winter riding Archives - Page 12 of 21

Courage or Insanity

January 3, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 14 Comments

The morning brought central Pennsylvania’s dreaded “wintry mix” — a combination of rain, sleet, snow and freezing rain in a constantly changing mix. During my walk with Junior the road surface changed from dry to wet to the amalgam in the above photo. Definitely not the kind of weather I venture out into on the Vespa and certainly not on Aleta’s relatively pristine Yamaha Vino.

Running errands had the tires continually spinning on the Honda Fit with the traction control and ABS lights flashing repeatedly. Traffic was light to non-existent as those not wishing to succumb to any Darwinian adjustments stayed home by the fire.

My last errand brought me to Rite-Aid Pharmacy and to my surprise there was a dripping, Bintelli Sprint 49cc scooter parked on the sidewalk. “Cool” was my first thought while wondering who inside would claim ownership. A closer look revealed a handicapped license plate which led second thoughts of courage or insanity.

Inside the owner was approaching, bright red 3/4 helmet on and one of those frightening, demonic skull masks covering the lower part of the face. An eclectic combination of a big, hooded parka, blaze orange vest, camouflage gloves, jeans, and black boots hinted that the rider used their scooter for utilitarian transport with little thought about the style and convention of the riding fashionista companies that consume a lot of us. The jury was still out on courage or insanity.

After an initial comment, “Quite a day to be on a scooter,” a conversation ensued that was both intriguing and frightening. Allow me to begin…

It was a dark and icy day. All the riders were home snug in their caves. But one rider was on the road, using his scooter to retrieve required medications, and take care of a friend’s dog. He had already ridden twelve miles in the icy mess and had displayed the soaking wet pants from knees down due to the constant out-rigging of his boots to stay upright. I know the technique and it’s tedious and tiring. At this point I was leaning towards the courageous side of courage or insanity.

But there was the matter of the handicapped plate. The rider shared his conversion from four-wheels to two which hinted at financial need. The scooter was his daily transportation. He also related the incredulity he faces when people try and balance a handicap with a two-wheeled scooter. Listening I was saying to myself “emotional or mental handicap of some sort,” though the conversation did not reveal any hints of this. Then the facts emerged.

Nerve damage affecting both arms to the point they could not reliably be used unless a surgical intervention took place. Current status has several vertebrate fused and a titanium plate and rod keeping the neck together. “Nerves are like bare wires,” made me cringe as he discussed how sudden jerks and movements could impair movement or cause permanent damage. I’m now moving towards the insanity side of the courage or insanity balance.

And then he becomes quiet for a moment and says, “I want to live my life.”

The statement hangs in the air like a slowly fading smoke ring until I reply, “I understand.”

And then he went outside and was gone. When I left a few minutes later I could see his single track across the parking lot with his boot marks dragging along side.

And I’m still wondering now if it’s courage or insanity.

Doom of the Warm-Skinned

January 2, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 10 Comments

No matter what lies I tell myself, how well I prepare, or how much gear I put on, I feel the burn of cold and ice, the doom of the warm-skinned man. Another cold morning ride with the thermometer just below the freezing mark. Without heated gear my behavior changes with each action weighed against the potential exposure to the elements, a tedious ritual at times but essential to keep doom at bay.

By the time I was wandering in Rothrock State Forest I felt the slow chill of my right thumb as the frigid air relentlessly attacked my Black Diamond Expedition mittens. A little patience when I stop would allow my hands to regain heat organically but I made the mistake of taking pictures, a decidedly mitten-free activity. The Canon G15 body gets cold on bare fingers, even for a few moments.

I tell myself something warm awaits down the road and depart before hands rewarm. The rest of my body is warm, toasty, making the beginning-to-ache hands emerge as a loud complaint.

More miles on the Yamaha Vino 125 reveals a solid machine. Nothing fancy, just “little engine that could” performance. Just stay away from busy freeways or pavement full of maniacal road warriors.

I was mainly a sightseer this morning, wandering familiar territory exploring the changes brought by time and season. An unexpected advantage of the Vino came to me while making this picture — the kick starter. The Vespa GTS 250ie electric start has failed a couple times due to battery issues leaving me waiting for another vehicle for a jump. Those rare experiences have left an indelible mark on my brain, especially in cold weather when batteries are stressed. No cares at all with the Vino — the little kickstarter really works.

