Scooter in the Sticks

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

Failure and Imagination

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J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

I don’t often post non-riding items on Scooter in the Sticks but this video warrants a look.  Early this morning I watched author J.K. Rowling deliver a powerful message on the lessons of failure and the power of human imagination.  I expected Harry Potter but heard something more striking.  Rowling talked about imagination as a unique and special power.   

At the end of her address she offered a challenge to graduates that is equally appropriate to riders and their journeys.  Rowling  invokes the words of the ancient Roman philosopher Seneca:

“As is a tale, so is life, not how long it is but how good it is.”

So I guess I’ll continue to focus on the good trips.

I found this video quite by accident at Alison Day Designs.

Favorite Vespa Rides

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After years of riding, writing and taking pictures it’s easy to loose track of individual rides.  I went through Scooter in the Sticks and picked out some of my favorite or more memorable experiences.  They aren’t Vespa reviews or anything like that.  Just reflections of the kind of experiences I have had.
I didn’t include any winter rides on the Vespa or motorcycle rides.   These are the rides that any Vespa owner could undertake without concern for rain, snow or ice. 

In my estimation riding is a little miracle accessible on a daily basis.  Hard to describe if you’ve never ridden before.  And if you have you probably have a collection of your own favorites.

A pre-dawn ride from State College, Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh to explore the landscape of my youth. A day of exploring and 320 miles of scooter adventure.

Heading south through Maryland and West Virginia for a pleasant 258 mile ride.

An overnight trip with my friend Paul through the Wilds of Pennsylvania.

A couple hundred miles of Vespa riding will change a person’s outlook.  Riding east towards Centralia and the Coney Island Lunch.

Solitary riding through the empty parts of Pennsylvania with a camera and desire to explore.

Relaxing on a Vespa LX150 through north central Pennsylvania.

A riding response to being characterized by another blogger as a curious toddler.

A picture story of a Vespa ride through the sticks.

Embracing the special riding qualities of a Vespa that make the world a little more exciting.

Fat, Happy and Sitting in Front of the Computer

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Yesterday evening I stopped to inspect the artillery pieces that would be part of some Civil War event at the Pennsylvania Military Museum today.  The light was nice, drew out the Canon G9 to create the quintessential Civil War Vespa image only to find the SD card was absent from the camera.  Luckily the iPhone was in my pocket so I was able to satisfy my photographic hunger at some level.

It was just starting to rain so I hurried home to the warmth and protection afforded by middle class living.

This morning Junior and I visited the men huddled under a tent awning trying to stay warm and dry.  Weather makes friends of the worst enemies because I saw Union and Confederate soldiers in that group.  I asked how they keep their powder dry and was told the cannon charges were inside plastic bags and then wrapped in aluminum foil.  With aluminum foil not being invented until 1910 and who knows when the first plastic bag appeared I wanted to ask a question.  But Junior insisted we move on to the ball throwing part of the day.

He remains impervious to the rain, wind, and creeping cold that these kind of days deliver.

Anyways, I have been getting a lot of grief lately about passing on that 1988 BMW R100 GS.  Some of it from myself too.  One thing that comes up over and over is the limited capabilities of the Vespa.  Having put over 30 thousand miles on modern Vespa scooters I can find only two limiting factors:

1.  It is impossible to ravage the speed limits on the Interstate highway system.  Just not enough power.

2.  Stream crossing ability is limited.

3.  Riding over big obstacles is problematic.

Other than that you can pretty much go anywhere and do anything that time, money, and skill will allow.  And I won’t go into the many other things a Vespa can accomplish that I don’t ever see anyone on motorcycles doing around here.

Whenever I hear the limitations argument I always think of Walter Muma, the fellow who rode his Honda moped from Detroit to Alaska and back — 11,500 miles.  And he did it in 1978 when those Alaskan roads really were adventure territory.

I understand why people want big cushy bikes — it makes things easier and more comfortable.  And it allows you to compress distance when you have limited time.  And specific machines can enable to to pursue certain kinds of performance if that’s your goal.


