winter riding Archives - Scooter in the Sticks Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650 Tue, 30 Dec 2025 02:16:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 71084491 Riding-Based Winterization https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/12/riding-based-winterization/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/12/riding-based-winterization/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2025 06:22:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11438 Accepting Colder Weather It’s no secret that I ride in cold weather. There may be a growing element of secrecy regarding my feelings about doing it. While the 2006 Vespa GTS 250 scooter is still ready and willing to head out in the coldest weather I cannot make the same claim. Each year as winter […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/12/riding-based-winterization/feed/ 9 11438 Inspiration Versus Desperation https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/03/inspiration-versus-desperation/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/03/inspiration-versus-desperation/#comments Sun, 23 Mar 2025 14:11:41 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11249 A Gray World Eventually, reliably, the gray gloom of winter gets to me. Moving outdoors to walk or ride changes from a looked for dose of recreation and enjoyment to a heavy trudge of resignation. Keeping all five machines in the garage “winterized” through consistent riding becomes work. Why riders drain the fuel and pull […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/03/inspiration-versus-desperation/feed/ 12 11249 Vespa GTS Scooter at 6-Degrees Fahrenheit https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/03/vespa-gts-scooter-at-6-degrees-fahrenheit/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/03/vespa-gts-scooter-at-6-degrees-fahrenheit/#comments Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:41:31 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11242 Questioning My Decision to Ride in the Cold The plan was to meet a friend for breakfast as the Sunset West Diner. Watching the weather forecast and the predicted low temperatures I wondered whether I could ride my Vespa GTS Scooter at 6-degrees Fahrenheit. I’m older and less tolerant of the cold. And my mind […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/03/vespa-gts-scooter-at-6-degrees-fahrenheit/feed/ 20 11242 Frigid Rituals in Life and on a Vespa Scooter https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/01/frigid-rituals-in-life-and-on-a-vespa-scooter/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/01/frigid-rituals-in-life-and-on-a-vespa-scooter/#comments Mon, 20 Jan 2025 14:41:21 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11235 Invisible Power As if propelled by some magical invisible power I find myself once again staring at my scooter in the snow. A vaguely familiar frigid ritual that often I don’t understand. It’s cold, 16F when this photograph was made, and my mind is relaxed in a manner difficult to access while sitting at home […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2025/01/frigid-rituals-in-life-and-on-a-vespa-scooter/feed/ 10 11235 A Vespa Video Christmas Card https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/12/a-vespa-video-christmas-card/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/12/a-vespa-video-christmas-card/#comments Sun, 22 Dec 2024 17:14:34 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11215 A Holiday Tradition I try to produce some visual riding expression of the holiday season and take a moment to thank everyone who reads, watches, and otherwise connects with the things I post. I was a bit worried this year because the lack of snow removes a helpful element to show the spirit of the […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/12/a-vespa-video-christmas-card/feed/ 16 11215 Chasing the Flurries: A Small Vespa Adventure https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/12/chasing-the-flurries-a-small-vespa-adventure/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/12/chasing-the-flurries-a-small-vespa-adventure/#comments Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:10:12 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11203 Wading Through Weather Decisions Deciding to ride continuously throughout the year requires some honest looks in the mirror. It’s easy for me to equate what I was able to do 15 years ago with how I am today. And when today means I’m 70 years old I had best be rigorously honest about my riding […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/12/chasing-the-flurries-a-small-vespa-adventure/feed/ 11 11203 Winter is Coming… and I’m Riding My Vespa https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/10/winter-is-coming/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/10/winter-is-coming/#comments Mon, 28 Oct 2024 04:10:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=11167 Cold Starts Looking out the window it appears to be a fine morning to ride. Bright sunshine and no wind. Stepping out onto the deck provides additional information — it’s cold. 49F cold. As the dogs run round the garden I imagine what gear I’ll need. Merlin jacket, neck gaiter, long underwear under my jeans, […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2024/10/winter-is-coming/feed/ 6 11167 Is It Time to Stop Scooter Riding in Winter? https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/04/is-it-time-to-stop-scooter-riding-in-winter/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/04/is-it-time-to-stop-scooter-riding-in-winter/#comments Fri, 29 Apr 2022 16:31:53 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10675 An April Snow Squall It’s hard to figure that one day the temperature is 70F and a couple days later it’s snowing again. That’s the kind of April we’ve had. I went for a ride during the last squall to run a few errands and I was left with the feeling that I’ve had enough […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/04/is-it-time-to-stop-scooter-riding-in-winter/feed/ 10 10675 Stubborn Winter and Riding https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/stubborn-winter-and-riding/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/stubborn-winter-and-riding/#comments Sat, 26 Feb 2022 05:05:00 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10634 Riding Hopes Dashed Before I opened my eyes I could hear the snowplow clawing along the pavement, telling me there would be no time on the scooter or motorcycle today. I’m weary of the cold air biting at my flesh, the gray skies drowning the color from my sight, the realization I’ve become a prisoner […]

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]]> https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/stubborn-winter-and-riding/feed/ 19 10634 Sorry About the Swearing https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/sorry-about-the-swearing/ https://scooterinthesticks.com/2022/02/sorry-about-the-swearing/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2022 14:19:50 +0000 https://scooterinthesticks.com/?p=10626 I’ve uploaded a new video to my YouTube channel. I found myself engaged in an impolite exclamation. Sorry about that. Shit happens. I follow the Itchy Boots YouTube channel as she rides around the world in all sorts of challenging situations. And perhaps what surprises me most is that she never swears. Not when she […]

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