Scooter in the Sticks

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

I Need to Go for a Ride

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Vespa GTS scooter on a rural road.
On the road between calm and chaos.

Morning Chaos

These photographs and reflections are from a ride I made this past September 2021.

There is a short time interval between the calm and quiet of waking in the morning and the sudden jolt of frenetic chores, tasks, and running around. If I manage an hour of quiet time I feel blessed. And as the day continues to unfold and the chaos increases I find myself frustrated by what seems to be biological programming to shut down and do nothing. And it’s in those moments I think, “I need to go for a ride.”

It’s that thought that often has me dropping everything and heading out the door to save my soul. I let the Vespa do the heavy lifting.

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Riding is Magic

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It’s always a surprise what triggers me to write an essay for Scooter in the Sticks. This time it was dragging the garbage can to the street for pickup and seeing frost on the car.

BMW K75 motorcycle parked by the Mid State Trail in fog.
A magical, foggy morning on the motorcycle.

There are hints that winter is approaching; leaves descending from trees; geese honking overhead; squirrels and chipmunks growing fatter and fatter as they store the peanuts we put out for the birds. And now frost along with a faint bite on skin that rattles awake ancient programming in my DNA that whispers deep in my brain, “you better get ready…”

Those feelings sometimes emerge while riding, especially when conditions turn toward the surreal or become physically challenging. It happened one morning when I was riding the motorcycle into the mountains and encountered fog.

I discovered (again) that riding is magic.

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Morning Meditations

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dog in garden
Dogs enforce habits and rituals for their owners.

You Shall Not Pass

Morning meditations have become a daily ritual. One that didn’t come easy.

I’ve learned life is easier when I begin the day slowly.  It’s not a simple task because my mind is most active in the morning and I can be swept into action before I really have an idea of what I should be doing.  Or worse, jump on the merry-go-round of obsessive thinking, often on a subject I’ve given far too much attention.  Fortunately,  I have dogs who stand ready to stop me as they demand their fair share of the American dream.

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Scooter Minimalism

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Vespa GTS scooter in a farm landscape
Gazing at life.

Simple Riding Experience

It’s difficult to not be swept up in the idea of simplicity when riding a Vespa scooter.  Or think life will magically improve if it wasn’t so complicated.  When I’m riding, my cares and concerns seem to magically evaporate in the wind.  But however sturdy that illusion, I know it’s not true. The cares and concerns are there waiting when I return.  And the man I was when I departed returns as well.

Still, there may be something to that dream of simplicity, a sort of scooter minimalism.

Civilians don’t understand. Once they complete their admonishments of catastrophe and death when referring to scooters and motorcycles, I sometimes wonder if they’re envious on some level, harboring a secret yearning for the simplicity that they think two wheels represents.  Regardless of how insane or dangerous they might think riding is, they sense what seems to them like a life without care or concern.

As I stared down the valley, past my Vespa, it’s easy to embrace that dream.

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Turning a Page

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Vespa GTS scooter on forest road.
On the road into the unknown.

A Slap in the Face

This past year has seen the world struggle. No amount of riding could free me from concern for myself, my family, and those I love. As much as I want to believe that today, the start of a new year, will be different, it’s merely turning the page in the middle of a long novel. There is no magic today, no sudden cleansing of the world. What was bearing down yesterday remains today.

I have faith that the future will be bright, that suffering will ease and those things that provided pleasure and joy will return. But not today. The same struggle goes on for some time to come.

When I looked at the photograph of my Vespa in the forest just two months ago, I’m reminded of how exciting it is to peer into the unknown. Not knowing what lays ahead. Not sure what I’ll encounter. I have that same feeling now as I embrace the start of 2021.

I pray each of you reading these words will find hope and solace amidst whatever challenges you face.