Scooter in the Sticks

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

Riding-Based Winterization

by 5 Comments

Vespa GTS scooter parked along a rural road on a foggy morning.
A pause to admire the fog and the scooter.

Accepting Colder Weather

It’s no secret that I ride in cold weather. There may be a growing element of secrecy regarding my feelings about doing it. While the 2006 Vespa GTS 250 scooter is still ready and willing to head out in the coldest weather I cannot make the same claim. Each year as winter approaches I feel a greater resistance to abandoning the warmth and comfort of home so I can continue with my annual riding-based winterization program.

The idea of parking the machine for five or six months did not sit well. Too many warm days during the winter that I would want to ride. And plenty of freezing days where the roads were dry. Twenty years ago I swear I never felt cold. Now I am chilled lingering too long in front of an open refrigerator. But if I am going to avoid draining fuels, pulling batteries, or adding Stabil to tanks, I need to keep riding.

The best method for me now is to start early, ride often, and ease into the cold.

Continue Reading

Re-subscribe to continue receiving notifications.

by

Sorry for the inconvenience but to avoid paying for an expensive email notification system I have had to move to a free service and I can’t migrate the subscriber list. I hope you keep coming back. Click the SUBSCRIBE button on the lower right of the page. Or you can subscribe to the RSS feed below:

https://scooterinthesticks.com/feed

Frozen in Place

by 23 Comments

2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan along a rural road in a snow covered landscape.
Riding despite the frozen weather.

Chaos and Procrastination

Despite the march of years I continue to ride through the winter. The goal is to ride all five machines in the garage at least once every two weeks for at least 15 miles. Enough time to drive the moisture from the oil, keep the batteries alive, and make room for periodic transfusions of fuel. It was much easier when all I had was the Vespa. I wonder about the wisdom of multiple machines this time of year. Or if I should “winterize” a couple. It becomes a chaotic swirl of thoughts in my head that can lead to procrastination and eventually a full stop in activity. I find myself feeling frozen in place.

If only it was limited to scooters and motorcycles.

Continue Reading

Remembering Summer Rides

by 23 Comments

Motorcycle rider taking in the view in the Appalachian Mountains.
A view in Pennsylvania’s Rothrock State Forest of the Appalachian Mountains during one of my summer rides.

The weather has turned markedly colder and the shortened daylight triggers some biological reaction that doesn’t feel great. Looked back to brighter, warmer, days and rides enters my thoughts more frequently now. Rather than gird and prepare myself for riding in colder weather I’m spending more time remembering summer rides. Like this one with my friend Dave that was merely a ride to breakfast. Just not the closest place or the most direct route.

Continue Reading

Riding and Getting Older

by 19 Comments

2001 Kawasaki W650 parked along a rural road.
An old motorcycle is perfect for an old man like me.

Responses from an Aging Population of Riders

The 2001 Kawasaki W650 motorcycle continues to prove it’s mettle as I wander the backroads of Pennsylvania. I’ve noticed that riding and getting older have begun to intersect and have raised at times some uncomfortable questions. There’s some truth to the idea that when old men get together a big part of their conversation is consumed by tales of aches, pains, medications, doctors, and myriad flash points to complain about.

But the subject of change doesn’t often come up other than plans to move to warmer places or where the next vacation will change place. But for a rider, aging introduces a growing element of risk. And how to manage it was the topic of two recent videos I posted on YouTube. And I am in the process of making a third. That’s what brought me and the W650 out to play.

Continue Reading