Calgary photographer and Vespa rider Sergei Belski recently completed a 4400 mile trip on his GTS 250ie.  Looks a lot like mine.  And he travels light.  Check out his site.  He makes some nice riding pictures.

It’s stuff like this that makes me smile a bit when guys pigeonhole the scooter as an “around town” thing.  It’s that kind of thought process that has them thinking a Harley 883 is a “girl’s” bike or that anything less that 1000cc is underpowered.  Exactly how much do these guys weigh?

So, just sitting here, eating, wasting time, watching the rain come down, and waxing philosophically about riding and adventure.  Hell, I should gear up and go for a ride.  We’re only supposed to get another half inch of rain in the next hour or so.

How bad can it be?  I’ve got those great German tires on the Vespa after all…

Decisions: The 1988 BMW R100 GS

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1988 BMW R100 GS bumblebee motorcycle on train tracksA couple days after seeing my Consumption Therapy and Moto-Porn post Craig Kissell told me he would be taking a BMW R100 GS on trade and it would have my name on it should I want to buy it.  It seemed as if the universe was conspiring to have me become an owner of a BMW.  Who am I to argue with fate?

1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycle parked along a rural roadI took the afternoon off from work and despite the rain decided I would have to take the BMW (cover your ears Mr. Riepe) Airhead for a ride.  It had already passed the visual test.  All that was left was the road test.

1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycleAfter Kissell Motorsports mechanic Tom Christensen went over the bike and made sure it was ready for the road I left the Vespa and headed out in a light mist.  The bike was, well, amazing.  Started easily, idled perfectly, sounded amazing, and shifted with ease.  Sales Manager Nate Mattern said the transmission had been rebuilt and the circlip and other issues corrected.  You could tell it was ready to hit the road and ride for a long way.  After some experimenting with the brakes and controls I stopped on Skytop Mountain to make a picture.

Side cases on a 1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycleThe two aluminum side cases were sturdy and functional — just like the rest of the motorcycle.  I was completely impressed by the mechanical feel of the bike and the sense of purpose and capability.  For a 1988 machine with 60K miles on it I would have thought I was riding a much newer motorcycle.

1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycleThe BMW R100 GS is pretty.  As a photographic subject I could make use of it on Scooter in the Sticks.  It seemed like a natural partner for my Vespa and would lend itself to a new variety of riding.  Or so I was trying to tell myself.

1988 BMW R100 GS bumblee motorcycle in church parking lotStanding near this church I wondered how often I would fill those sidecases and take a long trip.  Or how often I would make use of the power and capabilities of the motorcycle.  Didn’t much like the answers I was coming up with.

 

1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycleOn the highway the power of the big boxer engine is apparent.  Even with the Metzler Enduro tires which were a tad too aggressive for a lot of pavement riding the bike was smooth and stable cruising at 70mph.  And there was plenty of throttle left.  If I had any concerns at all it would be the older brakes — disc up front and drum on the rear — I tested them on several high speed stops and while they worked well it’s definitely not the same as modern braking systems.  It would not let this stand between me and the BMW though.

1988 BMW R100 GS in a muddy parking lotIn dirt, mud and gravel the R100 GS was perfectly comfortable.  The bike feels heavy compared to the Vespa and takes a bit more maneuvering to get around.  It was about this point in the ride that I began to sense something wasn’t quite right.  Not with the bike.  There was something amiss in regard to my riding needs.