The Vino can ply the same open road as the larger Vespa requiring just a few more pullovers to let traffic flow by — traffic that remains rare most of the time. This time of year attention is focused more on scanning the road surface than the rear-view mirrors. And managing body heat reserves and flesh exposures to avoid the doom of the warm-skinned.

“Watch for Ice” — a visual warning that cannot be overlooked when you’re on two wheels. Those signs are not randomly placed as I once thought — little polite reminders for the motoring public. They are deliberate placements because of known issues. Not far from this sign is a place where water routinely runs across the road in wet weather and continues for awhile in dry. When it freezes, well, you can imagine.

No ice today but I have seen it here many times and conduct myself accordingly. I recall one trip where I had to come to a complete stop and gingerly footpad my way across a six foot span of shiny, slippery nastiness.

All in a day’s work for winter riders north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Just a few miles ahead I found food and hot chocolate and the chance to reflect on the cold. I’ve begun adjusting to it, my resistance to exposure has diminished and it’s easier to venture out. And I have to say I love the feeling of coming in from the cold — invigorating, exhilarating.

It’s great to be alive and walking (and riding) on the earth.

Cold Scooter Ride

January 1, 2015 by Scooter in the Sticks 8 Comments

Riding a scooter or motorcycle in cold weather is, for me, an acquired taste, one that evaporates quickly when too much time passes between frigid experiences. Bright sunshine goes a long way towards easing the transition from a warm home to a cold garage but habit is far more powerful in making a cold scooter ride an easy choice.

Examining my shadow I felt more astronaut than rider clad in heavy gear and bulky mittens just to ride the Yamaha Vino scooter. It doesn’t take long though for resistance to give way to the familiar satisfaction of surmounting the cold and drift in the wash of accomplishment. For lack of a more poetic description a cold ride leaves me feeling alive.

The roads were bare and dry though the risk of ice is ever present when the world is frozen. Thankfully, the only chunks of ice I saw were in town, remnants of the First Night State College celebrations.

Even though I saw no other ice it’s essential that anyone riding below the freezing mark adjust their attention to the road surface to account for unexpected ice — usually from careless motorists tossing liquids from their vehicles, meltwater that has frozen, or a dozen other situations that could trip up an inattentive rider.

Just saying…

The Yamaha Vino 125 scooter is indifferent to the temperature or the ice. It starts easily and runs flawlessly. While I miss the heated options on the Vespa GTS 250 I’m pleased to know that I can still function without heated gear. At least at 28F.

I’m reminded of a talk by a guide from one of the big motorcycle touring companies in Alaska where he insisted no heated gear is permitted — they don’t want people freezing when the technology fails. On the Vino I am geared up to passively resist the cold. And right now as I think about it I have a hard time remembering how I braved sub-zero rides without heated gloves.

Ice sculptures on Allen Street in State College, Pennsylvania is a traditional part of First Night. The cold weather kept things sparkling as opposed to previous years where it rained with the temperatures in the 40s.

A cold scooter ride requires a machine that functions — the Yamaha Vino handles the task well, gear that protects the body from the cold — my new First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket is a big improvement over the old one, boots, mittens, full face helmet, and Tourmaster Overpants complete the arctic ensemble. For summer only riders I’m sure it seems oppressive, but for those venturing out in the winter it’s part of the drill.

A nice, cold, New Year’s Day ride in the sticks.

Vespa in Cold Weather

November 18, 2014 by Scooter in the Sticks 14 Comments

It was 16F this morning when I left for work. That temperature feels especially cold to me at the beginning of the winter riding season and I’ve not yet adapted to the harsher environment. In a month I’ll think nothing of it. Riding a Vespa in cold weather, or any other two-wheeled conveyance for that matter, requires a little bit of thought. I advise most to think “no”. Just don’t do it.

Walking Junior up the street with the wind at my back I was convincing myself that a ride would be fine. Returning with it cutting through my tender face I was thinking how nice the van would be. Checking the road surface it was obvious the wind during the night had dried most of the moisture and there were few patches of ice to be found.

Few.

They’re not bad when you hit them straight but while braking or leaning and you become YouTube fodder. I realized on the ride in that I’ve developed a system of continual road surface scanning. It’s not obvious or time consuming but other things just become apparent quickly. I know guys who see the pretty girl right away. I see the place where ice might lurk.

