Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.

Adaptation

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Early in the winter riding season I find I must overcome mental and physical barriers before I fully adapt to the cold weather. Once it happens though riding is sublime. Around the beginning of December I notice the rapid appearance of Christmas decorations. I also notice the shortening daylight, more troublesome than the decline in temperatures. Riding to work in the dark, riding home in the dark, it can be discouraging. Almost claustrophobic. Inertia grows and I feel glued to chairs and couches. Riding gear is heavy and ponderous. It’s so much easier to drive to work.

I recognize a slow transformation as I adapt to the season. As I push myself past the litany of excuses a change occurs and I become a winter rider. I learn over and over again that if I engage in a process of action good things come about. I cannot wait for inspiration. The change and adaptation occurs while I am riding, writing, or making photographs. Inspiration comes through the doing of something, not the thinking about it.

On the ride home from work on Tuesday I was feeling good and when I stopped to take some pictures of decorations I started thinking about that change. I remember when I became a winter rider this year. It was on the way to work that morning. The temperature was near the freezing mark and I was watching carefully for potential icy spots. The cold air was flowing through the inlets to my helmet and as I crested a hill and rolled off the throttle I felt a wave of elation wash over me. I sat up straight on the seat and was completely awake and aware. The world was simplified — me, the Vespa, and the road unfolding before me. And this was not a revelation in some ethereal landscape, just on my commute to work.
I’m ready to ride and continue riding through the winter. Any misgivings or concerns have been swept away in the adaptation. Make no mistake I am aware there are challenges and risks to manage. I do not venture forth in a foolhardy manner. But I do travel with a smile on my face now despite the cold. I ride and am rewarded in spirit. And sometimes in material ways. It is still nice to curl up at the end of a cold day with Kim and have a cup of tea and a few chocolates.

Winter Vespa Riding

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Winter riding holds different meanings for different riders. For some it is the epitome of idiocy and others the cold reality of daily transportation. I’ve ridden my Vespa through several winters and have refined my own limits and sensibilities in a range of cold-weather conditions.

I’ve compiled stories and pictures posted over the past couple years for anyone interested in venturing out in the cold on two wheels. It may not be for everyone but with a few modifications to gear and riding habits you may find that you can extend your riding season. You may even find an unexpected enjoyment.

Feel free to post questions if you have them. If I can’t answer them directly someone else may or I can point you in the right direction for an answer.

Below are links to some of the more interesting posts about winter riding:

Error in Judgment
Making a questionable choice in riding home from work.

Decision Time: Snow is Falling
Struggling to decide if it is safe to ride home from work.

11 Degree Fahrenheit Commute
The routine of riding to work in really cold weather.

Just Another Ride to Work
When the weather changes unexpectedly and you need to ride home.

Watch for Ice
Adjusting mentally for cold weather challenges.

Bringing Home the Christmas Tree
A holiday tradition of bringing home the Christmas tree on the back of a Vespa GTS.

Hauling a Christmas Tree by Vespa
The first Christmas tree brought home on my Vespa LX150.

Only Idiots Ride in the Snow
Deciding what your winter riding limits should be.

Temporary Halt in Riding

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The view down the street. It’s like this every morning. Or so it seems. Frigid, icy, non-riding friendly. The road thumbing its nose at me, daring me to give it a go. I haven’t taken the bait. My Vespa sits patiently in the garage. I exaggerate when I say every morning is like this. I have managed to ride to work a few times. The cold does play tricks though and it’s already getting to me. The past few winters have been mild and much of the time the roads have been clear. Now in mid-November there’s this.

As I said it hasn’t been bad all the time these last couple weeks. One day last week it was sunny and clear and I rode to work even though the thermometer read 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold but perfectly reasonable riding conditions with the road dry. I stopped on the way to work to make a panorama picture near Beaver Stadium. The perspective in the picture makes it hard to accept it is the second largest stadium in the country seating just over 107 thousand people.

Since making that picture the weather has gotten more oppressive and the roads have been less than perfect. I choose my rides after a walk down the street and a quick look at the weather. For now though I’ll just have to wait for dry pavement.

Riding in the First Snow Flurries

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Winter has arrived at my doorstep I suppose. I can remember when the first snowflakes would give me a rush. Now, well, it’s different. And not just because I am riding. Biology is speaking louder and complaining about the cold. Riding down the street I could see a squall of in the distance and wondered if I would get to my office before it arrived. I stopped to make another panorama picture. If you look close you can see a few snowflakes in the air. Nothing on the ground yet but not far east had 13 inches of snow yesterday. And no salt on the road yet either.

The temperature indicator on the Vespa GTS read 35 degrees all the way to work. I went the direct route with no side trips. Four lanes of drivers that I imagine all groan at the weather. But maybe it’s just me. But once the scooter is parked in it’s space and I am walking towards my office I get a little rush thinking about riding in the cold. Nothing happy or exciting, but a flicker of accomplishment and perserverance.

Riding Through the Spring Thaw

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A day off work demanded a ride. Heavy rain from the previous night along with snow melt caused flooding throughout the valley. Had that moisture arrived tonight with sub-freezing temperatures we would be looking at 30 inches of snow.

I chose small mountain roads to explore and celebrate the thaw, the approach of spring, and warmer riding weather. Even with earplugs and helmet I could still hear the water roaring down the mountain.

The roads were wet and covered with gravel in places but it didn’t matter. I was happy to putt along and see the sights. No interest in carving curves and all that stuff.

I’ve convinced myself that winter is finished but in the back of my head I know that there have been winters that dropped three feet of snow in mid-March. Present in the picture above is another sign of spring — as I tromped through the brush to shoot it I was thinking about ticks and Lyme Disease — something that one doesn’t worry about in a real winter. Give me a rattlesnake any day.

Riding across the valley was a challenge because of the strong wind. I thought it would knock the scooter down before I could run out into the field to make the picture. The Vespa stayed upright despite shaking on its center stand.

The wind, cold, and dampness did drive me on — right into the Pump Station Cafe for hot tea and some grub. Any good ride ends this way for me. Sometimes it ends more than once.