Sometimes you don’t know where you’ll end up.  When I rolled out of the driveway this morning the last place I thought I’d find was the Retro Eatery in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania.

Breakfast is always on the agenda for a Saturday morning ride.  My friend Paul Ruby and I did some really superficial planning in his driveway before deciding to head west into Moshannon State Forest.  Paul captured me with his iPhone while I documented the presence of the Vespa.

Paul is not like any other rider I know.  When Kim saw this picture she said “I see Stevus and Butthead are still around.”  Paul was just trying to get better reception.  Besides, a road is always much more comfortable to lie on than gravel.  Everyone knows that.

Paul did surprise me by riding his Piaggio Fly 150 this morning instead of his BMW K1200 or Ducati 1198.  He probably needed some scooter karma.

Black Moshannon State Forest is a beautiful place, changing with the weather, the seasons, and during this ride parts changed by chain saw.  As we moved along something caught my eye which led to one of those cool U-turns only a scooter can make.  Paul discussed creative possibilities for photos but I stopped him before he got to the part that might involve being naked.

Artists…

This woodland torso leaped out at me.  Not sure what I was thinking but I’ve learned to not second guess intuition.  Click on the image to get a better view.

When we got to Philipsburg our plan was to eat at The Little Restaurant but it was closed.  Fortune smiled on us though in the form of the Retro Eatery.  I should of made some pictures inside because it has a cool decor.  If you find yourself riding up onto the Appalachian Plateau you should stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Nice place.

A new Yamaha Vino 125 joined our fleet of two scooters yesterday.  It stands outside Track ‘N”Trail Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania, the local Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki dealer.  My daughter Hannah waits patiently for me to make my picture so we can move on home.  With traffic heavy at the end of the day I wasn’t too worried about getting anywhere quickly.

Last night in State College, among some of the evening riders in the free parking motorcycle spaces. Some of you might be wondering how years of Vespa obsession gave way to the Vino.  Here’s the story.

My youngest daughter Aleta moved back to State College from New York City.  With public transportation abundant she had no need to drive a car or ride a scooter.  Faced with the need to get around here a scooter seemed to her the more desirable option and I didn’t disagree.

We began the search at Kissell Motorsports and she was attracted to a fine silver Vespa LX150 and a gleaming blue Vespa GTS250ie.  Had we stopped there it’s likely we would have ridden away with the GTS.

But fate often intervenes.  At the first discussion of riding the scooter of note was the Honda Ruckus, a small, cool looking 49cc machine.  A visit to the Honda dealer (and subsequent calls to dealers throughout the region) revealed an absence of these little scooters anywhere.  Track ‘N” Trail had a number of Yamaha Zuma scooters that looked pretty nice and one lone, raspberry colored Vino.  Aleta walked towards it grinning and the word, “Shiny” passed her lips.  It was the one.

It definitely has a lot of chrome compared to the Vespa scooters and it is shiny.  A quick deal on the scooter and I’ll soon begin trying my hand as a scooter riding instructor.

I had to run into town last night and decided to take the Vino.  I was pleasantly surprised by it’s handling and pep for a scooter with an engine half the size of my GTS.  Aleta will have no problem dealing with traffic in and around town and I’m certain I could ride this thing almost anywhere other than on the expressway.  And if I rode it long enough I would try it there as well.

The Vino starts as if by magic.  Press the starter button and the engine instantly runs — almost as if it was already running and you just turned on the sound.  And it has a nice engine sound as well.

Did I say it was shiny?  I understand Yamaha is no longer importing these into the United States and instead it placing their hopes in the Zuma basket.  So we got a great deal on this little guy.

Aside from the obvious acceleration differences between the Vino and GTS the scooter runs through the sticks without complaint, cruising comfortably at 45mph.  On a flat straight section of road it could haul my 210 pound body at about 55mph.  Aleta should see better performance.

We’ll start the instructor-student relationship next week and see how long it takes before Aleta suggests she doesn’t need my help.

Drawing a deep breathe in the middle of a quiet field — a simple pleasure costing no more than the time it takes to get there.  This morning, stepping carefully through a pasture normally inhabited by Quarter Horses and Angus cattle, I stand and take in the world.

Complaining to a friend how difficult I always found it to relax — having tried yoga and meditation on and off through the year — I’ve found it by way of the Vespa.  Regardless of what crap inhabits my head a ride clears away the noise and leaves me weightless.

Out standing in the field.

