Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650

Riding Freedom: Scooter in the Mountains

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Foggy forest road near Little FlatFog on the Mountain

Standing in the yard with the dogs this morning I could see fog on the mountain.  The scooter moves toward it like a compass needle points north.  I feel the draw.  And I feel the pressure of responsibility to work, or take care of the incessant business of life.  A friend suggests I abandon work and go for a ride.

While standing here making the photograph of the road disappearing into the fog I’me struck by how infrequent it is that I feel disconnected from responsibility, free from the thoughts that I need to be somewhere or do something.  Riding goes to great lengths to help detach for awhile.  I suspect many experience that riding freedom. But I wonder what true freedom feels like.  Or even if it exists at all.

I had to revisit a piece I wrote for Motorcycle.com called Riding and the Taste of Freedom.  See how my thinking changes.  Or doesn’t.Continue Reading

Life is Good

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life is good blog graphicKeeping All the Plates Spinning

I want to believe life can be simple.  That existence can be reduced to a few, important tasks.  If only I had discipline.  Or more money.  Of if the world would behave the way I think it should.  Then things would be simple.

The blog graphic came into existence while wondering why I couldn’t ride more often.  As if life could be something akin to eat, pray, love.

Ride, sleep, ride.

As enlightening as riding can be, it leaves a trail of infantile denial about some things.

Still, I can’t help but think I’m doing it wrong.  I should be on the road more — happy, joyous and free.

Fine dream.  So is winning the Powerball drawing.

Back to reality.  Fueled the car and van this evening along with the gas can for the snowblower in anticipation of “the worst snow storm of the season.”  Penn State has already announced it will be closed tomorrow.  I’ve already started to wonder if I can go for a little ride on the Vespa.  Wish I had put the snow tires on.

Instead, I’ll run the snow blower, sleep late, and generally pretend I’m retired and lazy.  Testing options for the future.

And that’s the way it is on the night before the storm.

Life is good.

Ride More, Worry Less

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Ride More, Worry Less graphicRiding Realizations

Riding alone provides extended opportunities to think.  It’s one of the unlooked for benefits of riding that partially fuels my year round riding.  That thinking serves to clear out the noise and cobwebs that collect between my ears on a minute by minute, hour by hour basis and can lead to a wonderful variety of concerns, frustrations and generally annoying states of mind.

Spending time on the Vespa is good medicine for the mind.  That prescription provides relief that can be described in four simple words — ride more, worry less.

Comfortably reclined in my first class easy chair this evening, I spend some time inspecting those words.  I’m generally skeptical of slogans and other textual pablum that infests the interwebs.  But this one, it works.  So off I went to create a graphic reminder of the discovery I’m sure has already been made by thousands of other riders.  To non-riders still grinding their teeth in the comfort of their SUVs, or talking to the terribly under-skilled drivers in other vehicles, I can only suggest their is a path available to improve your mental wellbeing that doesn’t involve Pilates, yoga, therapy or drugs.  It merely calls upon you to step away from the maddening crowd and say you’ve had enough.

That and a scooter or motorcycle.

Riding Discipline

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Vespa GTS scooter parked on street in State College, PennsylvaniaThe Riding Ritual

Wake, exercise dogs, feed them, eat, shower and check the weather report.  Make decision to ride or not ride.

Riding discipline is a series of actions and behaviors that coalesce around a common goal of performance and engagement with the machine.  And that performance is what interests me.  Not only for how it affects riding, but how it reaches beyond to open consideration of a whole host of live actions and behaviors.

The Vespa is a teacher and mentor.  Unusual really, considering it’s only a collection of inanimate parts.

Yesterday morning I rode into town to meet a friend for breakfast.  The temperature was below freezing which required me to make a decision regarding riding, and then more regarding gear.  Engaging both questions over time creates a level of discipline which makes the entire process easier to engage and ultimately ride more.

Who cares about economy or fuel mileage when you can expand your experience through the use of a riding contraption…

 

Four Things About Winter Riding

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Infographic about winter ridingThings to Keep in Mind About Riding a Scooter or Motorcycle in Winter Weather

I’m whining and complaining.  Some unexpectedly warm February weather melted my winter riding resolve and now that the temperatures are plunging (I understand that -20F is a balmy day in Alaska) into the 20s I’m sort of miffed.  Pissed off. Angry. Generally discouraged that life is so unfair.  And even though I rode to work today and plan to again tomorrow it’s like the beginning of winter all over again and I have to reset my brain, renew habits and generally do a lot of tedious stuff just to ride to work.

It’s no wonder the smart people I know park their machines until the weather is such that they could ride naked if they wanted to.  And here I am futzing with the lining of my Gerbing Electric glove so it doesn’t burn my hand.

In my whining frustration this evening I made the infographic to remind anyone watching that winter riding is work.  And to question myself why I continue to wade through the tedium to ride to work. Why put up with the misery?

Good question.

The answer?  Truthfully — I do not know.  And there I am, riding again on another freezing day.

Vespa GTS scooter along road on a cold dayCold and Dark

On the way home at the end of the day.  Cold, dark and windy.  All terms associated with pleasant riding.  At least it wasn’t raining or snowing.

Put a gun to my head and ask why am I doing this?  Well, I suppose it’s pretty simple.

No matter how tedious, chaotic or frustrating it is to get ready to ride, no matter how harsh the weather is or how challenging conditions on the road appear, once I’m riding I am transported to another state of being and my mind and body follow.  Age evaporates along with worldly concern.  The noise of living is stripped away and I am left flying through life without care or concern.  For those few moments anything I have to go through is worth the price to be riding.

Whining and complaining about winter riding — the price of admission to another state of being.