Scooter in the Sticks

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

Merry Christmas!

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Vespa GTS scooter on snowy forest roadMerry Christmas from the sticks to you!  I hope peace, goodwill and plenty come into your life.

After several days of near summer-like weather an arctic front moved through bringing snow squalls and pushing the landscape towards those old, Currier and Ives holiday images.  Just before lunch on Christmas Eve and I saw the snow begin to fall and decided to take a quick ride up the mountain to find a suitable image to share.  The roads were bare until reaching the point where the pavement is no longer salted and snow gathers quickly.

Vespa GTS scooter in snowy Rothrock State Forest

Fresh falling snow always seems peaceful and calm.  An appropriate sense of things for the holidays.
Christmas cardsAll the presents are gathered and family will arrive soon.  It’s a wonderful time of year.
Belgian Sheepdog Junior in the snow
And the kids wait for the arrival of Santa Claus, or in our case, Junior waits for a trove of treats.

Merry Christmas to all and ride safe!

A Typical Winter Commute

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Snow on the driveway in the morning, a reminder of what can happen when you aren’t looking, a dusting of icy slippiness that can make life exciting in a decidedly unwelcome manner.  It can happen at night when you’re sleeping or during the day when you’re at work and not necessarily paying attention.  It’s the food that can be part of a winter rider’s menu.

The weather report had little suns with some clouds and no mention of precipitation.  I calculated that the main roads would be dry or have a patch of snow here or there. Turn off those main routes onto anything not salted and it would be a different story.  Like here at the Pennsylvania Military Museum where the landscape resembled the Ardennes in 1944.

Side streets in State College were dusted and slippery in places but easily managed with the right winter riding attitude consisting mainly of slow travel, careful braking, quick surface assessment and informed decision making.  I was in town to meet someone for breakfast at the Corner Room and hoped conditions would improve by the time I rode on to work.

One thing I failed to consider was the motorcycle parking at my office — the only place you are allowed to park a motorcycle on campus, was not cleared.  I suppose they don’t expect any motorcycles this time of year.  Luckily the snow piles were still soft and I could kick an area open to park.

The situation was far worse in the parking lot than on the road.  By the time I rode home conditions were much improved with dry roads and warming temperatures.

On a scale of one to ten with ten being glare ice and sub-zero temperatures and one being sub-freezing and dry this particular ride was a four.

Maybe I should develop a Scooter in the Sticks winter riding score…

Riding Between Good Snow and Bad

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Snow began falling this morning and quickly began covering the road.  No snowflakes in the beginning, just small round pellets.  Dry snow on dry pavement.  This is the stuff that looks bad but does little to impede traction.  There’s a small window of time before flakes fall and things get more slippery.  I don’t understand the physics but I’ve had enough experience to know the effect.

With the road in this condition the traction is surprisingly good.  You won’t slip and fall walking on this road and it’s unlikely that the Vespa will go down either.  At least not without a lot of help from bad choices.

I had nowhere to be or go, just wanted to be out in the world for a bit and take in the first real snowstorm of the season.  Wandering down a gravel road offered a few lessons.  As gritty as the surface looked the fresh snow covered a lot of smooth, hard ice.  No way of knowing lest a rider gets off the scooter and pushes their boot around.  Not a problem when engaged in frequent stops for photos.

Roads into Boalsburg were completely snow covered and had become slippery.  Braking, motion and movement had to be carefully considered.  The Heidenau snow tires make a difference.

No one was at Ken’s Moto Hang Lounge — home of the Piston and Pints events.  In fact, I didn’t see another scooter or motorcycle the entire time I was out.

I have a good idea of my limits — skills and experience.  With the snow continuing to fall I decided to head towards home with a short stop at the Pump Station for breakfast.  The trip home from there is short though uphill.

The First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket has little protection from moisture and performs more like a dish cloth than raingear.  I need to apply a coat of Nik Wax or something soon.  Walk inside someplace warm forgetting to brush off the snow first and things get wet fast.

Riding up the hill went fine though a few times the rear wheel broke free.  Seems as if the car that made these tracks had a similar issue.

The winter tires definitely help.  Aggressive tread, soft rubber, embedded micro-crystalline silica all work together to increase traction.  Not magic but a little edge.

Snow isn’t a rider’s friend.  In almost every case a reason to not ride.  Same with me.  But some are happy with the snow.

