Scooter in the Sticks

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

Thankful for the Small Things With a Vespa Scooter

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Vespa GTS scooter in snow squallSnow Squall

A sunny departure yesterday morning toward a black sky delivered a sudden snow squall.  I’m thankful that I was there on the Vespa, able to ride through the snow, and find my way safely to work.

Vespa GTS scooter on snow covered farm laneVespa and the Slippery Stuff

In minutes the air became white with snow and sleet and just as fast the event swept by leaving a dusting of snow to ride through.  Lovely in appearance and thankfully leaving enough traction to not be much of a safety issue.

Winter rides to work are usually exactly what I think they’ll be.  This one was different because I misjudged the forecast which noted “a chance of a passing snow shower.”  I’m thankful it did not exceed my riding skill or ability.

Vespa GTS scooter under a heavy skyRiding Under a Heavy Sky

It was colder and darker during the ride home from work.  I was thankful though that it was free of snow. If I made a list of the things for which I was thankful yesterday, it would be long.

To say I’ve had enough of the cold weather would be an understatement.  The preparation to ride in this weather has seemed overly daunting this year and the rides themselves flush with physical challenge to a level not experienced in previous winters.  Age, health, attitude — perhaps all have a role in the changing nature of my winter riding life.

But even with the added burdens, I’m thankful to be able to ride through the world on the Vespa — even if it means dealing with a little snow on a cold day.

2017 Brave, Bold Blogger Challenge

This post is part of a month long writing prompt challenge conceived by Kathy at Toadmama.com.

Should I Ride in the Snow?

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131214_vespa_snow003Vespa in the Snow

This photograph was made three years ago on a morning jaunt through the snow.  It’s an activity I find challenging though I caution most to not follow.  A lot of things can quickly go wrong.  What strikes me when I look at this picture is how much I’ve changed.  Where I was once jumping out of bed to get on the road early when it would snow, now I’m repeatedly hitting the snooze button on the iPhone alarm.  And while the Heidenau K66 LT Snow-Tex tires were already mounted three years ago, today those tires are still in the attic.

I’ve not lost interest in riding.  Rather, I find it more difficult to meet the physical and mental requirements essential to safely navigate a snowy world. My prognosis — a temporary state remedied by time and healing.

Until then, I’ll practice my assessments of the winter riding world.

Snow covered streetReading the Road

I still walk out into the street before going on a ride in the snow.  Testing the traction with a boot provides some insight into what I might find in the wider world.  While not scientific or accurate, it helps ground my thoughts of the road ahead.  On this morning, I left the Vespa scooter in the garage.  Not so much because of the snow, but because my back was still bothering me enough that I didn’t want to chance needing to suddenly manage the weight of the scooter amidst a slip or slide.

Definitely not bad back activity.

State College, Pennsylvania in the snowState College, Pennsylvania in the Snow

No one was parked in the motorcycle spaces that I routinely use.  The drive in proved the roads to be more treacherous that my boot test indicated.  At one point approaching a traffic light at the bottom of a hill I began to slow and stop long before the intersection.  The road had other ideas as the ABS and traction control on the Honda Fit came to life delivering a controlled slide to the edge of the intersection.  The Vespa would have not fared as well.

State College, Pennsylvania in winterLet It Snow

A slow, careful walk along a slippery sidewalk was required to stay upright.  I wished I had my walking stick along for more sure-footed travel.  I  find myself using the same scanning techniques and speed assessments while walking that I use while riding.

Weird.

Saint's CafeSaint’s Cafe

Like all good trips in the snow, this one ends somewhere to warm the body and spirit.  I paused a moment to photograph the Christmas wreath before finding a place to sit and sip hot tea.

It was good I didn’t ride.  The roads were far more slippery than I imagined.  I’m careful to not overestimate my skill.

A quick update moving forward — I rode the scooter into town this morning.  Temperature hovered at 24F.  Some big patches of ice involved.  Remained upright with the rubber side down.  But that was likely the last ride of 2016.  More on that in upcoming posts…

Vespa Riding Cancelled Because of Snow

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Christmas tree at night in snowChristmas Tree Looks Good in Snow — Where’s the Vespa Scooter?

You can’t tell from the quick picture I made a few minutes ago — it was snowing pretty hard.  Our two black dogs came in looking like powered sugar treats.  I almost pushed the Vespa out along the road to give the picture some scale but I had enough foolery for one day.  Planned to ride into town yesterday morning.  Glad I didn’t.  Without the winter rider’s helper — salt and grit — the roads were far too slippery for two-wheeled travel.  Even for me.  Approaching a traffic light with the Honda Fit put the anti-lock brakes and traction control to the test as I wondering how far into the intersection I would travel before stopping.

The night promises a little snow and ice with some freezing rain mixed in.

