Scooter in the Sticks

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

Weekend Riding Ritual

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Vespa in wooded groveVespa Scooter at Launch

Just down the road from my home, I sometimes stop at the Boalsburg Military Museum to make a photograph of the scooter.  I’m not sure why but suspect it’s often a time where I contemplate where I might be going that day. A kind of riding ritual connected that lets me consider options that factor in time, weather and how I’m feeling.

On this morning last weekend I was thinking about the fog I could see in the distance and the appointment I had with my friend Paul Ruby at Saint’s Cafe in State College, Pennsylvania.  Conflicting assignments.  The desire to ride through fog is always strong, but so are the get together’s at Saint’s to look at and talk about photography.  Some quick calculations suggested I may be able to touch both.Continue Reading

Vespa Below Freezing

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Vespa GTS scooter parked along streetEmbracing Cold Weather

There’s been some cold, gray days lately.  Add wind and it get miserable.  The transition from warm weather to cold has grown more difficult the past few years.  In part because of physical changes, but mostly mental hurdles of my own creation.  Riding a Vespa below freezing has changed.

I converted this photograph to black and white because it more accurately reflects the way I have been feeling lately on the road with the scooter.  No wonder or joy.

Saint's Cafe in State College, PennsylvaniaFog and Steam

Made this photograph right after I arrived at Saint’s Cafe.  The frozen lens on my little Canon G15 camera immediately fogs up when it comes in contact with the steamy air of the coffee shop and gives the picture a little misty look.

If there’s one thing about winter riding that is still exhilarating it’s coming in from the cold.  The wonderful feeling that comes from heat remains something I look forward to.

Steve Williams, Vespa rider, reflected in windowReflecting on Cold Weather

I used to like cold weather.  Something’s happened though.  A litany of nagging physical issues has turned cold weather into a nuisance.  At times worse — a danger — to my body.  Some might wonder why I even consider riding when it’s cold.  I can only confess an attraction to the challenge.

Looking at myself reflected in a window in a local bank I wonder who I am.  Or am becoming.  If I park the Vespa for the winter — that’s not a good omen.

For me.

Vespa GTS scooter on rural roadRelearning How to Ride in Cold Weather

It’s easy to ride in the winter on clear roads with no traffic.  But that’s not alway the environment I ride through.

On the way into town I was reminded of how suddenly things can change on the road.  Not far from the house is a big intersection with a traffic light.  I’ll normally move through at 45mph.  Fortunately, the light turned red and I had to stop.  As I slowed I could see a sheet of ice stretching across both lanes and extending about 15 feet into the intersection.  Had I hit that at 45mph, well, I like to tell myself I would have just let the scooter roll straight through but I’m not sure that would have worked.  It was difficult to navigate across at a crawl when the light turned green.

Winter riding lesson — even when the roads appear clear and dry you need to be scanning and looking constantly.  I wasn’t.  Haven’t fully dusted off my winter riding skills yet.

And I probably won’t for awhile.  The Vespa is off the road for a bit — perhaps into next year.  But that’s a story for another post.

No Schedule

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still life of an empty cup and a tea potSimplicity

This past Friday at 5pm my intent to retire from Penn State became irrevocable.  At the end of June I’ll step on to a path for the next adventure.  One of the siren songs of this new life is possibility of having no schedule to live by.  I can’t comprehend what that might be like.

Last weekend I rode into town to meet my friend Paul at Saint’s Cafe and look at some new photographs he made in Nova Scotia.  The simplicity of a cup of tea reminds me of what retirement could be — an opportunity to focus on one thing at a time without a chorus of mental heralds shrieking a list of times and places I have to be.

Vespa GTS scooter in State College, PennsylvaniaVespa Riding

The ride from home to town is familiar.  So much so that I have to heed that I don’t become complacent on the road.  My back still hasn’t recovered sufficiently to entertain long rides.  Four posts in September attest to the physical limitations I’m working with.

I’ve been looking at motorcycles again with an eye to adding one to the garage when I retire.  While partial to the Vespa scooter it surprises me how little excitement I can generate for any particular motorcycle.  The scooter has wrecked me for them perhaps.

Saint's Cafe in State College, PennsylvaniaSaint’s Cafe, State College, Pennsylvania

Even though the physical space remains the same, and often times I see familiar faces, Saint’s Cafe is like an ongoing story with twists and turns you can’t predict.  I never know what I’ll see or experience.  Can’t imaging growing tired of the place.

Retirement will test that theory.  And I’ll test it again in the morning.

I have a schedule to keep tomorrow.  Ugh…

Photography Project

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Shadow of man on snow covered parking lotWandering to Saint’s Cafe

On my way to Saint’s Cafe with a new inkjet print in hand — a gesture toward beginning a new photography project.  Cold and snow have the Vespa scooter at home in the garage sipping electrons from a Battery Tender.

Paul Ruby pondering life at Saint's Cafe in State College, PennsylvaniaLooking at Stuff

Paul Ruby appears with a new print and an old Bausch and Lomb Tessar view camera lens mounted in an old Alphax self cocking shutter.  I’m fascinated by the engineering and mechanical manipulations surrounding old shutters and lenses for view cameras.

Our photo meetings take place in hopes we cajole, pressure or shame each other into creative motion.  Discussion usually revolves around shows, paper, books and other issues that can clog a photographers mind.

Steve Williams with new digital printInkjet Prints

My first 13×19 inch print on Epson Exhibition Fiber paper made with an Epson P800 printer.  After preparing the printing file in Photoshop CC (from a RAW image made with my Canon G15 (Now available as the Canon PowerShot G16 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera) I clicked the print button and a few minutes later was holding a dazzling inkjet print.

The image itself was a sleeper for me, a quick snapshot while walking out of a parking garage.  Much later while perusing images in Lightroom did I recognize the strange view as a unique part of State College, Pennsylvania.

Not sure what will come of any photography projects but at least I’m in motion.  That’s a start.