Being stupid I had let the fuel level drop low and had to make a stop. Definitely try to get the tank full in cold weather and don’t want to run out. I have mastered a technique that allows me to manipulate the credit card payment device and fuel the scooter without taking my heavy gloves off. I consider that a notable accomplishment. I can shoot pictures with the Canon G15 as well with gloves. THAT saves a lot of cold hand agony.

No competition for parking this morning. Just some leaves to deal with. I am a bit gun shy about leaving the Vespa outside in the cold after several “no-start” events at the end of the day. One I attribute to fuel line freeze but the others seemed like battery issues. I’ve replaced the battery but each time I crank the engine I swear it sounds a little “weak”. Really should invest in one of the portable motorcycle batteries for peace of mind.

Parking is never an issue for a Vespa. At lunchtime I rode to the hospital for some routine blood tests and there were cars prowling the lot looking for spaces. I had a dozen choices. Chose this one because of the picturesque rock.

Knowing I would be in the office late I decided to ride home, have lunch and swap the Vespa for the Honda minivan. Riding in the dark when it’s cold and you need to watch for icy patches is more tedious than I was prepared for. The smart choice when in doubt is to always choose four wheels. At least that’s how I see it.

On the way home I passed another scooter rider and I’m not sure if I’m impressed or astounded. It’s cold and I’m completely buttoned up from head to toe including electric gloves. This guy is riding with a 3/4 helmet, no visor, no goggles, a winter jacket, jeans, tennis shoes, and some gloves. He looked frozen but happy.

I’ll never look happy when I’m frozen.

I had to stop to have a look at the sheep and take a few pictures. By this time the temperature was a balmy 22F. If I didn’t have things to do in the office I could have easily kept riding towards the sunset, cold or not.

First Gear Kilimanjaro Jacket Review

November 14, 2014 by Scooter in the Sticks 23 Comments

As the Excalibur Grey Vespa moves through central Pennsylvania its rider is now clad in Hi-Viz yellow. I feared it would be the yellow green color, and it is, but I was surprised how cool it looks. I may be quiet in person but my jacket is loud and obnoxious!

The new First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket is great. Compared to my old one it’s better built, better fitting, warmer, and more functional. So far it seems a near perfect solution for my cold weather riding. I’ll share more as time and cold marches on.

The first ride with the jacket was to work on Thursday morning with the temperature hovering at 35F. I was toasty with a t-shirt, sweater, old pile liner, and the new jacket with thermal liner. I suspect that combination will get me to 20F. Below that point I’ll replace the t-shirty with polypropylene long underwear, a warmer sweater, and perhaps another layer of some sort. All those layers really mess with a company’s sizing scheme. When I was looking at sizes based on my body measurements I fell squarely between LARGE and X-LARGE. But you always need to remember they are thinking you’ll be wearing a shirt under the jacket and nothing more. Experience has guided me to bigger sizes.

In this case, considering the temperatures I would be riding in, I chose XX-LARGE TALL, or 2XT. Good thing I did. The coat has plenty of room to layer and with no layers the cinching systems allow a person to snug it up nicely so it doesn’t look like you’re wearing a tent.

The best feature so far is the collar. Much more comfortable and better fitting at the neck and high enough to cut out more of the cold air that normally would knife into tender flesh and blood.

The polar vortex is hear I suppose. The ride home was as cold as the ride to work and autumn seems like nothing more than a doormat to winter. Like the squirrels in our garden madly preparing for winter I’m doing the same with the Vespa. Yesterday a pair of Tucano Urbano handlebar muffs arrived — spacious neoprene covers to keep the cold winter from my hands. After years of electric gloves I’m surrendering and moving to the next level of warmth with the muffs. To complete the upgrade I’ll be installing Koso heated grips. Protection from the wind and head beneath fingers and thumb equals contentment in the cold. At least that’s my hope.

The difference in outlook and well-being between cold and warm is striking when I ride. If I’m just a bit chilled, or worse, a ride is something to endure and wish to end. But warm, well, it can go on forever. I’ve complained for years of cold, numb, painful hands. With great hope I feel they will soon be vanquished. The jury is out on whether I have the proper electrical skills to make grips hot or whether I’ll be posting a picture of the GTS in flames.

For a closer look at the First Gear jacket check out this Revzilla.com review:

« Previous Page

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: