Scooter in the Sticks

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

Happy New Year 2019

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Steve Williams self-portrait in laser lightsRinging in the New Year

Managed to make it 15 steps from the front door today.  Any dreams of riding were dashed by the pernicious virus that’s continued to chew at body and spirt.  A quick selfie before returning to bed was all I could manage.

Vespa GTS scooter along snowy roadRiding on Another New Year’s Day

I always try and get out for a ride to mark the start of a new year.  Not sure why it was important, it’s not really, but a tradition of sorts.  This ride in 2014 was marked by snow, ice and single digit temperatures.  Today would have been considerably milder if I were able to get out.

If.

Anyway, best wishes to each of you for the coming year.  I have no wisdom to share as this day is fading fast and my light-headedness is getting the best of me.

Until I ride again…

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Les Misérables

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Steve Williams self-portrait of him being illPortrait of Illness

First, I want to extend my apologies to Victor Hugo for borrowing his title for this post.  And more importantly, acknowledge that any suffering or illness I’m currently enduring is insignificant to that of millions of people.  Most of my problems in life definitely fall into the category of “First World Problems.”  Things like being driven crazy by having to enter “English” as my language choice every time I use the ATM.  Or the tremendous annoyance of the awful sound the credit card reader makes when it wants me to remove my card from the chip reader.  Or the current virus I’m now enduring that makes me tired, sore and miserable.

First world problems.

My wife asked me how I was feeling on Friday.  I took out my iPhone and made a self-portrait and sent it to her.  She felt responsible because she had already be struck with the same illness for two weeks with no sign of letting up for either of us.

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The Ride Lingers in the Mind

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Vespa GTS scooter on a muddy forest roadBecoming One With the World

Strange how I often find myself writing in the middle of the night. House quiet, dogs asleep and my head turning over thoughts from a ride earlier in the day. Sometimes the ride stays with me beyond the road, the ride lingers in the mind where it ceases to be about the physical actions on the scooter, but rather part of a tiny myth, a figment of imagination that creates a story about myself and my life.

I left the house late this afternoon with three goals — return a book to the library, deposit a check at the bank, and apply the riding salve to a viral infection of the sinuses that threatens perception of life. The road led me into the mountains, the scooter tires oozing in places on a skin of limestone mud, and I could feel my world preoccupations slowly fall away.

Now at 3:30am I’m still thinking of that ride. Sinuses completely blocked with crud, nine hours remaining before I can take more Zyrtec, my mind lingers on that ride. The cold air draining my head. The feelings of old age and decrepitude that an illness can generate stripped away as I for a few moments became one with the world.

Riding can do that if you let it.
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Reflections on Christmas

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Vespa GTS scooter with Christmas lightsA Vespa Christmas

Christmas Day has come and is nearly gone.  Family has gathered, presents opened, friends encountered and the house is once again quiet.  A fine time for reflections on Christmas.

Before wandering off I want to extend to each of you hopes for a Merry Christmas and some wonderful times leading up to the new year.

As darkness came I made this photograph of the Vespa amidst the colored lights.  A fine way to end its day.

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Reflections on Thanksgiving

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Reflection of Vespa rider in snow.Recognizing the Gift

Awoke on Thanksgiving Day to the gentle prodding of dogs, their noses intent on bringing me in to a new day. At 16 degrees my footsteps on frozen ground and over patches of snow and ice felt almost warm due to the dazzling sunlight cresting the horizon at sunrise. As the dogs raced through the garden I said to myself, “Thank you for giving me another day.”

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