Scooter in the Sticks

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

New Vespa Rider

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three scooters along the roadIn February I received a message at the Modern Vespa forum from a would be scooter rider.  He had a plan and a long held dream of owning a Vespa.  During the ensuing months he’s graduated from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, purchased a Vespa, and rode to the Boalsburg Moto Hang with his son.  And now we’ve also gone on a ride together.

Meet Steve Albrecht.

Steve joined Paul Ruby and I for a short ride — we had just a bit over two hours to scoot through the countryside.  With so little time I didn’t want to stop much for pictures and instead keep riding.  But a couple pictures were in order.

Steve Albrecht with Vespa scooterSteve is still displaying the “look” of a new Vespa Rider — that glow that comes from doing something you really enjoy.  I remember it from the first ride to now and assume it will continue until my last ride.

At least that’s my plan.

Vespa scooters in Bellefonte, PennsylvaniaDespite my plan to keep riding Paul is unable to resist the opportunity to eat requiring a stop in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania for a quick snack.  I suppose riding and eating is an axiom that a new Vespa rider should be exposed to so they can factor it into their two-wheeled future.

Mathematical axiom:  (Ride duration) x (30%) = (Time spent in coffee shops, cafes and restaurants).

Vespa scooters along a rural roadDespite limitations of time and food diversions we had a pleasant ride under a hot sun through the hills and dales of central Pennsylvania.  And we managed to get Steve’s sense of direction turned around which holds great promise for him on future rides — the chance to get lost.

Being lost is something I miss — it happens far too infrequently.  Being lost on the road is a fine place to be.

Thanks for coming along on the ride Steve — hope your time as a new Vespa rider following along two old coots was a pleasant one.

Riding Before Sunrise

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Vespa scooter at Exxon stationFuel stop at a local Exxon station to prepare the Vespa for a trip to breakfast some 50 miles away. Riding before sunrise is a quiet experience.  The world is asleep and the roads clear — a perfect time to ride.

Paul Ruby portraitMy friend Paul Ruby wants to visit Mamie’s in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, a small eating establishment with a hearty breakfast and baked goods selection.  Probably not the best choice for my post-heart attack diet but I can indulge every now and again.

Paul and I have made this trip before.  Each time it’s a different experience.

Scooter and motorcycle along road before sunriseAs 6am arrived the sun hadn’t breached the horizon leaving the world in that pre-dawn glow I love so well.  For a moment I thought how easy it would be to just ride south, across the Mason-Dixon line into Maryland and on into Virginia toward Front Royal.  Just a short ride from there onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Not sure why that came into my head but for a period of time I was doing the time calculations to get there and home before dinner.

Ducati and Vespa at sunriseSunrise offers a strong lesson in the machinations of the earth as it turns on its axis.  I’m always surprised at the speed of the change from dawn to sunrise and on into morning.  Standing in a bean field I feel blessed to bear witness to the magic.

Paul Ruby on the road with his DucatiThere are miles of fine roads and riding before breakfast.  As I notice views in my rear view mirror I stop and command Paul to turn around and become a model.  While making this photo I sense the first gurgling of desire in my gut — time for breakfast.

motorcycle and scooter at Mamie's Cafe in Martinsburg, PAArriving early meant we could park right in front of Mamie’s Cafe.  Being quite hungry as I write this post I’m not going to dwell on breakfast save for it was good, it was a vegetable omelet, and it was big.

I also bought a fresh doughnut but only had a couple bites.  It felt like trouble.

Vespa at a scenic viewOne the way home we found a narrow road wandering up and over a mountain.  One of the things I love best on a ride if finding a new path to a familiar destination.  The view was unexpected but appreciated.

You can see Raystown Lake in the distance.

Vespa scooter and Ducati motorcycle on rural roadFar from the drought consuming the western parts of the United States, central Pennsylvania is lush with corn, soybeans and alfalfa hay in fine shape.  Our machines are simple trespassers in a pastoral scene.

Vespa scooter and Ducati motorcycle on US22While no big sky in terms or what you might see in Montana this is perhaps as good as it gets in the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania.  Looking down roads that lead away toward the horizon triggers desires to keep riding and exploring to see what’s over the next hill.

But all rides come to an end — but not without generating some pleasant memories to call up during some darker day…

Pretending You’ll Never Crash

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MSF info graphic on riding gearWhile I don’t believe it’s inevitable that every motorcycle or scooter rider will have a crash, I also don’t believe any rider can say they’ll never go down either.  I’m not sure what others believe in this regard.  What I do know for sure though is there is a range of belief and action in regard to utilizing protective riding gear.

Do you find yourself pretending you’ll never crash?