If there was just a little salt…

Let It Snow

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black dogs in the snowPlay With Us Daddy

Except for the dogs nothing was going to stand between me and a ride on the Vespa.  Each day begins with a moment of revelation as I push the blind aside to see what the world is offering.  Some mornings find a faint, hot glow from the sun yet to breech the horizon.  This morning it was a blanket of white, dragging me into a cold place where body and spirit contested with a strong, serious desire to ride.

Like helpless children, the dogs need me for food, water and a serious amount of action.  I can pace across the garden in myriad pathways collecting steps on my iPhone that easily consume a mile or more as I throw tennis balls for the dogs, wearing them out, draining the energy gathered through the night.

I swear they know my plans to leave them behind, looking at me with imploring eyes, “Play with us daddy”.  Watching the the sky and thinking about a ride on the Vespa I could hear the rider in me chanting, “Let it snow…”.

Vespa GTS scooter along snowy roadSnow on the Road

In minutes, my riding world moved from wet with incidental snow to snow and the road is getting slippery.  For a moment as I stood along the road trying to keep the camera dry and considering the road surface I started to grumble about winter.

I have had enough.

The evaluation of weather and road was inconclusive but without any striking warning signs.  So on I went.

Snow covered farm field with treesSnow Covered Rural Landscape

Riding has its own rewards with a chance to witness the world just being one.  The snow covered landscape presents a world of quiet solitude that I find energizing.  When I see scenes like this I wish I could paint because a photograph just doesn’t adequately reflect the magic of a place — the energy and thrill of being alive — wind and cold and snow striking skin, firing neurons and bringing the brain into communion with the world.

I knew I would enjoy the ride.  Let it snow.

Vespa GTS scooter in a winter wonderlandVespa in a Winter Wonderland

There are times when I look at the scooter along the road and I feel as if I’m in a fantasy — a sudden beautiful moment that I can only describe as a gift.  It’s an experience born of moving slowly, stillness, and generally an incompatible experience from what I read in motorcycle magazines where speed and breathtaking performance are the focus.

But how many horsepower do I really need to ride?

 

Vespa GTS scooter and Mount NittanyA View of Mount Nittany

The weather moved quickly through the valley and after an hour or so the roads and paths were wet with the temperature hovering in the mid-30s.  The biggest challenge was keeping the visor clear of fog.  At some point during a ride the “adult” in me steps up to spoil the fun and guides the Vespa toward errands and chores.  I’ve not yet found a reliable way to ditch that guy.

He does have his advantages including always having enough cash for a stop at a cafe on a cold morning for tea and a biscuit.  And with one last, long look toward Mount Nittany I started toward home, satisfied with a small ride on a snowy morning. Thirty miles of road time can be some fine medicine.

Is this the last snowy ride of the season?

Winter Riding Story: First Drop

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The story I’m asked about most often regards winter riding. More specifically snow.

Steve Williams and his Vespa LX150 scooterMan and His Vespa Scooter

This is the story of my first drop of the scooter, one which occurred while riding in a March snow back in 2006 — just seven months after purchasing the Vespa LX150.  The picture above was made just a few minutes after the unfortunate collision with the pavement.

Looking back that was a rapid transition from beginning rider to year round rider.  Some may question the effectiveness of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation classroom training .  Perhaps I wasn’t paying attention. (seriously — I highly recommend their training)

Doing a bit of research for this story in my early blog posts I saw two themes at work.  The first was an early obsession and passion for riding.  I’ve seen new riders excited to have a new motorcycle or scooter but not ride much.  I was bit hard by the riding bug.

A second theme emerged regarding the expansion of my riding “oeuvre” — basically I continued to push the envelope in regard to time in the saddle, length of rides, time of day and eventually through all types of weather.

I was relentless.  And looking back, perhaps not as astute as I should be regarding risk, skill and technique.

And I can’t blame youth for my poor choices — I was 52 years old.

Vespa LX150 on a snowy roadEarly Snow Riding

Consideration of riding in the winter was influenced by two rider/blogger — Gary Charpentier and Dan Bateman.  They shared technical information, approaches and considerations that helped me make the decision to roll down the street when there was a little snow on the ground.

Reading the story of my first drop again, an event which occurred on March 3, 2006, I shudder at the newbie mistakes I made — going too fast, not thinking through the route, and most importantly not understanding the nature of the snow.  Ask any skier — it comes in many shapes and sizes.

So without further ado — here’s a link to a once upon a time in the snow story of my FIRST DROP.

See if you can pick up on the errors.

And as always, I don’t advise this kind of riding.  Even a perfect approach can go wrong in the snow.  And that’s not ever factoring other vehicles on the road.

Stay safe, keep your scooter shiny,  stay at home when it’s snowing.