Scooter in the Sticks

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

Reflection

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Reflection of rider in a Vespa GTS mirrorMan in the Mirror

A lot more reflections when the sun is out.  And a welcome break from the gray, cold weather of late.  One of the first things reflected, aside from me in the mirror, is the filth and dirt on the scooter from the most recent sloppy ride.

Vespa GTS scooter in Bellefonte, PennsylvaniaReflecting on the Season

Reflecting on the weather — it’s been a long winter.  What’s strange is that it has been pretty mild as winters go around here.  No extended sub-zero weather, no long periods of snow cover.  A pretty wimpy winter by all normal measurements.  But personally, for a lot of reasons, it was hard.

So with the temperature at 50F today with the sun shining bright it was a fine day for a little ride.  By late morning I ended up in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania to spend some time with my journal at Cool Beans Coffee and Tea.

Reflection of Steve Williams in a windowObservation, Cogitation, Rumination

A lot of people don’t like having their picture taken.  Some won’t look in a mirror.  When I hear someone tell me that I’m surprised.  Both the camera and the mirror offer a wealth of insight to those who look. At the very least, it’s a slap in the face to move you from who you want to be into the sober reality of who you are.  Or a start in that direction.

Looking past the cosmetic details of a physical self, I begin to see myself as an actor on the grand stage of life.  And the subsequent thinking is at times helpful in deciding what the next step might be.

Just saying.

Vespa GTS along rural roadRiding Away from Winter

The local groundhog weatherman predicted six more weeks of winter.  I’m so ready to be done with it.  The warm weather has me believing that winter is done.  I probably should take another look in the mirror and ask about that…

2017 Brave, Bold Blogger Challenge

This post is part of a month long writing prompt challenge conceived by Kathy at Toadmama.com.

Turtles and Random Acts of Kindness

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Box Turtle on Vespa scooter seatStrangers on the Road

I’ve rescued a number of turtles crossing the road during my years of Vespa scooter riding.  Small, random acts of kindness.  Aside from a snapping turtle that was moved by having him clamp down on the end of a long stick, these little guys are docile creatures.  And perhaps thankful for a helping hand across a highway.

Random acts of kindness.  It’s hard to talk about without seeming like you’re saying, “Look at how nice I am.” Looking back at the past week and all the acts of kindness have to do with money — a donation to the local food bank when the cashier at the grocery store asked if I wanted to donate.  The same at Petco.  Or a donation to the SPCA in return for some bake sale dog cookies.

I want to say that stopping to let pedestrians cross in front of my car, or letting someone pass or merge on the highway.  But aren’t those really just driver responsibilities and not acts of kindness?

I’ve seen motorists completely stop traffic to allow a line of ducks cross a road.  Or a child try to return a baby bird to an unseen nest.  Almost as if it were instinctual.  And then I see a man in town asking for change treated as invisible and wonder where the kindness is.

Steve Williams and Vespa GTS scooter on foggy forest roadLiving in a Fog

Some years ago I was riding through the mountains on a foggy, misty morning.  The fog shrouds the world leaving a small picture with few details.  Riding decisions are simple as things slow down.  The environment demands more attention and the stress of speed and rushing are gone.  Perhaps it’s in those moments that those random acts of kindness are possible.  Otherwise there may be no time to engage them.

2017 Brave, Bold Blogger Challenge

This post is part of a month long writing prompt challenge conceived by Kathy at Toadmama.com.

Vespa Mileage — What’s Important?

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Interstate 99 superhighwayDo Expressway Miles Qualify as Riding?

Scooting along on a four-lane highway can rack up miles in a hurry as the world flies by at 70 miles per hour.  I’ve found myself in this situation many times as I hurry from one point to another because I’ve become enslaved to a clock or calendar.  But what of that Vespa mileage?  Is it anything other than tedium because I’m robbed of experience save for keeping the scooter upright and in a straight line, especially when a tractor trailer rig blows by at breathtaking speed.

When rider discussions turn toward mileage, I often wonder about the quality of those miles and whether it’s just a big contest requiring a ruler…

Man lying on a road along the center lineThe Slower the Road the Richer the Experience.

A photographer I know who has documented this country from vantage points on roads and byways once told me you see nothing over 35 miles per hour.  And if by chance you do you’re going too fast to do anything about it.  He’s not a rider but takes in the world from an SUV.  While you could argue that the cage further insulates the driver from the world requiring even slower speeds to take things in but my own experience has been, scooter or cage, that you need to go slowly if you want to appreciate the details in the world and not just the outlandish sculpture of the American landscape.

Lying on a road isn’t something I suggest anyone do.  But on this ride with my friend Paul, it represents the relative slowness of the road.  No one pushing to go faster, no traffic pattern to conform to.  Only my own decision on how fast to ride.  I may pass fewer miles but I suspect I see and experience more.

Vespa GTS 250ie scooter on gravel roadTime Not Miles

Should someone be tallying annual miles ridden on their scooter or motorcycle I might suggest something more in line with an airliner — what’s the hour count on the machine.  How many hours have you ridden?  I’ve been on many 50 mile rides that have taken all day to complete.  During that time I’ve seen more plants and trees, turtles and birds, eaten food with the wind in my face, turned my camera toward passing clouds, and generally felt the electricity of being alive.  And I’ve flown as one can only do on two wheels.

