Scooter in the Sticks

Reluctant Vespa Mechanic

November 22, 2014 by Scooter in the Sticks 14 Comments

Soon, perhaps this evening, I’ll start removing things from the Vespa; front rack, windscreen, mirrors, and more in order to install heated grips. The task has been postponed a number of times since the accessories arrived due to the flimsiest of excuses. Too cold, too tired, Leonids meteor showers, hangnail, dog ate the instructions, possible plague, the usual things.

I’ll say it though, or write it actually, I HATE WORKING ON THE VESPA. Hate may be too strong. Loathe could be more accurate. Maybe even despise. Regardless, I’m not one of the scooter or motorcycle owners who thrives on the prospect of servicing the machine. And it extends beyond the scooter. I don’t like mowing the lawn, paying bills, doing laundry, washing cars, and on and on.

Maybe it’s the weather that’s got me worked up. Regardless, there are just some things in life you have to do and the less time complaining and the more time doing then things will get done and a person can move on.

I keep telling myself that.

Late this afternoon I rode down the street to the Pump Station Cafe for a few treats. Seeing the scooter standing alone in the parking lot triggered some tiny desire in me that I should do more work myself. Not just maintenance on the Vespa either. Things like remodeling the bathroom or repainting the inside of the house. If people actually turn over in their graves my father has had to do so many times watching me reject the kinds of things he loved doing, and taught me to do.

Unfortunately whatever gene or DNA sequence that programmed my father into a maintenance/remodeling/building machine was not passed on to me. He provided me with the knowledge, information and training to do an awful lot of stuff. I just don’t like doing it. And the older I get the more I dislike doing a lot of things.

Still I’m going to install the heated grips despite my strong resistance. Perhaps I’ll find some serenity in the process much like I do washing dishes by hand.

I’m stretching.

Stay tuned for news from the reluctant Vespa mechanic.

Autumn Light

November 20, 2014 by Scooter in the Sticks 12 Comments

Just a few weeks ago autumn was still amidst its fragrant, natural bloom of color and leaf. Circumstance and schedule largely kept myself and the Vespa indoors engaging other worlds and foes. But Kim, Junior and I did find a few moments late one afternoon to drink in the spectacle that comes to central Pennsylvania each fall and let the autumn light wash us clean of responsibility and concern, if only for some dazzling minutes.

On the way home from an appointment, the light guided our little car towards Galbraith Gap and a corridor of land recently acquired by the Commonwealth that leads into the mountains.

Long shadows imply a rapid change in the day as the sun plummets toward the horizon. I’m convinced the transition is faster in autumn and winter. My camera watched Kim explore as Junior watched me, waiting for a tennis ball to emerge from a pocket. Funny how attention, human and canine, can be so focused and connected among a group of people.

As the remains of the day began to fade toward dusk I watched as Kim worked with her camera. She considers me the photographer in the family but that’s purely a one-sided judgement. In the art world arena she’s sold more photographs than I have. She shoots more that I do. And her relentless approach to a subject is dizzying. I’ve learned much from that approach though must confess I cannot bring the focus of mind or will to bear on any subject. It remains a goal but I suspect I don’t have the intellect or obsessive capacity for it.

Due to a chronic medical condition her productive time is limited, strangled really, to a few short hours each day. Some days less. In any good relationship people find strength in one another. How those are embodied are different, and for some perhaps unknown. It’s clear to me though. I’ve watched Kim struggle with loss and defeat, but she returns over and over in enthusiasm and desire. In the autumn light I’ve had the chance to witness the soaring of human spirit and be able to say, “Hey, that’s my wife!”.

I hope I can offer something useful in return because Junior just wants fed, played with or another biscuit…

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.

Vespa Video

November 17, 2014 by Scooter in the Sticks 10 Comments

Vespa Verve from Peter Carroll on Vimeo.

Vespa Verve
shot entirely on a GoPro Hero 3+ at 1080 30P Protune

I saw this Vespa video referenced on the Modern Vespa forum and it did a great job capturing some of the fun of riding a Vespa. Watching the two men put this piece together is fun and makes me want to pull the GoPro Hero out myself.

As if I didn’t already have more than enough to do…

Cold Riding

November 16, 2014 by Scooter in the Sticks 12 Comments

Cold and grey this morning for my weekly ride into Saint’s Cafe where I attempt to keep a creative flame alive — if only a flicker. The 35F temperature provided another opportunity to try the new First Gear jacket and test my Gerbing electric gloves to make sure they’re working. The jacket was great and has a little more room making it much easier to manage the wires to the gloves which must be fished through the sleeves. Cold riding requires me to embrace a gear ritual that at the beginning of each season seems unbearably tedious. Here’s the ritual I have to learn (again) to be tolerant of:

Layer, layer, layer. Depending on the temperature it can be up to five not counting the jacket and thermal liner. It’s a damn nuisance.
Overpants. I hate fussing with the pants, those long zippers and then trying to get the Velcro secure at the ankles to keep the air from rushing up towards my bellybutton.
Wires and jacket. I have to say the new jacket is much, much easier to manage the wires though they still hang up at times.
Balaclava. Think ski mask. This thing keeps the frigid air knife from my jugular vein. Absolutely essential when the temperature nears freezing and below.
Earplugs and helmet. I like riding quiet and want to continue hearing birds sing hence the earplugs. Foam, -32dB contractor plugs. Then the helmet. I hate getting this out of order by doing the gloves first only to find out I can’t secure the helmet with gloves on. I’ve tried many, many times. (Insert appropriate curse word)
Gloves. After securing the ends of the sleeves and having the wires in the right config, I attach each glove and then pull them on and make sure they are securely over the sleeves to make sure no cold air rushes up the arms.

I think I’m now ready to ride in the cold. I do this every ride when the temperature is below 40F. That’s a lot of rides. This ritual requires about 10 minutes time. After months of quick departures it is the longest 10 minutes of my life. Luckily for me, it fades after a few weeks and seems simple and easy.

I have all three riding jackets hanging in the garage. From the left is my mesh Triumph jacket, old First Gear, and new First Gear Kilimanjaro. I’ve been considering the fate of the middle one. Someone suggested I give it to Junior to lay on and soak up some daddy mojo. I was leaning towards the landfill option. I mush note a saw a comment on a forum about how much trouble Hi-Viz is to keep clean. My first reaction was, “What?”. After a moment to think I realized not everyone is like me and never washes their riding jacket.

Junior is going to love my old one.

Gordon and I had a fine conversation on our collective creative trauma and entropy. Neither of us had any solutions on how to flame the photo fires but it is nice to know you’re not alone. He brought a new book produced by one of our graduate school advisors who has remained remarkably productive his entire career. I suppose it’s how you get your work in the Whitney, MOMA, and receive Guggenheim Fellowships. The book was a collection of photos made at proms and titled “Prom”.

The new jacket is brighter than the neon Public Parking sign across the street. Chalk one up for modern pigment and textile technology.

Hi-Viz changes the riding experience — take a look at the glow in the headset reflection. It’s like riding a Day-glo scooter.

Wasn’t a lot of time for riding but I did manage to find some dirt and gravel roads to play on. The little street tires are not ideally suited for this kind of riding nor are the shocks but it’s still fun to see what sort of trouble you can get into. More on trouble in a future post.

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