Scooter in the Sticks

New Year’s Eve Ride in the Snow

December 31, 2013 by Scooter in the Sticks 10 Comments

The last day of 2013 and it snows — a little. Enough to give pause to any decision to ride the Vespa. Walking Junior up the street I do the usual traction testing with my boot and try to imagine the roads beyond our neighborhood and consider alternatives to a morning ride like doing laundry or scrubbing the bathroom.

It’s not long before I’m standing in an empty cornfield watching the sun try to burn through a passing snow squall, wondering if the scooter is going to fall over on the uneven surface. When weather moves quickly through the valley I need to pay close attention because traction and visibility can change quickly making riding difficult or impossible. Today I have a few errands to run but no time to really get lost.

Surprising variation on main road surfaces. Some wet while others built up a sheen of snow and slush. Salt trucks were out but because little snow was predicted I suppose their hearts weren’t really in it. This particular road was much more slippery than I expected, that detection made again by testing the road surface with my boot.

Slow riding here — 20mph seemed about right provided no panic stops were needed. It also means pulling over for any traffic approaching from the rear — just to be polite.

Not sure what the new year will bring but I try to be open to possibilities. There’s much to be grateful for and a lot of work ahead. Riding the Vespa is a part of my road ahead and it’s nice to live somewhere that makes riding pretty easy.

Errands finished and the weather continuing to intrude so I head towards home where it’s warm and cozy.

Glad I have winter tires. Looking forward to a few hours of above freezing temperatures so I can wash all the salty grim from the scooter. It’s really red. All the gray is from the dirt and salt…

Riding or Obsession?

December 31, 2013 by Scooter in the Sticks 8 Comments

Sitting at home late this afternoon reading a book when I suddenly noticed the fading light, warmly orange streaking across the hilltops and clouds. Dropping everything, I grabbed my camera and raced to the garage.

I like to think that I love to ride but it clearly isn’t that simple. And I’ve been a working photographer my entire adult life though I let countless things derail a wide range of photographic opportunities and projects. I want to make simple assessments of my life and actions but it just isn’t so simple.

Riding the Vespa and making photographs are clearly linked in some unholy manner. More than one person has referenced my obsessive placement of the scooter in pictures and I confess to a powerful draw to do so. As I stood in front of Mount Nittany in the fading light I forced myself to make a photograph without the Vespa.

The race was on as I forged ahead in the cold as the indicator flashed 27F on the instrument cluster. I usually am careful to be warm before departure but this time I neglected to do so and could feel my feet getting cold after five miles. Not a good thing for someone who suffers from Chilblains, a condition where the capillaries in my feet are easily damaged by cold and can lead to some nasty blistering.

Just one of a few medical conditions foisted on my by bad genetics and age. But the recognition wasn’t enough to turn me towards the warmth of home and instead I kept riding, searching for some image or experience. On rides like this I really do wonder about my obsessive traits. They may account for some of my ability to focus doggedly on projects, at least those that capture my interest. Things like painting walls or mowing lawns, they don’t attract any of my obsessive powers.

Riding on two wheels has some advantages — in this case being able to navigate around locked gates and other barriers to four wheeled vehicles.

By the time I rode through State College, Pennsylvania I was ready to head home. The cold had won out over other obsessive/creative desires. For a moment I considered stopping at Starbucks for tea and some sort of sugar delivery system but decided to ride home where I could wrap my feet tightly in warm blankets. Good thing too since my feet were almost on fire in a decidedly cold way when I arrived.

Preparations for First Night are underway with an assortment of ice sculptors practicing their craft. The weather will be more cooperative this year with a bit of cold to keep the ice in good shape for a few days.

So I’m left wondering if I’m driven by a passion to make photographs, and strong desire to ride, or if some other psychological mechanism is at work. Many riders tell me they enjoy riding, it’s fun and exciting. This ride wasn’t fun by any definition I use and I don’t think I derived any enjoyment. I can say the same thing about photography — it’s neither a hobby or an activity to have fun. In riding and photography I’m driven by something else. It’s work, at times a burden, but I need to do it.

Something to think about as the year comes to a close…

Non-Riding Days

December 30, 2013 by Scooter in the Sticks 10 Comments

I have no fixed formula for deciding when to ride a scooter or motorcycle. Weather, time, destination and other elements factor into the decision but the mix can be cloudy and inconsistencies develop. This morning was a perfect example. Light rain and mild temperatures and I decided to drive. Safer and easier than riding in snow but I was tired and just not in the mood to put on the gear and deal with the weather.

Any second guessing about the decision were gone by the time I got to town as the rain fell harder. State College was empty — few people and fewer cars. Nothing quite as lonely as a college town during the Christmas break.

Last meeting at Saint’s with Gordon this year. He surprised me by showing up with gelatin silver prints made in his darkroom. I’m motivated now to finish the repairs to my darkroom sink and produce some prints of my own. Who knows what kind of photographic work the new year will bring.

Writer-artist wife Kim in her studio. On rainy days we talk about projects and things we can work on together. Again, not sure what the new year will bring.

Junior continues to practice the art of guilt, flashing those sad eyes at whoever he can in hopes of inspiring a change in action.

He usually gets what he wants — food, treats, a walk, or a trip up the mountain to run and play ball. What a life.

As the new year approaches I think I’ll try to be a lot more like a dog…

Riding Towards the End of the Year

December 29, 2013 by Scooter in the Sticks 2 Comments

The year draws to a close and I’m thinking about what I’ve passed on the road and what lies ahead — family, friends, riding, work, writing and photography just to name a few of the things swirling through my head. Riding alone on sunny winter day can help tame the mental noise and begin putting a face on the things that raise questions. With the temperature near 40F I decided to head out through the valley for quiet and food.

Little snow left today though plenty of gravel and grit still around making for awkward handling in a curve for an unsuspecting rider. Riding along Penn’s Creek, a well known trout fishing spot, saw few cars and fewer fisherman. A nice place to ride when you want to think.

Today was an example of the many days in winter where riding is simple and easy. Clear roads and moderate temperatures provide a recurring opportunities to be on two wheels. Snow on the side of the road doesn’t mean the pavement isn’t clear.

Ended up in Millheim, Pennsylvania at the Inglebean Coffee House for breakfast. Always enjoy a stop for food and to scribble a few notes in a journal before moving on.

You can’t see it but there was a big patch of ice on that first turn — another reason why no matter how clear the roads seem you really do need to ride no faster than you can stop when you see something. That’s an important part of winter riding.

Mostly today the ride was about unwinding and relaxing.

It worked.

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2013 by Scooter in the Sticks 17 Comments

Merry Christmas from the sticks to you! I hope peace, goodwill and plenty come into your life.

After several days of near summer-like weather an arctic front moved through bringing snow squalls and pushing the landscape towards those old, Currier and Ives holiday images. Just before lunch on Christmas Eve and I saw the snow begin to fall and decided to take a quick ride up the mountain to find a suitable image to share. The roads were bare until reaching the point where the pavement is no longer salted and snow gathers quickly.