1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycleIn a flood of recognition the following realities presented themselves:
1.  I ride to explore, look around, and take pictures.  This occurs at generally slow speeds, without destinations or geographical goals, and entails endless stopping and starting.  From this point of reference the BMW seemed like far more motorcycle than I needed.  And it is not nearly as functional in making quick stops, parking on the road in a manner than won’t cause problems.
2.  The BMW would not be my first choice to ride to work.  Man, I tried hard to rationalize around this one — imagining all the times I would ride it to work.  I couldn’t.  Bottom line — the Vespa is just too damn functional for my 8 mile commute.
3.  Last disappointing realization — it would probably sit in the garage most of the time.  This motorcycle is designed to travel.  To ride.  And ride far.  Why else does it have a gigantic gas tank and all that luggage.  Who was I kidding? My long rides are in the 200 – 300 mile range.  That’s scooter territory.  It would almost be embarrassing to this noble steed to limit it to such short jaunts.
With my head hung low and feeling sad (Irrationally I still want the bike) I ride back to Kissell Motorsports to tell Craig and Nate I am not going to be joining the ranks of motorcycle riders.  The BMW R100 GS is up for grabs now but others were waiting on my decision so I’m not sure how long it will last.  Better call fast if you need it!
1988 BMW R100 GS motorcycle with a Vespa GTS scooterIt could have been a classic pair.  The temptation was strong but in the end I felt like Galadriel passing up the One Ring offered by Frodo.  I passed the test and will now fade into the West.
There is always something positive that comes out of this events and this one was no exception.  I learned something important — I am not a scooter rider by accident.  I ride a Vespa because it is the right machine for me.  And if there is any purchases to be make it would more likely be to trade the GTS on another Vespa when the time comes.
Woman making photos along road with a Vespa GTS scooterOn the way home I saw Kim making pictures.   The Vespa is quiet and and I was able to stop and make this picture without her knowing I was there.  When she turned around she made a picture.
Vespa GTS scooter under a heavy grey sky
*NOTE FROM KIM*  Steve wants to believe this photo expresses my feelings about his machine which he described as “powerful and filled with machismo” but I am sorry to inform him:  the dark feeling is related more to the experience of all of the cars and trucks bearing down on my ass while I was trying to make pictures of the weeping willows.
The last time I had seen Steve he was on his way to pick up a bumblebee.  How peculiar?  I figured the buzz didn’t last very long.  That silver Vespa was already back on the side of the road and he was smiling in a way that seemed like relief inside his big shiny spacesuit.

Riding Out of Winter

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With morning temperatures consistently near 40F and above the ride to work is effortless. The chore of putting on a lot of gear to insulate from the cold is in the rear view mirror. And the extra time allows me to take more leisurely and relaxing routes to work. The above picture was made on a lane crossing one of Penn State’s farms on Friday morning. Often the gates are closed when cattle or horses are put out to pasture.

Tremendous clouds and piercing light this morning demanded a slight detour to make a picture of Meyer’s farm outside of State College. When the weather is frigid I am far less likely to stop, especially in locations I have photographed before.

While this scene is pretty what you don’t see it the fresh manure I walked through to get the picture.

Worn brick and written admonishments contrast the usual bucolic landscapes I seem to be drawn to. Passed this scene on my way to meet a friend at Saint’s Cafe. Last time I photographed this place I was on a Triumph Bonneville. The Vespa looks fine here too.

Alleys are magical places. Whenever I have the chance to explore in towns and cities alleys are my first plan of attack. While Calder Alley in State College, Pennsylvania is pretty tame as alleys go, it still offers some interested colors and textures.

Notice how I am slowly digressing away from any direct riding references? The Vespa is the perfect foil in this area.

My friend Paul Ruby usually parks his motorcycle here. He thinks it belongs to him but I still belong to the school of who ever gets their first owns the space. Seem the American thing to do.

Another morning in Saint’s Cafe. Sitting at the table getting ready to write a few notes in my journal I could not help but notice the odd juxtaposition of characters. The beam of light on a red head of hair was just gravy in my book.

Paul Ruby.

I stole his space for nothing because he arrived in his 1962 Mercedes Sedan. Paul is a collector of machines and you never know what he might show up with. An old Vespa, Ferrari, Harley, or bicycle. A few weeks ago he stopped by my office at lunch time so I could take some pictures of his latest acquisition.

Now he has a Ducati 1198. This is a class of motorcycles outside my experience or desire. I’ve sat on them but my body cries out, “Please, no, don’t make me ride on this.”

So far I’ve ceded to my body’s wishes.

The weatherman says it will be almost 70 degrees tomorrow. I’m convinced winter has passed and my whole life as relaxed. As much as I enjoy riding year round I admit that this winter was tough. I’ll have to reflect awhile to discern the reasons. Something to think about on these nice, warm day rides…