Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650

Frustration and Gratitude

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A 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan parked along a road.
A substitute for my injured Kawasaki W650.

The Mental Merry-Go-Round

Over and over I’m reminded that there’s little profit in holding too tightly to my plans. It was demonstrated again as I prepared for a long ride with my friend Paul and proceeded to rip the tire valve from a rear tire of my W650 before even leaving the driveway. Hugely frustrating because I had planned so carefully, visualized the map, and imagined how it would feel to be on the road with a friend on a leisurely ride to breakfast.

The frustration was strong and dominating my thoughts which in turn robs me of some of the riding experience as I replay events in my head, continually kicking myself for the stupid mistakes I made leading up to having to replace the W650 with my Himalayan. Gratitude was nowhere to be found despite the gift of having an alternative machine to ride.

Frustration was ruling the moment and blinding me to anything good or positive. A sad way to leave on a ride.

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Tomorrow is the Very First Day of the Rest of Your Life

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Stumbled across the opening scene from Then Came Bronson again and struck how it still resonates 44 years after seeing the pilot.  Can’t help but think the writer mapped out a series of archetypal characteristics the would capture the imagination regardless of whether a person rides a motorcycle or not.

I want to say it has a universal appeal but it definitely was created with men in mind — a Mad Men styled world where the guy always gets the girl during or at the end of almost every adventure.  Can’t remember ever having a conversation with a woman who pointed to Then Came Bronson as an important cultural event in their lives.

Listening to Bronson’s brief exchange with the man in the hat at the intersection and riding off on a motorcycle to see the world was a powerful idea for me at 15.  It remains that way today.  And even though I ride a Vespa I can easily imagine myself on a Sportster.

Wonder what a 2013 version of this would be?  Ewan McGregor and Charley Booman’s Long Way adventures have some things in common save for the absolute aloneness that Bronson can conjure.

Maybe it’s time for another pilot.  I have some ideas…

Lion and Wildebeests

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All Vespa riders experience it, moving through the world, minding your own business when suddenly you realize the Vespa frightens a big segment of the riding world.  Most of the BMW riders, some of the sportbike riders, and almost all the Harley-Davidson riders.

At a fuel stop I realized a large contingent were huddled on the far side of the lot awaiting my departure, like nervous Wildebeests waiting for the lion to leave the waterhole.

It’s a sad statement on the riding world…

The Hello Kitty Harley

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Nothing says Harley-Davidson like a Hello Kitty water bottle.  I spied this one on Paul Ruby’s Harley Crossbones and wondered how he missed the marketing messages that Harley has poured millions into — with much success I might add. I may have suggested a HOG member seeing it might confiscate his bike.

Now I wish I had held my tongue.  He must have been upset because he’s traded the Harley for a 2007 BMW K1200 GT.  Hello Kitty will be more at home there I guess.

Paul and I left early to ride to Altoona to pick up my father-in-law before riding on to a new breakfast spot. Light traffic, long lights, and the easy of parking the Vespa allow for some quick pictures like this one. 

Remember those cool tablets that they used to give out on the first day of school along with the giant green wooden pencils?  If you weren’t alive and in the first grade around 1960 forget I mentioned this.

Anyways, the Blank Book Company has been making school supplies, tablets, notebooks, etc, for over one hundred years.  This was their original building in Roaring Spring.  I can’t quite decide which is more unique — the architecture or the two Vespa scooters with the Harley.

Mamie’s in Martinsburg. While Paul checks the map to figure out where we are the cooks are preparing what was among the finest breakfast sandwiches I have ever devoured.  Devoured is the right verb.  I had a half steak and egg sandwich on homemade bread with grilled peppers and onions. 

I’m not a donut guy.  I’ll eat them but am not impressed.  At least not until I had one of Mamie’s donuts.  Fresh, warm, sugary.  This is the kind of donut that Homer Simpson would abandon his family for.

When I looked at the folder on my computer for images of this ride the donut was the last one even though we put another 65 miles on the odometer before reaching home.  The donut was the capstone experience for this ride.  Thank god I didn’t ride 1000 miles to find it.