Scooter in the Sticks

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

Freedom of the Morning Commute

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Vespa GTS scooter at sunrise before a morning commuteEmbracing the Morning Commute

A quick post, a nod to commuting on the Vespa scooter, a recognition of the transformation from transportation to a flying freedom.

First, a confession.  I don’t commute every day.  Some days I shrink at the thought of riding to work.  It could be the weather but more often it’s a state of mind mired with indolence and too many excuses to ready body and mind for the gift of riding.  I know.  It makes no sense.

But more times than not, I do ride to work.  And one thing is always the same.  When I am geared up and ready to go, walking toward the scooter in the morning light, I feel the thrill.  It’s the same excitement from childhood as the prospect of doing something I’ve dreamt of doing.  How great is that?  A little ride on a two-wheeled machine can provide an old man such pleasure.

And one more confession.  There are obsessive days where I lust for a ride.  I care little about the weather and any mental misgivings are long swept away by a selfish drive to experience the thrill of riding.  It accounts for sub-zero rides in winter or inappropriately late arrivals at work as I roll off a 5o mile detour.  Again, what a damn amazing gift for an old man.

I think about riding when I wake.  I think about it when I’m going to sleep. An addiction? Perhaps. But my life has not become unmanageable.

Yet.

Who knows what the next commute will bring.  And what of the longer rides to come?  The real rides.  The rides of dreams.

What will they bring an old man with a scooter?

Ride Home From Work

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View of Vespa GTS dash consoleRemains of the Day

Walking from my office to the scooter, regardless of time or weather, it’s always pleasant to lay eyes on the Vespa.  There’s much focus on the ride to work, the idea of commuting and the attendant focus on being an informed, trained diligent rider. The rides to work do much to get my head on straight and prepared to tackle whatever comes along.

And all of that’s fine.  But the ride home from work, those moments collected in the remains of the day, they’re flush with their own magic as the scooter transports mind and body on toward home.

These long days of summer illuminate the world in a kind way when I leave.  The light is bright yet without the harshness of midday.  And different than morning when the world feels as if it’s coming alive.

The ride home from work feels easy and relaxed.  As if I don’t have a care in the world.

clouds in the skySkies of Childhood

I remember laying in the grass as a kid watching the clouds on a summer day and imagining creatures and stories.  On the way home I stopped to look up and wondered why I don’t lay in the grass anymore or make time to let my mind run free.  It doesn’t cost anything save for a small investment in time.

At least the ride home from work has me thinking about life without laying in the grass.

Success or failure?

Vespa GTS scooter with Penn State trailersHomage to Penn State

I’ve worked at Penn State for 42 years.  My adult life has unfolded here. I was mesmerized by the place when I arrived in June of 1972 and remain so now.  The University has under gone continual change in landscape and culture.  Where my Vespa is parked in front of these trailers used by the Athletic Department to sell Penn State gear during football games was sweeping farm fields part of the College of Agricultural Sciences portfolio of lands used for teaching and research.

The ride home from work, paths and routes I’ve taken thousands of times, still is full of surprises.  On this evening I had planned to cut through some of the remaining agricultural lands on my way home until I was met by temporary chain link fencing blocking my way along with signs warning of “Explosives Area” and suggesting I keep away.

Seldom one to disobey a sign I turned the Vespa around and went in another direction.  As I did it occurred to me what the huge fenced area was — the staging ground for the fireworks display that are part of the Central Pennsylvania Fourth Fest celebrations.  The 4thFest has been rated among the top five 4th of July fireworks show in the United States.  If you like fireworks displays, want to see something spectacular and don’t mind crowds you’ll want to try and see this event.

Arriving home on the Vespa scooter is as satisfying as it is leaving in the morning.  And a remarkably different experience mentally and physically.

I never really noticed the difference before.

Ride to Work 2016

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Vespa GTS scooter in open fieldOn the Ride to Work

It was pure coincidence that I rode to work on Ride to Work Day.  After two weeks off I left early enough for a leisurely commute and stopped to make one photograph during a small rustic detour.  At 7:30am the temperature was already above seventy degrees.  It was a near perfect ride to work.

Ride to Work poster 2016Ride to Work Day

Only later in the day did I realize it was Ride to Work Day.  Judging by the small number of motorcycles and scooters I saw on the road today it’s hard to imagine there being much traction to the idea of commuting on two wheels.  There are a zillion practical reasons why commuting in a car or truck is the common choice while the perception of two-wheeled commuting is inconvenient and downright dangerous.  And motorcycles and scooters are, well, toys.

As long as the machines we love are looked upon by much of the public, and our elected officials, as toys and recreational vehicles, we shouldn’t expect much in the way of support or respect.  Perhaps the Ride to Work effort will add to the voices of riders in America.

I know there are a few things I would like to see happen.  Selfish things.  Traffic lights that respond to a scooter.  Paint used for road lines that doesn’t become slippery when wet.  Parking spaces for motorcycles so I don’t feel bad taking up an entire space with my scoot.

Just to name a few.

I wonder, if we were making a list, what kind of concerns would we tally up as riders?