Scooter in the Sticks

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

Swiftly Craved Ride

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Vespa GTS scooter in muddy field at duskWings of Desire

Cold, raining and the approach of night — individually each reason enough to stay home and safe.  Yet off I went on the wings of desire, a swiftly craved ride striking me from the warm embrace of a reclining chair, mind sudden burning with one thought — to be on the road.

It’s been weeks since I’ve been on the Vespa, illness sapping strength and desire and rendering me a mortal, non-riding man.  How dim that life…

And suddenly the desire to ride flamed again.  Who can ignore that call? Even if it leads to a field of soft mud…

Vespa GTS scooter in Boalsburg, PennsylvaniaFading at the End of the Day

I’ve walked this sidewalk in Boalsburg hundreds of times in all weathers and times of day; with dogs and friends, view cameras and Leicas.  It’s home and I’ve yet to tire of it.  Can’t fathom to call to stop the Vespa and stand again looking; as if it’s the last night of my life.

I can only think I’ve been inside for too long.

Vespa GTS scooter at a Sunoco stationPragmatism

A fuel light on the Vespa’s instrument cluster returns me to earth and the local Sunoco station to add some high octane fuel to the tank.  Part of me wants to keep riding — east or west, it doesn’t matter whether other than to stay on the road.  But there’s business to attend to that I can’t, or shouldn’t ignore.  The cold, damp air has started a cough, another pragmatic reminder that a swiftly craved ride may mask another goal — completely recover from the illness that’s dogged me for nearly two weeks.

So off home in the dark for food and work and chores — each made a bit more handsome as seen from the vantage point of smiling rider.

Do you suddenly stand up and venture into the gloom for no good reason other than a craving to ride?

Beneath the Infinite

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Vespa GTS scooter beneath a full moon
The moon was rising over the the house, a bright glow forming through the spruce trees. A candelabra burns orange to my left like of something from the set of Dark Shadows. A string of tea lights glows along the fence while Kim prowls the darkness with her camera and a flashlight making images that would never occur to me.

Between the branches of a weeping willow I can see stars. Or maybe they’re planets or galaxies, their light generated long ago, perhaps millions of years ago and just now arriving.

It’s noisy. Tires drone on the freeway a few hundred yards away. The sound of crickets and katydids swell the night air, punctuated by the occasional yells of kids playing in the dark, a plane passing overhead, a dog barking in the distance.

I had to go for a ride, if only for a little while, just to live under the full moon and stand beneath the infinite. It seemed important to acknowledge the short time I have here. To look at the moon.

And howl.

When was the last time I howled?

When was the last time you howled?

Into the Evening Twilight

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Vespa GTS scooter parked in town with motorcyclesI feel the days getting shorter and already sense the coming of winter.  The days are on the downhill slide toward darkness and cold, thoughts that seem premature in August.  The drone of summer insects are betrayed by the cooling air of twilight.  The hot, sweating nights are gone.  More and more I’m riding into the evening twilight. This evening I rode into State College to talk with friends and am always pleased when there are openings in the motorcycle parking areas.

Vespa GTS scooter at Canyon PizzaOn the way home I stopped at Canyon Pizza to pick up a few slices of pizza for Kim and I.  The town is still quiet, a calm before the storm of students return to Penn State’s University Park campus.  So I’ll enjoy a few more quiet rides.

Vespa GTS scooter and Mount NittanyClouds gathering over Mount Nittany conspire to ruin any chances of admiring the Perseid meteor showers this evening. Instead I’ll just melt into bed and dream of days to come.  The riding today was simple, uneventful and through familiar, oft traveling roads.  And still it was thrilling.  How can that be?

Doesn’t the thrill of riding eventually wear off?

I Need to Go For a Ride

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Vespa GTS scooter at sunset“I need to go for a ride.”  No other words are necessary — Kim knows what it means, I know what it will do.  Chicken soup for the soul.

As the days get longer, the temperatures warmer, going for a ride is a bit easier that winter night journeys.  Like rocking a baby to sleep, a ride does wonders in realigning outlook and disposition.  Moving towards the sunset on a clear evening, watching the sky fade, makes everything ok.  At least if I’m paying attention.

Nice to be able to pull off the road now without battling piles of ice and snow.

Vespa GTS scooter along the highwayAll the traffic seemed to be leaving town.  I love being headed in the opposite direction of everyone else though I’m not sure why.

Vespa GTS scooter in State College, PASpring break in State College, Pennsylvania as Penn State students have abandoned the campus.  I have all the motorcycle parking to myself at the moment — here outside Five Guys burgers where I stopped to bring something home for dinner.

Vespa GTS scooter along the road at duskStill some snow on the north sides of the mountains.  By the end of the week I suspect there will be little of the white stuff left.  Don’t care much about any of it.  Just letting myself wander home on the scooter, dodging gravel and grit, watching the sky.

Just a few miles can drain away the torment and afflictions of the day.  Standing along the road staring at nothing, thinking of nothing, my body knew I could go home.

Sometimes I just need to go for a ride…

Darkness and Light

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Vespa scooter at night

With the end of Daylight Saving Time comes the depressing darkness that paves the way to winter.  The ride home from work at the end of the day  is darker, cooler and more likely to provide interactions with deer.  The mix of darkness and light is definitely not working in my favor — one more seasonal change to adjust to.

Vespa at the Bryce Jordan Center

Until it gets really cold the evening can look pretty at times as everything lights up, at least until I hit the more rural stretches of road.  Most evenings have been in the forties on the way home and that’s just fine.  I don’t really start to moan until the temperature draws near the freezing point.  A few weeks of that and I’m good until things drop below 10 degrees.

I can’t believe it’s time to even think about such things.

Vespa scooter on gravel road

One positive aspect of the end of Daylight Saving Time, at least for awhile, is that it’s not dark in the morning on my ride to work even when the sky is heavy.  The past few mornings have been nice rides with interesting skies — like something out of Mad Max.

I don’t remember any Vespa scooters in that movie.

Vespa scooter and autumn leaves

With the work day normally consuming the time from 7am until 6pm there isn’t a lot of riding light left during the week.  Sneaking a few extra miles into the commute can be enough to quiet a noisy mind or drain the frustration of poor planning and vision.

Maybe it’s time to take some lunchtime rides…