Scooter in the Sticks

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

Little Juniata Machine and Cycle

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Two men standing next to a 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
Picking up the freshly serviced Himalayan.

Service Completed

I dropped the bike off on Saturday. The service was complete of Monday. I was thrilled to get the message. Being able to have the Himalayan worked on locally was something I wished for but firmly believed I only had three choices — haul the bike to the dealer a hundred miles away, do the service myself, or sell the motorcycle. None of those choices felt good. Finding Little Juniata Machine and Cycle purely by accident was an unlooked for gift.

My friend Howard drove my to Tyrone to get the Himalayan so I could ride it home. Brent Knarr, the owner and machinist/mechanic is standing on the right.

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Is It Time to Surrender the Royal Enfield Himalayan?

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan.
I can go anywhere and do anything with my Himalayan.

A Workhorse

Make no mistake, the 411 version of the Himalayan is a unique motorcycle. It looks different, sounds different, and acts differently than any other motorcycle I have ever ridden. Even with a meager 24 horsepower it far exceeds most of my riding abilities. And for the kind of rides I make it’s a nearly perfect companion.

Making this photograph of it in the driveway before a recent ride I wasn’t thinking about the positive aspects of ownership. Or admiring the camouflage styling.

I was standing there wondering, after four years of riding, is it time to surrender the Royal Enfield Himalayan?

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The Perfect Ride

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle parked near an old barn.
Arriving on a rainy morning for breakfast at Cafe Lemont.

What is the Perfect Ride?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that there are no bad rides. Doesn’t matter if it is too hot or too cold, too far or too short, or if the scenery or roads are just boring. When I learned that all rides are good rides and that the idea of the perfect ride just doesn’t exist my riding world opened and I put more time in the saddle.

Cafe Lemont was my second choice for breakfast after Barnes and Noble had to toss all their food because of a storm-caused power outage trashed their refrigeration. Like this ride and so many others, the circumstances don’t matter. Just being able to ride is enough.

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Falling in Love with the Royal Enfield Himalayan (AGAIN)

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle parked along a farm field in winter.
A quiet, subdued, lovely motorcycle.

I Remember Now

Cold mornings. Reasons to stay home. Safe. Warm. Unencumbered by the need to do the heavy lifting to ride in the central Pennsylvania winter. Suddenly the body vibrates from the thrum of the engine, the spin of the tires on the asphalt, the wind pushing against the body. And then I am falling in love with the Royal Enfield Himalayan. Again.

I’m an unreliable lover of the machines in my garage. One day I’m in love with my Vespa scooter. And the next with something else. I commune with the machine I’m riding. Each for their own personality and grace.

It was a fine morning to ride no where in particular. Just enough to drive the moisture from the oil. To energize the battery. And restore my soul.

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The Relaxing Nature of Riding a Motorcycle

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan on a forest road on a foggy morning.
Riding through the fog.

The Merlin App

At 5:30AM a strange bird woke me. A triplet call, loud yet smooth and calm. Launching the Merlin Bird ID app to life on the iPhone it immediately identified the stranger as a Black-billed Cuckoo. I laid in bed listening. The cool air of a wet morning hinted at fog.

Clouds that touch the ground draw me from bed. The world outside the bedroom window is narrowed by the fog. And a desire is sparked to venture into the unknown.

Sometimes I just need to go for a ride. To clear my head. To rearrange my brain. To remind myself that life is good. But on this morning there were no concerns or hauntings. Just a desire to be riding a motorcycle.

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