Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
Winter is Coming. Again…A storm approaches. Perhaps the biggest of the season and with it days without riding. Despite the cold, bleak day I wanted to ride. The 16F temperature when I awoke didn’t damper the desire to be on the road. The winter riding consciousness is in control and almost any weather now seems rideable.
Rideable. Is that even a word?Continue Reading
Often when I’m riding there’s a Vespa riding soundtrack in my head. Not one powered by any digital device — just the quiet humming or singing that rises from the solitude I find while riding. The selections vary depending on mood and circumstance, but the music plays often — a private performance that echoes in my helmet.
It’s rare for me to sing openly among others.
The most common song I sing is Wayfaring Stranger. I’ve loved this song since I first heard it in the Pilot of Then Came Bronson. My solitary rides are often quiet meditations on life and where I’m heading — from an existential perspective. The song is in perfect harmony with those thought patterns.
Behind Blue Eyes is harder to explain why it surfaces so often. The lyrics don’t resonate but the melody and arc of the music does as it seems to push through some sort of adversity. I find myself singing this at night. Or in bad weather.
America is my sunny day song when the road is clear and the world awaits. It captures the thrill and excitement of exploration and discovery. That was true the first time I heard it, long before I was riding the Vespa.
Riding is not a single experience but reflects the baggage I bring along. While the road can disinfect and cleanse a troubled spirit, more often the ride conforms to the thoughts and feelings I’m having. And music seems to capture all of it, my unique Vespa riding soundtrack, as these tunes play in the Shoei Arena.
Lily and Junior — garden wrecking crewI have 7809 photographs on my iPhone. The writing prompt challenge today asks that I post the 25th image I come to on the phone. This photograph of our Belgian Sheepdogs is the 25th image from the end of the list. Had I started from the beginning you would below looking at a snow scene.
It’s amazing whats in the image collection. Familiar photographs that I clearly remember making, and others I’m left wondering where they came from. There or no captions or organizations — just a big collection.
Silver RidersStopped at the end of the day Friday to visit with an investment counselor regarding retirement. If there’s something I’m really, really good with, it’s not money. For good or ill, I’ve followed my father’s belief about money, “Money is for spending boy. When it’s all gone go make some more.”
Perhaps not the best approach. Thank god Penn State forced me to contribute to a pension plan for four decades. So I’m playing catch up, or perhaps learning to be an adult about things, and make some sound decisions regarding the next phase of life.
On the plus side — the counselor rides a BMW. That has to count for something. Looking at the silver machines made me think of Low’s song, “Silver Rider.” It’s a melancholy ballad that touches the right chords sometimes…
Daily Choice for a Post-Heart Attack BreakfastA heart attack almost two years ago has transformed breakfast. The once daily stops at McDonalds for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit with a hash brown chaser has been replaced with something more predictably healthy. Less fat. Fewer calories.
Just about everyday now starts in the same breakfast arena; shredded wheat sweetened with raisin bran floating in skim milk, blueberries when I remember them, some sort of toast with barely a teaspoon of Promise margarine, fruit, at least one glass of water and a small handful of pills.
Luckily my culinary palate is simple and requires little variety. It gets me going and fuels what comes next.
Starting the DayAt the end of February in central Pennsylvania and I’m riding to work in the morning in 50F air. The sun was beaming through the clouds to offer a fine greeting for another day. Riding in these circumstances is just plain, unfettered joy. In less than 130 days I won’t feel the pressure of the clock as I ride into retirement.
I’m thinking a disciplined approach to a post-heart attack breakfast will help keep the days going smoothly.
Road to WorkRiding across a familiar gravel road on the way to the office I just had to stop to admire the views. Beaver Stadium, home to Penn State’s Nittany Lion football team looms on the horizon. I’ve stood in this spot many times. It hasn’t grown old yet.
Perhaps it never will.
View to a ScooterHome for lunch and some tennis ball tossing with the dogs. Getting ready to go back to work, I see the Vespa waiting through the front door. The weather is warm and has me thinking winter is over. But it’s February and plenty of time for sub-zero weather and heavy snowfalls. Until then, I’ll take the riding as I can get it.
Dinner RunWhen the weather is warm I seem to stop to pick up dinner more often. Not sure what process is at work. Maybe it’s just a scheme on my part to extend the ride at the end of the day. Regardless, the view from the backside of Kelly’s Steak and Seafood in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania probably won’t make it on their website.
Was nice to take home a crab cake sandwich and a prime rib sandwich. The dogs couldn’t decide which they were more interested in…