The narrow paths, seldom traveled roads and lanes, each offering up their own tapestry of experience.  If only for a few minutes.  It hardly matters anymore where I go or what I see.  The act of riding surfaces supreme.

What a fine day it is.

A flash of lightning and my mind immediately begins counting to seven — the time it takes the associated sound to travel one mile.  I’ve been doing this for a long as I remember and apply it now as a tool to manage risk while riding home.

First trip to the scooter at the end of the day abandoned as I gazed at the blackening sky.  The iPhone displayed an angry orange line of storms approaching quickly and forcing a decision to return indoors.

An hour later, after the lightning and heavy winds it was time to ride home in a light rain with scatter rumbling and an occasional flash of electrical menace. The new windscreen does a surprisingly good job of keeping rain off my body, at least while in motion, and providing a small sense of weather protection.  Like the topcase before it the screen has proved a valuable investment.

Stopping at the grocery store I made this picture and posted to Twitter with the message “Necessary stop for groceries. #Vespa waits while lightning crackles overhead. #dumb”.

The current count was 12 seconds.

Almost home, one last stop, one last questioning of the reasoning behind choosing to ride during inclement weather.  There is a rigor to it, a testing and questioning, “Are you made of stern stuff?”.

Whatever the answer I arrive home satisfied.  And still counting.

Parked the Vespa outside Ken Hull’s moto hangout in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania last week for the second installment of Piston and Pints — an eclectic gathering of riders from the area.  I was the first one there and was delighted after a ride from work with the road level temperature pushing triple digits to sit   on a couch and sip an ice cold lemonade.

My friend Paul Ruby arrived and made himself at home on an 80cc (?) Yamaha dirt bike.  Ken’s garage is kind of cozy and reminds me again I need to clean mine up.  Maybe someday I’ll entertain some sort of festive occasion myself.

Dave Dix and Ken Hull took advantage of the shelter from the sun, at least until it lowered in the sky and the temperature moderated a bit. Last time Dave showed up in a Honda C-RV.  This time he arrived on a 150cc Honda scooter.  He grudgingly admitted he liked the think but was also troubled that he liked it.  I’m sure the next time he’ll show up with his BMW motorcycle.

There was a completely different collection of motorcycles present on this evening including this tall, big, goliath of a motorcycle — the Yamaha Super Tenere (sorry Yamaha but I can’t figure out how to put accents on the ‘e’s).  Billed as a motorcycle for intercontinental adventure I could see how one would feel the road has no limits.  At least until you find yourself on a little hiking trail.

The owner was a pleasant fellow though I didn’t get to talk to him much.  He was the only one there who confessed to riding in the winter though his lower temperature limit was 35F.

I like the looks of the bike.

Ken like the looks of Paul’s Ducati 1198 which always looks dazzling due to Paul’s expertise with a soft cotton diaper.  There was a lengthy discussion of cleaning chains and the best method to keeping them looking all clean and shiny.  I seem to remember my eyes rolling back into my head about this point of the evening and wondering if I should clean the toilet when I get home or watch Rebus on Netflix.

While this was happening Ken was dropping subtle hints about how cool it would be to take the Ducati for a spin.  The conversation moved into the inevitable lies and prevarications about speeding down the highway on a motorcycle — like fish stories — except these were measured in miles per hour rather than pounds and inches.

I think 142 mph was the biggest number I heard.  For awhile I thought I might be able to pipe in that I once had the speedometer on the Vespa hitting 80.  I had to fold quickly though.

Ask anyone — I don’t do crowds.  Or events or group rides.  Something in my DNA makes me nervous when there are more than a handful of people around.  At least in social situations.  Work is a different story — bring on the crowds.  Piston and Pints has been a pleasant surprise and I feel at home (even though I’ the sole scooterist so far) among the motorcycle riders.  As a sign of respect and concern I warn the collective community to hold their ears before I ignite the engine on the Vespa.

Seriously though, it’s kind of cool to listen to people who are extremely knowledgeable about their machines and have incredible recall of details about every part, process and procedure related to the mechanical and electrical workings of a motorcycle.  I’m hoping a comparable scooter type appears some evening in case I have some questions.

After two Piston and Pints events I have to judge Ken’s riding event a qualified success.  If you live within easy riding distance of Boalsburg you should plan to stop by and say hello, tell some stories, make some friends.

Make a note:  Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday from 5pm to 8pm Ken will have the door open — motorcycles, scooters, talk, refreshments.  A pleasant way to spend an evening.