Think Less. Work More.

I stood for awhile gazing at this copse of trees wondering what it was that I found so attractive. I’ve been here many times and have photographed it many times. After standing there for a few minutes I realized I was getting no where. And the camera hung limp in my hand, incapacitated by thought and descending into a rabbit hole where nothing good would happen. “Just take a picture and move on,” I said to myself. “You need to think less and work more.”

Think less. Work more.

My new mantra. Specifically it’s intended for the existential malaise I feel that keeps me from working with the camera. The mental critic that assures each scene I consider or print I make has already been done. And better. The critic goes on to remind me of the opportunities I’ve missed, my personal shortcomings, and the general futile game I’m playing when it comes to anything creative. Best I seek a position as a small cog in some unimportant machine.

The more sinister effect is how it can seep into every aspect of life from the huge mess I’ll make if I attempt to fix the leaking pipes in the basement to the folly of cleaning up the garage because it will just get messy again.

And that critic tells me how dangerous it is at my age to be riding a Vespa scooter and to blog anything about it is just ego run wild or screaming into the wind where no one is listening.

The only way to shut up that critic is to think less and work more.

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Extra Rims to Mount Heidenau Snow Tires on the Vespa GTS Scooter

Finally, after years of mucking around mounting and un-mounting tires, I bought a pair of used rims on eBay so I could permanently mount snow tires and make winter Vespa riding a little safer.  Now I just have to swap wheels which is easier and faster.  I’ve looked for sometime for some inexpensive rims.  These arrived from Michigan (left) and California.  I was surprised how beat the California rim looked with it’s completely worn out tire.

So I’m creeping slowing toward full readiness for winter.

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Planning for the Coming Winter Riding Season

Weird, I always seem to find myself writing blog posts in the middle of the night.  It’s just past 2am, the wind is blowing outside and its been cold enough that I just bought two pairs of merino wool base layers, two pairs of heavyweight Merino wool socks, and a new pair of winter gloves from LL Bean.  All part of the process of acclimating to the cold and preparing for winter scooter riding.

I have to play a few mental games to gird myself against the cold weather at this time of year.  Early in the season 30F feels awful.  By March it’s T-shirt weather.  It’s been like this as long as I’ve been riding.  And since my heart attack a few years ago and daily regimen of blood thinners my cold tolerance has shifted 20 degrees.  Long underwear didn’t enter the picture until 20F before.  Now it’s required at 35F.

But that’s all unique to me and my odd mental wiring and physical configuration.  Something that may be more universally useful for any scooter or motorcycle riders considering extending their range of riding — how to approach the appearance of ice when the temperature drops below the freezing mark.

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Tucano Urbano Apron

I got the jump on winter this year by installing the Tucano Urbano apron on the scooter early.  The fog and mist this morning was enough to spark the desire to ride.  My disinterest in putting on my armored overpants led me out to the garage to install the apron.  It took less than 10 minutes to put it on and I was ready to ride in 36F air in just my jeans.  The apron is near magic in its ability to keep the cold out.

Most of the recent snow is gone now but the roads are wet and full of gravel.  Plenty to give a rider pause when negotiating curves and turns.  As is the case with all cold weather riding, speed management is critical to staying upright — snow or no snow.

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