Scooter in the Sticks

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

Invigorated by Cold

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Belgian Sheepdog covered in frost

Frosty Dog, Cold Weather State of Mind

The dogs seem invigorated by the cold; running, prancing, tearing through the garden more excitedly than they do in warmer weather. Lily plays so hard that her breath freezes on her thick coat. Maybe they’re just trying to stay warm. But I see the phenomenon in myself.

Eventually.

Acclimating to the cold always took time. As a youth, just the time it took to pull on hat, boots and gloves. Now it takes months of slow mental bargaining and physical adaptation. But it does happen.

This morning it was -1F as I briskly moved through the garden with the dogs. A good thing. Especially for someone suffering from anklyosing spondylitis — psoriatic arthritis in my case — where movement helps. Unlike those with rheumatoid arthritis who generally wake feeling better after a good night’s sleep, spondylitis gets worse.

Morning is a chorus of screaming joints and muscle aches. Choosing to get up and move, exercise, is a tough conversation. When it’s cold — even worse.

But, it does happen. And this morning I felt I’ve fully acclimated to the cold. I was like the dogs. Walking, running in places, unfazed by the cold, excited to be outside.

It’s in this frame of mind that taking the Vespa out for a ride in cold weather is a joy.Continue Reading

Vespa Scooter Rider

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Vespa GTS windshield on a cold dayAcclimating to the Cold

It was a bracing morning. Perhaps too cold for a Vespa scooter rider. Could see the steam rising from the furnace vent, a sure sign that it was cold. As I pulled on my heavy winter boots the heavy frost on the car windshield was another reminder of the cold. At 1F I trudged along with the dogs wondering if I should take the Vespa for a ride.

There were reasons to venture out — blood tests for my next visit with the doctor, food, fuel for the Vespa. But the morning temperature was too low for my brain to negotiate a ride with my body.

By early afternoon it was a balmy 20 degrees — perfect for a little riding and errands. First stop was to pick up some MRI reports. The normally indifferent staff at the medical facility seemed to perk up a bit when I walked in with my flourescent green riding jacket with helmet in hand. When you ride in winter — people notice. Non-riders notice.Continue Reading

Things That Have Never Been

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Vespa GTS scooter with Tucano Urbano Termoscud apron in the snowDreams of Vespa Scooter Rides

There are a lot of rides I want to make.

Less than 200 miles from my driveway and the Vespa will be winding along the Blue Ridge Parkway. And the Adirondacks are a mere 300 miles away. Celebrating the birth of a new year fuels speculation of things that may become real. Dreams and plans for tomorrow and beyond. But perhaps the new year is closer. Right in front of me.

Now.

Earlier I took a ride on New Year’s eve — late afternoon in the frigid air under a sunny sky — to see the ice sculptures in town that will be part of the First Night celebrations in State College, Pennsylvania.

The wandering ride into town required special attention because in places the snow was blowing making two-wheeled travel challenging.Continue Reading

Riding a Vespa Scooter in Winter

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Vespa GTS scooter on a snowy roadVespa Scooter in the Snow

This photograph is from a snow storm ride last March.  Strangely, I enjoyed the challenge of it.  And importantly, I wasn’t cold.  But things change.

And it’s affecting my winter riding.

The scooter is willing but the rider is weak. Riding a Vespa scooter in winter isn’t rocket science. It’s just a matter of configuring the machine in a way to help accommodate the cold. Could mean a windscreen, Termoscud apron, winter tires, heated grips or any of a wide range to tricks and solutions to address the special circumstances encountered when you ride a Vespa scooter in winter.

Or a motorcycle or any other device or machine that exposes you to the elements.

That’s the easy part. I know how to do those things. And I have a pretty good handle on the mental stuff as well. All the subtle and not so subtle adjustments you have to make to your riding style. Or techniques you develop to deal with unexpected or sudden encounters with snow or ice.

Check. I’m good with that stuff.

But there’s one last thing that’s just killing me. I can’t get warm.Continue Reading

Cold Christmas Ride

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Vespa GTS scooter in State College, Pennsylvania on Christmas Day.Christmas Morning in State College, Pennsylvania

Penn State is closed, the students are gone and the town is empty.  Not a soul around.  It was 13F and windy when I got up and there was a dusting of snow when I got up on Christmas morning — not ideal riding weather.  The dogs weren’t overly excited either.  And suddenly I’m trying to rationalize a little Christmas ride on the Vespa scooter.

It didn’t take long to hatch a plan or to convince myself it wasn’t all that cold outside.  Told myself there were ideal conditions for testing the Tucano Urbano gear — the hand grip muffs and the Termoscud apron.

The test: Can I ride without the heavy winter overpants and with only my LL Bean deerskin gloves?

So off I went, fully expecting to have cold hands, legs and body.Continue Reading