed.  I chuckled at the time but his focus on gadgets influenced me to spend some money.

Bob showed me some incredible photographic tools that would make my photographic life on the road simpler — namely a useful, carbon fiber tripod and a wireless shutter release device that will open a new realm of possible photos.  I’ll post in the future more specific information about these items but suffice to say that I learned a lot from Bob in the short time we spent together.

All three riders are serious and pile up miles.  Bob has just returned home to Vancouver after looping through North America from Pacific to Atlantic and back.  You can see his route on SpotWalla to get a better idea of the epic ride he made.

I want to say thank you to Bob, David and Karen for sharing their experience and wish there would have been more time available so we could have taken a ride through some of the beautiful landscape of central Pennsylvania.

ANSWER: I’m wearing armored pants again.  Rather than letting the summer heat force my only pair — ones designed for winter riding — off, I purchased a vented pair for summer.  And the self portrait was made with the camera on a nifty new carbon fiber portable tripod (no more searching for the perfect tree stump or fence post) and using a great wireless shutter release.  Stay tuned for specific details on a future post.

ABCD: A Bloggers Centerline Day

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Today is May 1, 2011, now officially known as A Bloggers Centerline Day.  This moto-world event is the brainchild of Gary France, Harley Road King rider and author of USA Tour on a Harley-Davidson. Head over there to read the rules.  If your picture is the winner you’ll receive some cash.  But you need to do it today.  I had planned to post earlier about the contest but just forgot.  Really.  Wasn’t trying to minimize the competition…

So here I am, on the road I love so much.  When I left the house this morning I was a bit puzzled about where to shoot the picture.  Most of the quiet secondary road’s markings are more along the lines of roadkill than paint.  Persistence paid off and I was able to make a few shots.  Any of you who have made self portraits with a little point and shoot camera know what a pain it is to get the timer working, get the camera in postion, get yourself in position, and then wonder if the thing is going off.  And then up and check and do it all again.  By the third shot I was dead and on the road.

On into town to meet some friends for breakfast.  Sunday morning is quiet in State College.  Only the devout students are up this early.  Guess there aren’t any devout students.  At least not in the alley.

And one last shot on the way home.  Another road, another try.  With a belly full of eggs, ham, bacon, potatoes and toast, and a big glass of orange juice there was no way I was going to get down on the road again.  So here I am, on the centerline, my father’s scruffy old Wolverine boots, celebrating the first ABCD: A Bloggers Centerline Day.

Looking forward to perusing other blogs to see what kind of centerlines are in other parts of the world.

Bad Blogger

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It’s been almost a month since my last post. By even the most liberal and rationalizing definition I’m a bad blogger. Looking through my Blogger dashboard I see a half dozen drafts of posts I’ve started but not finished. One show a picture of Junior where the grass is still green. I’ve no shortage of topics, ideas, or experiences. I just can’t find the damn time. And I keep telling myself I have to make time.

Winter is always a challenge for riders, some more than others, and certainly for me. Snow, cold, short days, they just pile up into a mental mindset that makes it difficult to roll the Vespa out of the garage on good days. The above picture was made a couple weeks ago on one of my morning walks with Junior. Thankfully the snow is gone now. Replaced with rain. But not really relevant to being a bad blogger.

Blogging takes time and of late it’s been in short supply. The little man has taken much time in training and exercise — time I used to spend riding and writing. It’s worth it though. Right now we’re practicing a “Meet the Mayor” exercise.

A pause along the road during a lunchtime ride. Not a common occurrence of late. Still, when it does happen, it usually performs some spiritual magic. I should make more time to ride, especially outside of riding to work. Another should.

A new responsibility at work. The main reason I’ve become a bad blogger. About a year ago I was tapped to lead a redesign of our college’s magazine and have become the new managing editor. My production assistant is holding up one of the mock-up copies from a few weeks ago. The redesign process was far more complicated than I ever imagined and the responsibilities of producing a magazine have pushed the limits of my skill. Like riding in snow.

I’ve not ridden nearly as often this winter as in the past few winters. Aside from the time constraints I just have not felt like assuming the risk. Nothing to prove, nothing to gain. I still venture out on a semi-routine basis and brave sub-freezing temperatures. A stop on the way home from work at a local park I find more ice on the ground than I expected. But I have not found myself on snow covered roads very often. And that’s fine. And I have time for other things.

If there is a driving desire it’s to use the camera more than ride the scooter. And that desire has led me back to shooting film and working in the darkroom. Being immersed in digital technology at work leaves little appetite in my free time to do more of it then. It’s been nice to process film in D76 and make prints in a tray of Dektol.

The Vespa and camera have reignited work on the 3 Prints Project. Slowly I am returning to that ritual of shooting and printing. Meeting every Sunday morning at Saint’s Cafe to look at work is as quietly pleasant as I could ever hope for. The Vespa seldom has trouble getting a space in the free motorcycle parking area.

As much as I enjoy meeting with my friend Gordon and talking photography I really find the drama and stories at a cafe a goldmine for eavesdropping and finding stories to write about. I stood outside the window before leaving a few Sunday’s ago and made this picture. Each person like an actor on a stage.

Looking over my bagel towards the young couple at the next table I could tell it was their first time together. Maybe a first date. Their attention and focus on each other was amazing. With an ability like that to focus their attention so keenly they would make good riders. Or photographers.

I wanted to walk over and see what was holding this man’s attention. He seldom looked away from his reading even when drinking or eating. I think about what holds my attention that way. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a comic book.

Cafe’s are great places for a photographer. It’s warm. There’s food. And no one seems to pay attention to someone with a camera. I probably would think twice at a Starbuck’s in California is someone was carrying a firearm. Or maybe it would just be a different sort of photograph.

It’s always a pleasure to see what your photographic friends decide to share. Gordon showed up with this portrait he made of me at the cafe and a picture of the Vespa 300 I was riding awhile back.

Kim making pictures in the car last fall on a trip to Altoona. Photography plays a role in both our lives. For me as a way to pay the rent and for her as an extension of her art work. She never fails to amaze me with her ability to see the world around her. I tend to dismiss or overlook situations that she is able to mine gold. She’s preparing for a show right now and I have been helping edit her pictures. Like many artists she can be quite critical of her work. I sit and look at her prints and say to myself, “I wish I shot that”. I’m a craftsman. She’s an artist. That’s why she was able to come up with “Scooter in the Sticks” as the name of this blog all those years ago.

Anyways, that’s the not so quick update. Full speed ahead!