Everyone’s interests, goals and needs are different.  Some race across the country on the superslab just to spend a few days puttering along the quiet roads of some more exotic place.  I’ll probably do that myself someday after I’ve experienced all there is to see here.  I’ve only been exploring on two wheels for ten years so it may be awhile before I feel the need to travel to the next state.

But generally, 200 miles on an interstate highway?  Or more?  I’d rather have a sharp stick stuck in my eye…

2017 Brave, Bold Blogger Challenge

This post is part of a month long writing prompt challenge conceived by Kathy at Toadmama.com.

Alone on the Road

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Vespa GTS scooter on empty street at dawnEmpty Streets

Black Friday.  Early into town for breakfast with a friend.  Town seems deserted on what is supposed to be one of the busiest retail days of the year. It’s one thing to be alone on the road in the forests and mountains outside of town.  But in town, well, it almost feels creepy to not see anyone.

Stuffed toy duck on the back of a Vespa scooterToy Duck on a Vespa Scooter

After breakfast I passed a toy store, Growing Tree Toys, and thought it made sense to browse their wares for something that might interest my granddaughter.  Ducks are high on her list of interests so this fellow joined me for a little ride.

Vespa GTS scooter in the woodsRide Through the Woods

My back wasn’t up to a ride and to be honest, I sort of forced myself to take the scooter out at all.  I have a pack of reasons why I should keep riding but few suggesting I stay off the machine and let my back heal a bit more.  Recovery is slow but moving in the right direction.

I let the Vespa draw me along some forest roads to enjoy the last of autumn before the snow begins to fall.  And on Monday an army of deer hunters will make riding in Pennsylvania forests a bit unnerving — even with a high VIZ jacket on my back.

Vespa GTS scooterUtilitarian Vespa Scooter

As transportation the Vespa scooter is outstanding.  It gets from point A to point B without a fuss.  And it’s indifferent to the type of road; comfortable on backroads, freeways or tours across a cornfield.

I don’t know why I keep choosing paths that bump along.  My back is far more pleased with smooth pavement than bouncing around of the road.  I did stop at a local body shop for an estimate to repaint the undercarriage of the scooter.  Many winters of salt and much have made a mess of things.  In a couple weeks I drop it off for a bit of restoration work…

Cup of tea at the Pump Station in Boalsburg, PennsylvaniaCafe Life…

I suspect for most of December I’ll be without the scooter.  Opportunities to be alone on the road may give way to more work on other projects — ones I plan to work on in retirement.  I’m still trying to figure out how that second career will unfold and where my “office” will take shape.  I’ve considered cafes and coffee shops along with the local library.  I’ve also thought about renting an office space somewhere so I’ll have a place to provide some structure to any new endeavors.

For now though, I just keep wandering, alone on the road…

Vespa Medicine

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Reflection of Vespa rider, Steve WilliamsNoise and Chaos

After a week of a sore back, thoughts of retirement and looming deadlines at work, I was ready for some Vespa medicine.  Something to slow down the neurons firing in my head. A ride on the scooter to soak up the crazy energy and let me savor the world.

Heading for a cup of tea I looked at my reflection in the window.  Smiling, thanks to a little ride into town.

Vespa GTS scooter in State College, PennsylvaniaScooter for the Urban Jungle

I can hardly invoke the term “urban” or pretend the towns I ride through are a “jungle”.  Still, it’s what I encounter. The ribbons of asphalt encountered in the countryside make the jaunts through town seem hectic in comparison.  The Vespa was designed with these sorts of places in mind and performs so well that I almost look forward to the times when I’m not looking for groundhogs and deer and instead grow wary of pedestrians and traffic lights.  The Vespa medicine is so strong that I seldom find even a slight rise in heart rate amidst the traffic that has others voicing their displeasure with horns and hand signals.

Riding soothes the beast.

Vespa GTS scooter under a heavy gray skyEuphoria in the Mist

God I love riding in the mist, navigating under a murky sky in a thin drizzle.  All riders have a description in their head of ideal riding conditions.  My own lean toward cold, dark and wet.  An unexplained thrill runs through my body that I can only attribute to some internal fantasy at work transforming an ordinary experience on the road into something just short of magical.  There’s a romance in the ride that sparks a physical reaction that’s hard to describe.

The effect of the Vespa medicine is enhanced.

Vespa GTS scooter at Wegmans grocery storeUnexceptional Riding

Seldom see a motorcycle at the grocery store.  Nothing adventurous, heroic or ego-building in collecting supplies.  The scooter seems to yield more easily to utilitarian tasks.  Or so I believe — it’s something magical about the Vespa and has little to do with the rider.  Whatever is at work, a ride to the grocery store can be as thrilling as a ride through the Quehanna Wilderness area.

I’m powerless over my Vespa and my life has become unmanageable.  Vespa medicine has unlooked for side effects.

Vespa GTS scooter on a rainy dayHome Again, Home Again Jiggety-Jig

From home to market and back again — living a nursery rhyme on a scooter, an aging man swept up in mechanical magic that propels an ordinary experience into something more, an undeniable craving to be flying along the road with the cares and concerns of life burned away leaving a simple thrill at being alive in the world.

Amazing what a little Vespa medicine can do.