Wrestling with Bumps in the Road

Some days something small can trigger an unexpected line of thinking

Life unveils bumps in the road and regardless of preparation it's hard to know how a person will react. The monster under the bed came become real. With riding it is the mishap on the road, the near miss, the crash, the untimely demise of a stranger focuses attention on the dark side of riding. Riders deal with these events in a variety of ways --- training, rationalization, denial or some combination that allows the ride to continue. Or not.

I know the risks in the same way a climber, scuba diver, or backpacker does. Careful preparation, assessment of skill and risk, and decisions made with my eyes open is what I try and do in riding and any other activity that moves me away from the relative safety of home. What I find curious is what happens after an unfortunate event, the kind that would have me asking, "Do I want to keep riding?" I believe I can manage the risk I assume to be safe while riding but I wonder how I would feel if something happened. I know more than a handful of people who have stopped riding after their first accident. I wonder if they suddenly became aware of new information or had they never really accepted the risk? Or was the prospect of riding again too frightening?

When I passed the half-century mark I began to wonder how many years I had left and what would I do if my health or well-being were threatened through accident or illness. I want to believe I would have no regrets and made my decisions with my eyes open. There remains a part of me though that wonders if I am kidding myself. I know we are all riding to the same place but it's easy to keep that destination hidden from view, from thought, from consideration.

The culture I see in magazines and television offer a bright, carefree and positive road for me to ride on if I want to pay the price. The sun always shines on that road and it's easy to believe only good things will happen. If I am honest about the risk I assume while riding I know that the sun doesn't always shine on the road. The possibility exists that I could pass under a gray cloud. There was a time that I would probably consider this subject morbid and not suited for polite conversation (or blogging). That thinking has given way to something different, an understanding that a ride down the road with my eyes open and mind fully aware of the good and bad is more human and alive than any yellow brick road I can conjure.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!
When I got up this morning I looked at the Midwest Scooter Enthusiast blog written by Roadbum. He has an excellent post that talks about learning to be still so you can pay attention to the world and your thoughts. I wrote about some of my thoughts while riding but Roadbum has really put his finger on something bigger. Take a few minutes to look at Sit Down and Shut Up.

Happy and Near the Wild Heart of Life

I borrowed this title from a line in Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild", an account of a young man who literally walks away from his life. The story describes a rebellion against the pressures of modern life --- a topic that permeates, to various degrees, many of the writings of motorcycle riders.

I am reminded over and over again the power riding has to pull the veil from the routine of living and the gap between life and living. Riding in cold weather tendsto strip away everything but the road, the scooter, and the actions I take. Life is simple and full of purpose making speed and lane position decisions, considering route and other vehicles, listening to the sound of the engine. It's in these moments that I realize how light I can feel and how heavy life can become through the decisions I make in the name of comfort, style, and conformity, all things related to consuming more and more things. Riding reminds me of the fleeting nature of things and the power of experience and action.

I'm thinking about the credit card advertisement that lists the prices of several items and then ends with something like "walking with your daughter in the snow - priceless". Maybe the other items in the list aren't that important and more time should be spent in action rather than shopping, acquiring, owning.

I stopped along this gravel road on the way home to look at the light in the woods as the sun went down and I remembered a statement made by photographer Edward Weston many years ago when asked why he did not own a car. He suggested that a person must weight the cost of ownership in terms of what he must give up in freedom to own something. He was speaking of how buying and ownership affects the need to use time to earn money. Weston was careful to weigh this transaction carefully so that he could pursue his life rather than spend it paying for things.

Being happy and near the wild heart of life doesn't come automatically. I think it has to be earned through careful and deliberate action. Riding safely requires careful and deliberate action and offers a practical method of experience that can move us closer to that wild heart of life.

Decisions: Riding in the Snow

The road in front of the house was completely snow covered when I got up. A check of the temperature showed 18° F. The wind was blowing at 20 – 25 MPH. I put my boots on and walked out across the driveway to check the road surface. Dry powder, no hidden ice, and pretty good traction. Decision time.

My plan was to not ride this winter in the snow but I have to admit there was a strong attraction to ride in this first snow of the season. I walked back into the house and asked what I should do. After a quick consideration of the road, the time (it was 7AM and traffic would still be light) and the strong desire to attempt the ride, I pulled on my Tourmaster Overpants.

The Vespa started easily and the traction on the snow-covered road was good for the first half mile. I stopped to make a picture (excuse the fuzziness, it was actually still pretty dark and I didn’t want to pull out the tripod) as the road turned from snow to a glaze of ice from all the traffic. Once I got on the main road it was chemically wet compliments of PENNDOT. I was grateful that there was almost no traffic as I slowly made my way to work. There were slippery spots here and there and stopping at one traffic light was a bit challenging and required my outriggers down to manage the slow stop/slide.

I arrived at work safely and aside from the carefully actions required of the ride the only other things of note was the difficultly with the visor fogging due to my heavier than normal breathing and how well the mittens worked to keep my hands warm. A little more snow should arrive this morning but the ride home should be clear. I wouldn’t want to do this in traffic.

The Darker it gets the Brighter the Ride

When I left my office today it was getting dark, colder, and there were a few snowflakes on the seat of the Vespa. I prepared to ride home feeling flat and unmotivated to do much beyond hit the couch and read a book. As so often happens the moment the scooter roars (you have to help me with the appropriate verb) to life a smile eases into my face and the weight of the day and 35 years fade from my frame.

Out in traffic I was content to take my place on the road with my fellow travelers and enjoy the darkening day. I made a detour into the small village we call home to visit Kim at the salon where she was having her cut. I had taken all the money. I went in without removing my helmet, went into the back where she was under a dryer writing in her journal and proceeded to try and have a conversation. Her ability to hear was drowned out by the dryer and I'm sitting next to her with a helmet and earplugs. We sort of waved at each other apparently understanding. I could tell by the smile on Kim's face that whatever was happening it must be good and I'm sure she recognized the smile on my face. I don't know what it is about the scooter but making all sorts of little stops to see things and talk to people just seems natural.

From there to Agostenelli's Market for some fresh bread. They have it fresh on Tuesdays and I just couldn't pass it up.

It's so good that I had to build a sandwich before even writing this entry. Not much gets between me and Scooter in the Sticks. So, the day was getting even brighter when I stopped in the town square to take a picture of the new Christmas decorations on one of the store.

From there a short trip home and happy relaxation. It's a great evening.

IMPORTANT TECHNICAL NOTE: Notice my first vertical picture today! I am growing more open to new things as I get older.

Selling the Cage

How often have you thought about getting rid of the cage and living life solely on two-wheels? It's a nice fantasy but I wonder if it isn't something best left in the fantasy realm. It certainly would require commitment and patience. I've watched my annual mileage drop on my Ford Ranger to about 1000 miles per year from around 10,000 the year before acquiring the Vespa. If I absolutely had to I could survive with only the scooter relying on the bus for days too harsh or dangerous which is what I do now. Days I don't feel comfortable on the Vespa are the same sort of days the Ranger doesn't do well in either.

I got up this morning for a ride in the bright sunny 25° F morning. The wind was gone and the bright sun confused my brain into not thinking it was cold. This picture shows what a cageless world would look like for usually this place is lined with them.

From there out across the valley and smiling because the new mittens are keeping my hands toasty today at even lower temperatures than last weekend even with a stop to gaze at the sky.

A stop at one of the local car dealers just to scan the window stickers of the used cars was an eye opener. I tend to buy vehicles at ten-year intervals and don't look much in between. Our VW Jetta is 11 years old now but with only 89,000 miles we'll try and run it along for a few more years. Walking from one sticker to the next I choked at the prices for used, I mean pre-owned, vehicles. I didn't even venture to the new ones.

We have two vehicles plus the Vespa. I don't see us with zero cages but I can see scaling back to one. Since both are paid for and in good shape I'll hold onto both and make a final decision when the time comes to replace something. I do have dreams of saving that extra cash. And even if I do need a second cage, maybe I can opt for the 500-dollar beater. There is something romantic about driving a beater car, especially in these days of perfect shiny cages.

Scooters, Motorcycles and Noise Reduction

Only a short ride into town today to run some errands and buy oil for the next oil change in the Vespa. It was windy and 33° F according to the display at the bank. New mittens were nice and warm and I had another uneventful ride. Since there isn't much to report I thought I would get something out of my head that has been floating around for awhile related to noise.

For a long time, shortly after 2AM a loud and obnoxious motorcycle would roar up the hill to our house, turn onto another street, and roar up the street. Each night it would wake us up so that we could follow the path until it finally disappeared into the silence of the night. I describe this particular motorcycle as obnoxious because the noise level was loud enough to make a loose pane of glass in the front door vibrate and if I was outside when it happened to make an appearance in daylight hours I felt like holding my ears. (actually I felt like doing something else)

On a warm Saturday morning at 9AM when I am relaxing with a cup of tea in the garden I can anticipate doing this with the sound of several lawnmowers somewhere nearby, a leaf blower cleaning a driveway, a circular saw cutting a board for a deck, a shop-vac cleaning the inside of an SUV and any number of other typical sounds. The neighborhood is a noisy place. This background noise blends together as a symphonic representation of non-urban America.

Enter the motorcycle - or scooter. Many ride through town and the neighborhood barely noticeable. My Vespa is so quiet that often the dog lying at the door awaiting my return doesn't hear me pull up. My friend Paul's Harley Fatboy is quiet too since he has left the factory exhaust untouched. And I should add that not all scooters are quiet. The vintage two-stroke scooters can be loud and spewing clouds of smoke and often exaggerated because they congregate in a flock. But they are less than occasional occurrences at best and tolerated more easily like a passing fire truck or helicopter. It's the large number or loud sport bikes and cruisers that comprise the problem population and where real change and improvement are possible.

There is a growing movement from the grass root level to the legislature to curb or ban loud exhausts or even motorcycles. I know the freedom and independence arguments but as noise levels increase there will be a growing outcry from the non-riding, property owning, and motorcycle averse voting population to have something done. Riding a scooter is about as innocuous as you can be without resorting to a bicycle or walking but a scooter isn't for everyone. For all other motorcycles from dirt bikes to big V-twin cruisers it is technically easy to make those machines acceptably quiet. The more difficult challenge always resides between our ears.

I stumbled across a site today that had a lot of links to noise related issues and it's worth some time to get up to speed on what's going on in various places and consider where you are in the equation. Maybe we can do something individually before Uncle Sam steps in and does it for us. Maybe it's just a matter of understanding, respect, and consideration for others. The kind of consideration we would all like to have on the road from other drivers. Maybe there's a chance to set a fine example.

AMA Excessive Noise Position

RideSTEALTH site

Riding in a Windstorm

First off the picture was taken a couple of mornings ago on the way to work and the sun appeared for a few moments just after dawn and I just had to stop and take a picture. It's like that with a scooter, you just see things that you miss in a cage.

I forgot the camera today so I couldn't photograph all the great stuff I saw. Those great images all got away. I've been working on a few posts but none are ready for release yet but I did want to share a few observations about the commute today. When I left the temperature was near 50° F with a slight breeze and heavy sky that was crying tears of rain and mist. The ride was uneventful and I arrived at work on time and in good spirits.

About mid-day I could see that the wind was picking up and a quick check of the weather forecast showed a storm front coming through with up to an inch of heavy rain and winds gusting to 60 MPH. I went outside to check my Vespa and since it was parked right next to the building it seemed safe from a fall and if it did fall it would go against the building.

When I left at the end of the day the rain had passed but the wind was howling. I was buffeted around just walking across the parking lot and the ride home was probably the most challenging of my Vespa career. More than once as I was moving through traffic at slow speeds I had to put a foot down to keep from being blown down. The wind was unpredictable and the direction kept changing. I stopped at the library and had to park the scooter on the street but not until I determined the wind direction and parked with the nose of the scooter into the wind. I feared returning to find it sprawled along the street.

The Vespa gods were with me and it stood up fine. The remainder of the trip home was even more difficult as I entered the faster traffic that is not fazed a bit at the wind. I on the other hand had to drop my normal speed by 15 to 20 MPH at time just to stay in my lane. I was fortunate that I hit lights a few times as they were turning yellow and I didn't have a lot of traffic behind me for short periods.

I was relived as I turned into the driveway unscathed and sat for a moment thinking about the ride. Compared to the snow and ice I've been on this gusty ride seemed out of control and almost unmanageable. Good to be home and have a cup of tea.

Winter Riding Glove Review

It was frosty cold yesterday morning and ideal conditions to test my new glove protection against the elements. For regular readers you are familiar with my tedious search for something to keep my hands warm. And my desire for something simple --- read that nothing electric. My searched ended on Friday when I purchased a pair of Black Diamond Mercury Mitts --- mittens for extreme cold.

A bit of history. Last winter I purchased a pair of Alpinestars insulated gloves to begin my cold weather riding. When the temperature dropped to 40°F the Alpinestars weren't warm enough and a purchased a pair of Tourmaster Cold-Tex gloves. I rode with these all winter but I should describe the experience.

My winter riding at sub-freezing temperatures with my Tourmaster gloves require frequent stops to warm my hands on the headlight or exhaust. At 30 degrees I can manage 15 minutes at 50MPH before my hands are painfully dead. More or less time depending on speed. For my daily commute where speeds are less than that I can suffer along down to 15 degrees. For long trips I plan my route with stops to get warm, eat, drink, and huddle around the muffler. Sort of like camping when I was a kid.

My hands have always been cold since I was a kid. This personal property worsened a few years ago when I developed frostbite on the ends of all my fingers while helping a friend move a stainless steel centrifuge in sub-zero temperatures with no gloves. This act is on my top-ten list of boneheaded actions.

So when it comes to winter gloves I am starting at a disadvantage --- genetically cold hands, frostbite history, and a rejection of modern electric technology. Just so you appreciate my challenge. I've done considerable research and inquiry about gloves on various forums and in person and I've found that estimating protection against cold is not an exact science and complicated my personal tolerance. And it seems as if manufacturers rate things against death or damage rather than my comfort level. But then again how can they determine that.

With that history in mind I can proceed with my story. It was a dark and dreary night and all the riders were sitting around the campfire when in walks Steve. And this is the story he told them...

In my search several gloves kept being recommended --- the Tourmaster Winter Elite, Tourmaster Polar-Tex, Orina 118, BMW winter glove, and generic snowmobile equipment. After some interaction with members of the Adventure Rider forum with people riding all winter in places like Alaska I realized that no glove on the market without electrics was going to keep my hands toasty in the weather I would be riding in. When I finally accepted this I turned towards mittens at the suggestion of Mr. Charpentier at Rush Hour Rambling.

When I couldn't find much evidence of snowmobile glove and mitten effectiveness I abandoned that search in favor of arctic expedition and snowboarding mittens. There was a lot of ratings and descriptions of the environments this stuff is used in. Snowboarders at 4000 meters in sub-zero cold traveling at 50 MPH. If it worked for them it had to work for me on the Vespa.

After abandoning consideration of the $200 Outdoor Research Alti mitts and other serious expedition down filled mittens I looked at the black diamond Mercury Mitts at our local outdoor outfitter --- Appalachian Outdoors. Waterproof/breathable liner, windproof, ten ounces of PrimaLoft insulation, and big gauntlets, I put down the cash and ended my search.


Yesterday morning, 8AM, 28°F. Perfect weather for my first test. I decided to ride 60 miles to my in-laws in Altoona to hand deliver an anniversary card.


I've made this trip many times last winter in comparable temperatures so I knew what to expect in terms of hand coldness. My goal was to ride to the half-way mark, the Family Chill and Grill, without having to warm my hands. Usually I would have to stop three to four times at this temperature.


With these new mittens I didn't have to stop to warm my hands. They weren't toasty but not painful either. I did stop twice to take pictures and holding the icy metal camera in my bare hands didn't help. But once the mittens were back on I could feel them warm rather than the steady decline towards pain in the old gloves.

Upon arrival at the Family Chill and Grill for a hearty breakfast my hands were cold but nothing I couldn't live with all day. And I was riding at speeds I normally would not ride on this trip --- 50 - 60 MPH. So I consider the new mittens a success and expect them to be fine for my kind of low speed adventuring all the way down to my 5 degree goal.

