It’s been foggy every morning for the past week and I’ve wanted to have a look at the world with my camera. The rush to work didn’t allow enough time so I was happy to wake up this morning to another fog draped world.

I was concerned about visibility but at the speeds I was traveling on secondary roads it was not a problem.

I remember driving on the Interstate in fog and barely being able to react in time when a vehicle appeared. But that was at considerably higher speeds. The biggest challenge this morning was keeping my visor clear.

I rode to the next town to buy some gas and then out along Spring Creek towards the Airport.

Other than a couple of trout fisherman I did not see anyone on the road. The landscape was quiet and like something out of Brigadoon. By the time I rode up out of the valley the sun was beginning to burn off the fog. I stopped at an old rural church to have one last look before blue sky and sunshine ruled the day.

One last ride to the grocery store to pick up a few things and then home. I probably should be walking or riding my bicycle in the morning for some much needed exercise, but damn, I really enjoy riding the scooter…

Things have been so busy…

Aside from my daily commute I have not been riding alot. So much to do, summer is racing away, and I barely have time to get to everything. I have been lax in my posting here too.

On Monday, Labor Day, I took a hundred mile ride just to see the countryside. Road over Pine Grove Mountain and headed east towards Belleville. I had hoped the antique store in Mclevey’s Fort would be open. I love looking at the stuff this guy has. He has lots of camera stuff and sometimes has the really odd items. On this morning I had to be content looking in the windows…

The ride through the forest and over the next mountain and down into Belleville was relaxed. Big Valley opens into a wide landscape of agricultural enterprises.

This area is heavily populated with Amish but I resisted any urge to photograph my Vespa being passed by a buggy. Maybe next time. I did stop just to appreciate the lush green fields.

On the way home I stopped to eat a breakfast sandwich and have a drink of water. The shady area along the road was real nice. I really enjoy being alone with my thoughts on the road.

I have my camera ready to go out in the morning. We have had heavy fog the last few days but the rush to get to work has precluded any photography. If it is foggy in the morning I hope to find some magic in the landscape.

When I changed the head gasket and timing belt on my Mazda truck about four years ago I swore I would never again work on a motor vehicle. The one time high school romance of laying under a car sweating and cursing and getting rust in my eyes and a full time fragrance of petroleum oozing from my hands was gone.

So why am I wrenching on the Vespa? Short answer—-it is part of the riding experience. Not a requirement but I feel connected to the scooter in a way I don’t in a car. And to fill out that connection I need to know how to perform some simple maintenance and repairs. So I started with changing the engine oil and transmission oil.

True to every other mechancial task I embark on I find I do not have the right tools. I scratch my head at this because I have a giant Craftsman tool case, the one on wheels that you can put air tools and sledge hammers into. (Sledgehammers are for emergency use) The thing is stuffed with sockets and wrenches and so many odd tools that surely I am ready for anything.

Surely not.

Almost everything I have is SAE. The scooter is metric. I have a simple collection of metric sockets and wrenches that range up to 19mm. The oil plug is 24mm. Adjustable wrench can’t quite grab because the oil filter is in the way. Can’t get the oil filter off because I don’t have an oil filter wrench that small. You see where this is going.

In a fit of focused rage I twist the filter off with my bare hands. I am startled that I could free it without leaving any flesh of protruding metal. The adjustable wrench does not have enough leverage to break the plug free—no doubt coroded tight from salt from winter riding. A moment of insight brings a big SAE box wrench that sort of fits and I break the plug free. Oil drained, filter replaced, oil added and I am finished. I feel comfortable that I could do this laying along the road with a minimum of tools.

The rear hub oil requires a 6mm insert. I use an Allen wrench and pliers to break it free. By this time the engine is cooling and the transmission oil drips like sap from a tree.

Next time the change will be quicker, smoother, I’ll know what to expect and I will have the right tools. I am ready for something more complicated in another 1000 miles—spark plug and drive belt.

I feel better about the scooter right now. And I feel better about my place in the riding experience.

I woke to perfect weather for a couple experiments. Rain and heavy showers. I recently acquired my new First Gear Kilimanjaro 4.0 jacket and I wanted to see how it performed in the rain. My third rear tire is down to the wear bars and I wanted to check traction on wet roads with less than ideal tread. The temperature was in the low 70’s so I removed the liner before pulling the jacket over my new, red, Top Secret Scooter Club Rally t-shirt. I rode up the street in a driving rain and I knew that by the time I returned home I would know for sure how reliable this new coat would be. I also was wearing my Tourmaster Overpants and Wolverine Leather boots. While the pants are supposed to be waterproof I know by previous experience that they leak through the seat after an hour or so in a hard rain. Nothing serious when the weather is warm but perhaps problematic if the temperature was 35.