I saw this infographic yesterday via FirstGear’s Facebook feed and it reminded me again of the risk involved in riding on two wheels and the things that can be done to mitigate some of that risk.

You can download a high resolution PDF file of the MSF poster if you want to make a big print.

In the spirit of open disclosure I have to admit that I don’t always adhere to the goals outlined in the poster.  I’ll ride with jeans sometimes in warm weather and neglect pulling on the abrasion resistant armored pants hanging next to my riding jacket.  I lie to myself that they offer protection but the truth is they don’t offer squat — I’m just lazy.  A slide down the road will shred them in a hurry to get to my tender flesh.

And that would be a sad event.  It makes me think of Brittany Morrow — founder of the Rock the Gear website and all the gear all the time (ATGATT) evangelist.

Have a look at her video and then ask yourself what you’re doing:

How to Avoid Skinning Yourself Alive – Brittany Morrow from Brittany Morrow on Vimeo.

Rock the Gear Inc. is a national, not-for-profit organization that focuses on safety apparel education and provides a community of support for those who want to learn more and/or become involved. Brittany Morrow is the President and Founder of Rock the Gear. This is her story.

Visit www.RocktheGear.org to learn more.

This video is intended for informational purposes only. Visit the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s website to get trained and licensed and learn more about what it means to be a good, responsible rider. www.MSF-USA.org

Music: “Who Says” by Selena Gomez & The Scene. Music copyrights belong solely to the original artists and producers.

Works Cited:

Haynsworth, Leslie. “My Volvo, My Self. The (Largely Unintentional) Existential Implications of Bumper Stickers.” Fourth Genre, 2008.

Hurt Report. Traffic Safety Center, University of Southern California, 1981.

Dark Shadows

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This post is not about the television show or movie named Dark Shadows.  The old TV show does inform some of my “darker” thoughts though..

Vespa GTS scooter moving into the gloomIt’s not often that I ride through an area that feels creepy, as if something bad has happened, spirits lingering with malevolent intent.  I don’t believe in ghosts but there are times when the complex chemical workings of my body and mind get the best of me.

On the morning I made this photograph I could feel my skin prickling.  My hand was in my pocket on my phone wondering how quickly I could dial 911, wondering if there was any cell coverage.

Camp Antler -- an old hunting camp near Livonia, PennsylvaniaIn the darkness just off the road sat Camp Antler, an old hunting camp that could serve as a cinematic location for another episode in the Hannibal Lecter series.  Or perhaps one of the woodsman’s cabins on the grounds of Collingwood.  Kim and I had been discussing one of the local missing person cases where the person just vanished.  My mind was telling me they would find them here.  Or someone else.

The phone wasn’t needed and as quickly as the feeling surfaced it faded when the Vespa entered the sunshine a few miles up the road.  Faded, but not forgotten.

Dark cloudsThe weather seemed odd for a couple days.  The clouds conspired to force uncomfortable thoughts about life and death.  I swore I could feel the blood pumping past the drug eluting stent near my heart.  Looking up I couldn’t tell if the clouds were closing in our the sky was opening up.  That unsettled feeling stuck with me for days despite engaging the Vespa riding prescription for ailments of the heart and mind.

Vespa GTS scooter with Mount NittanyMore than once on the way to work the world seemed empty.  I wondered if the earth was passing through some strange electromagnetic field that triggered my hypothalamus to secrete odd hormones that were affecting my imagination powers.

angel in a gardenWalking through our garden at dusk often triggers thoughts of spirits and creatures etched carefully by books, movies and television shows.  I would not be surprised to see Barnabas Collins as I passed by this old garden angel.

Vespa GTS scooter with Triumph Tiger motorcycleIn the parking lot at the hospital I found safety with the herd — in this instance parked next to a Triumph Tiger motorcycle.  I was early for cardiac rehab and there were few people around.  Surely the vampires were back in their coffins and the werewolves were asleep in the fields and forests.  And in minutes the dark shadows departed.  Perhaps 21 minutes on an elliptical trainer is the antidote for an imagination run amok.  Or a serious Alpine pass program on an exercise bike.  Or maybe I just grew tired of the mental exercising that often takes place when I’m thinking about things.

When I came out 90 minutes later the sun was shining and the world was a pleasant place.

But I miss the drama…

Riding Bitch

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HOW TO RIDE BITCH from Alex Vivian on Vimeo.

Every male riding a motorcycle needs to study this video.  If you are going to ask your wife, girlfriend or anyone for that matter to ride on the back of your motorcycle or scooter you should first explore the experience yourself.  This video will show you how.

Maybe it’s a good rule of thumb to experience yourself anything you would ask another to do whether it’s riding bitch or anything else.  Think about the things you would have to try…