Scooter in the Sticks

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

Dogs and Scooters

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Two Belgian Sheepdogs on a sunday morning at the park.
My two canine teachers.

Dogs and Scooters Make Good Teachers

If I’m willing and not resistant or rigid in my belief that I know best in every situation I can learn something about myself and my life. Lily (left) and Aiden continually remind me of the power of simplicity and the joy hidden in the mundane and ordinary. Each morning they leap out the back door and into the day with no expectations beyond what they might see and smell in that moment. There are no thoughts about adventures in the mountains or disappointment that they aren’t wandering along the Blue Ridge. They’re too busy exploring what’s right in front of them. Right now.

Dogs and scooters remind me that my life does not exist somewhere else, or tomorrow, or yesterday. It is happening now. Even though we walk through the same places in the morning, along the woods, over a creek, through a field, it’s new each time. The light changes, the fragrance in the air changes. I’m not the same man right now that I was ten minutes ago. And if I can stay focused on this moment as the dogs do, I can find pleasure and contentment. For as long as I can focus…

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The Heart of the Ride

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Vespa GTS scooter on rural road.
A decision point. A pause to consider where to wander.

The Heart of the Ride

I wake in the middle of the night and think. Sometimes about riding. More often about the deranged state of everyday reality. I prefer thoughts of riding. Of moving, traveling, experiencing. It’s the heart of the ride.

Autumn almost escaped. It’s the swiftest of seasons. The landscape changes from green to orange to a drab, monochromatic scene as the trees surrender to the power of autumn. I feel a physical and emotional quickening as time churns in me as it drags me toward winter. I know something is ending. And something else begins.

I find myself once again standing alongside the road with no idea where to go. A drifter on a scooter with nothing pressing to do. A ride on the Vespa affords me an opportunity to bear witness to the rapid transformation of color, light, and fragrance. And like so many rides without plan or destination I find my only goal is pushing the scooter out of the garage. Where I go from there is anyone’s guess.

It’s the journey that attracts me. The mystery. The tapestry of unknowable experiences that may await. And these are the things I think about while riding my Vespa. It doesn’t happen in the car, or even very often on the motorcycle. Riding the scooter takes me to the heart of the ride.

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Promises of Home

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Vespa GTS scooter along rural road in winterThe Gray World

Drifting through the melancholy gray of winter with little desire to ride or write. The scooter moves through its cold morning stutters to support whatever weak explorations I mount. And then, mostly, my mind is full of promises of home. Home, warm and resting, until some change of mind and thought takes hold and I once again freely move along on the Vespa.

Despite the gray I do ride. The bitter cold has been replaced by the murk that rises from the thawing landscape. My forlorn spirit crying for light. On the road, on foot, or seated with hot tea in solitude — my mind seems to wander through sadness and loss.Continue Reading

Just Thinking

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Steve Williams portrait by Paul Ruby

Photo by Paul Ruby

Lost in Thought

The past couple weeks I’ve had a lot on my mind — everything from retirement to installing a freeze-proof faucet on the back deck.  When my head gets full of ideas and wants to ruminate I’ve learned to sit back and let it happen.  Resistance is futile.

My friend Paul made this picture while we were waiting for breakfast at a little cafe in Millheim, Pennsylvania.  We were on a little photography adventure sans scooter or motorcycle.  The forecast called for rain and nastiness.  I remember thinking while sitting there that it was a pretty nice morning and I should be on the Vespa.

Vespa GTS scooterRiding the Vespa

I’ve ridden some over the past two weeks but just haven’t felt like posting anything.  Sometimes a ride sharpens awareness and focus that writing a blog post is simple.  They almost write themselves.  Other times, like now, there are no ideas.  My fingers are making a forced march upon the keyboard in a stream of consciousness effort to post something before going to work. Call it an exercise in willpower and hope.  Hope that I can leave the mental wrestling behind.

Made this portrait of my trusty Vespa GTS 250ie (vintage 2006) on a foggy morning along PA26.  Not enough fog to create any interesting imagery.  I remember feeling disappointed because I could see…

Vespa GTS scooter on a rough gravel roadRutted Roads and Little Wheels

The Vespa isn’t a great performer on rough and rutted roads.  The little tires jolt and jostle as they plunge into the depths.  Unless it’s my aging body demonstrating the decline in shock absorbing tissue in my joints I’ve been thinking that I may need need shocks on the scooter.

Staying on the pavement provides a fluid, flying and smooth ride.  Not sure why I keep heading down trails intended for something other than a Vespa.  My desire to explore is strong but at times brings my choice of machine into question.

Maybe I just need different tires.  And shocks.

Vespa GTS scooter in a pastureVespa in the Grass

Trees.  I’m always attracted to them.  Especially ones standing alone.  I suspect the same attraction applies to the Vespa situated by itself in so many photographs I make.  Perhaps a reflection of my own tendency to want to be alone.

This past weekend I wandered through a dizzying crowd of people and machines at a Harley event. It’s no place for thinking or reflecting.  Or even being yourself.  I imagined for a moment I was at a casting call for Sons of Anarchy.

One of the things I like best about the motorcycle and scooter riding communities is how diverse they are.  I like to think at some basic level though we’re all brothers and sisters on our respective rides…

Vespa GTS scooter on a farm laneWhere Am I Going?

A frequent question both on and off the Vespa.  And one that I don’t often find a satisfying answer.  For the past couple weeks I’ve been thinking about where I’m going.  It’s not a good place to linger.  Perhaps with this post I can move on to other things.

Maybe it’s time to ride to work…

Shedding the Noise of the Day

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Vespa GTS scooter at sunsetEscape

After a long day, as the day slows but the head still spins, a ride on the Vespa makes a world of difference.  Doesn’t matter where I go or what I see — just the sensation of movement and air flowing across skin — that changes everything.

Made this photograph two miles from my front door.  I watched the sun fade and the evening deepen.  Rivers of cool air crossed the low spots in the road.  I forgot who I was.  I didn’t care.  The feel of my hand wrapped around the throttle made me feel organically connected to the machine.  And I wouldn’t let go until it was dark.

It was a ride to nowhere to leave behind everything.

Sometimes shedding the noise of the day is all that matters.  Riding makes it simple to achieve.

Why aren’t you riding?