The first thing I noticed was I could feel the rain pounding my skin. My old sailing foul weather gear was thick and worn over my armored coat insulating me from any physical sensation of the raindrops. But without the liner the rain stung a bit until I got used to it. I never went faster than 50 but I bet it would be hard to take at a sustained speed of 60 or more. Thank god for scooters. After two hours or riding in sustained rain the First Gear jacket kept me dry and warm. The only wet spot was wear my shirt was tucked down into the pants.

When I shed the overpants my jeans were soaked through the butt and down to my knees. At first I shrugged it off as the leaky seat. When I was hanging the pants up to dry I realized the top zippers were open and water was probably pouring into the openings. Oh well…

I hung up the jacket to dry and it felt odd. The right outside pocket was full of water—about 16 ounces. I left that flap open and water shed by the jacket flowed right into the pocket. The pocket liner is waterproof! The lesson for this is to make sure the gear is properly rigged. Good rule for sailing. Same applies to riding.

I noticed no problems with the tire either in traction or it’s ability to push through water without hydroplaning even with the reduced tread. I really like the grip and feel of the Pirelli SL38 tires but I want more mileage. The annual safety inspection is due in September so I will have a Continental Zippy 1 tire mounted on the rear this time. Hopefully I can get an extra thousand miles out of one.

Only saw two riders on the road, or at the Sheetz store pumps more precisely. Two Harley riders with significant others on the back. They were part of a poker run though turn out was bad. This is probably the hardest rain I have been in and the Vespa was a champ. I slowed considerably on the twisty roads and ran the high beam to help others see me. The bright yellow jacket really does leap out of the grayness.

After much apprehension I decided to take part in the Top Secret Scooter Rally in State College, Pennsylvania. That doesn’t seem like a big deal considering I am a member of the Top Secret Scooter Club and that the rally was taking place practically in my back yard but I just wasn’t sure if a rally was my cup of tea. The quick answer was that I had a great time.

About 25 scooters made their way to State College either under their own power of riding on trailers. Everyone got together on Saturday morning at our local Vespa Dealer, Kissel Motorsports, to get ready for the ride out to Bald Eagle State Park where we would have a picnic. This was the first time I ever road in a big group and not only was it fun but I also have a better understanding now of why a gang might get together. On the road the group becomes a big organic organism of its own. You sort of take over the road. Real different from all the lone riding I do.

There was a diverse group a people at the rally and there were lots of interesting stories about rides and scooters. Mike Giblin rode his 50cc Vespa ET2 up from Gettysburg, a two hour drive by car over some pretty big mountains.

He described the ride on a 50cc scooter as an oscillation between motor vehicle and bicycle. I found a lot in common with his thoughts about riding. “The ET2 forces me to truly budget my time. Every choice of route and ride is important and you have to pay attention.” It is exactly how I feel about my own riding. As a member of the Three Mile Island Scooter Club he also garnered the “Best Modern Scooter” award. His scooter had that beautiful pearl finish.

Sarah Sheber took top honors for the longest ride to the rally covering 207 miles traveling from Philadelphia on her Bajaj scooter.

It was her first long ride which she described as, “Good, beautiful, challenging.” When I asked what her next adventure would be she replied, “The ride home!”

There were a lot of vintage Vespas and Lambrettas at the rally. Anne Cox (right) is seen here with her blue 1976 Vespa TS125 scooter talking with Amy Wesa. (Amy is a Ph.D. cancer biologist who happened be driving the truck and trailer that the blue Vespa traveled on from Pittsburgh.

It was amazing the breadth of backgrounds of the people attending). Anne’s Vespa took top honors for “Best of Show”. Judging had to turn on the wicker basket mounted on the rear rack.

There is too much that went on to put in this blog. More pictures will be available at Scoot.net and I am working on an article to send to one of the scooter magazines. But if you are considering a rally I think you should move ahead with scooter speed!

The Top Secret Scooter Club did a great job putting their first rally together. A lot of credit goes to the core organizers and other members who helped make the rally a success. They’re seen here in front of Paul Ruby’s big blue van which served as the sag wagon for any scooters that died on the ride.

From left to right are Corey Maass, Ralph Womeldorf, Brooke DiLeone, Antonio Moore, Cliff Hixon, Ryan Badowski, Lindsey Cecelia LaBella and Paul Ruby.

Best Rally Ever!