Junior loves the snow and after the Vespa was put away he needed an adventure of his own.  An hour of running around at the park and we were both ready for a bowl of food and a warm house.

Still snowing outside and I doubt I’ll be riding anymore today.  Junior, Kim and I will cozy up and let the world disappear under a blanket of white.

Riding Under a Clear Winter Sky

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Shadow of a Vespa scooter rider on a snowy field
One of the treats of riding in the winter is the air is so sharp, crisp and clear that you can almost feel your spirit soar.  At least that’s how I experience it.  Today, from the right vantage point,  you can see for forty miles.  With the sun shining and the air still the cold felt far away. Riding a Vespa in winter is magic.

Vespa GTS scooter and Mt. Nittany
 A stop (again for the thousandth time) at Mount Nittany to make a photograph.  The image is burned in my brain but I still make pictures.  Not sure why…

Vespa GTS scooter in snow covered forest
The roads were mostly dry but you can’t ride in the sticks without paying close attention to possible ice.  It seems to grow unexpectedly — snow from a branch or a car roof, a splash of water or coffee from an unthinking motorist.  As the sun pushed towards the horizon I made my way towards home from a few afternoon errands.

Vespa GTS scooter along rural road with snow
There is a weird, strange thrill in riding in the cold that’s hard to describe.  Part visual, part physical, part spiritual.  The ride is important, an anthem to living, a meditation on feeling blood and breath course through the body.  The cold sharpens the experience.  Another gift of a Vespa in winter.

Or so it seems.

Vespa scooter in snowy field at sunset

Time passes quickly on the road.  The destination approaches rapidly regardless of how many times I stop or detours I take.  The ride, as is life, seems to short, too fast, too soon over.

Under a clear winter sky each breath feels special.  Each moment sparkling with life.

No wonder the Vespa finds its way out onto the road…

Dreaming

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greeting card titled "Dreaming."
 
The entire morning was focused on dreaming.  Or more precisely on ideas and paths not considered or taken, of flights of fancy and journeys of partnership that might be explored.  The morning ride had me thinking about what to write on Kim’s birthday card.
 
It’s what makes Vespa riding so great.
 
 
Vespa GTS scooter in snowy farm field
 
 
Another cold morning though sunshine took the edge off making the snow and cold seem little more than a picturesque landscape in which to explore.  A week off work provided ample opportunity to acquire a taste for the cold and grow relaxed with the winter riding ritual. 
 
Seven days ago the thought of Vespa riding through a frozen cornfield would seem a technical stretch. Today it seemed almost normal.  So normal that thoughts of birthdays and dreams came easy.
 
 
Vespa GTS scooter on snowy road
 
Before the Vespa, Kim and I explored these mountains on foot with cameras and notebooks.  And before that fall and winter backpacking.  Now, as the Vespa slowly prowls along small paths and roads puzzle over what’s next here for Kim and me; how will our lives unfold.
 
The morning had a postcard quality to it with blue sky draped with white clouds over a mix of snow and ice.  Vespa riding was a joy.
 
 
 
Vespa GTS scooter on snow covered road
 
Joy might give the wrong impression.  While the main roads were clear it didn’t take long to find snow and ice still lingering on secondary roads.  Caution was in order.  Vespa riding in winter can be tricky business.
 
 
Vespa scooter at a Christmas tree farm

Coming across a local Christmas tree farm moved thinking from birthday to another season. Christmas will be here in less than a month.  Time is flying.

The ride at times felt like a dream, a scene from Lord of the Rings with familiar places transformed into new ones.

 

Vespa GTS scooter on snowy rural road

Riding this time of year when the temperature drops below freezing it’s important to anticipate problems.  This snow-covered road exits from a clear dry road.  On warm days I would enter this road at 40mph.  Knowing it might now be dry I crawled on at 10.  Good thing too because at a higher speed I would have lost control.  In cold weather, you can never ride faster than you can see.

Never.

 

Vespa scooter parked on snow covered road

The message of this picture:  I have little traffic to contend with as I navigate the snow and ice.  And there was a lot of ice hidden beneath the light dusting of snow.

 

Vespa GTS scooter parked on a street

 

A view from Schlow Library towards the Vespa.  By the time I sat down at a table by the window my thoughts were complete and I wrote something to Kim — a fine morning, a fine ride, and a fine day.

It’s been like a dream…