I should add that the bulk of these mittens requires some adjustment at the controls. The leather palms grip the brake levers nicely but you have to be more deliberate in moving your hands and fingers. After a few minutes of practice I was fine. The thumbing of the starter, high beams, turn signals and horn was easy.

My reward for the test was a too big breakfast. I thought I ordered bacon, eggs, homefries and toast when choosing the Country Breakfast.


Instead I got more of everything than I needed, plus sausage, plus pancakes. See what good mittens will get you!

Vespa LX150 on Ice

There it is, the first icy road of the season. Last night Kim and I took a walk around 11PM and it was foggy and wet. The temperature overnight dipped below the freezing level to turn everything to ice. The sun created a glittering wonderland. I didn’t think much about it since the sky was blue so I put on my riding gear and pushed the scooter out of the garage onto the driveway. It only took a few steps to realize it was covered with a thin glaze of ice.

I put the Vespa on its centerstand along the road and tested the pavement. Icy in spots and quickly turning to water where the sun was licking the pavement. After a moment of consideration I decided to ride to work on the scooter. I made my way down the street carefully and put both feet down when I hit a long shaded portion of the road that I knew would still be completely iced over. Once I hit the main road the sun was shining and it looked as if there was salt on it.

The remainder of the ride in to work was fine except for one more stretch unsalted and without sunlight. Arrived at work in good shape and the ride home promises to be excellent with clear skies and temperatures approaching 50° F.

Sharing the Riding Message

I suppose it's obvious that I have more than a passing interest in riding. What began as something I thought would be fun has become a defining act in my life. Like being a husband, father, employee, photographer. Riding is the normal transportation act for me now and I'm happy to report that it remains as enjoyable now as it did when I started.

I continue to have lots of people ask about the Vespa, riding, helmets, safety and a whole array of subjects that I usually can't do justice to in the short time available as I'm standing with a bag of groceries at the store or paying for gas at the station. Often I would tell people to visit a Web site or my blog to read more about their question but it was always a chore to try and communicate a URL. After seeing the promotional card for ModernVespa (thanks for the inspiration Jess!) I thought is would be a great idea for me to make a car for myself so that I can just hand a person one and say check it out for more information. My daughter Hannah was gracious enough to design and prepare the file for the card.

Thanks Hannah!

The cards arrived yesterday and they will allow me to quit quoting or scribbling a URL.

For any of you needing quick cards that are inexpensive you may want to give OvernightPrints a look.


I first heard about them in graduate school because a lot of the art students used them to print their show announcement postcards.

My dog is ready for her "dad's off work today so I'll get a long walk" walk. And to all of you who read here have a great day and a great Thanksgiving if you are celebrating.

Riding Gear Protection Rituals

The gray skies of the past week had vanished when I got up to ride to work yesterday. The sky was clear and the sun was dazzling as it burst over the horizon and illuminated the 26° F atmosphere. I had to stop just to look at the Vespa in light that was gloomy for a change.

At that temperature riding gear is important for protection against the elements. Riding to a few appointments I realized that I had a lot of stuff on and that it took some time to gear up for my ride and felt it worth a few lines here to take a look at the why and what of riding gear protection.

I always wear protective riding gear. This is independent of weather. As protection from a potential fall or crash I always have a full helmet, armored jacket, armored pants, boots, and gloves. For me this is the minimum. I see a lot of scooter pictures and ads showing riders happily zipping along with nothing but a half helmet and tennis shoes. It looks stylish but anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that a style horse I'm not. I'm perfectly content to wear the same thing everyday.

My point is not about safety or protection as much as it is about the ritual involved in gearing up everyday. And with the onset of cold weather I have even more stuff on. Yesterday morning I walked out to the breezeway where I keep my gear already dressed for work. I pull on my Tourmaster Overpants and then put on my Wolverine boots. Over top of my shirt I put on my Mountain Hardware windstopper jacket, push in my earplugs, and pull on a Mountain Hardware ski mask. Then the First Gear Kilimanjaro IV armored winter riding jacket. Off come my glasses, I pull on my helmet, put my glasses back on and last pick up my riding gloves from the toasty radiator and head for the garage. It takes a few minutes to put this stuff on. When I am at work and leave for a lunchtime errand I have to do it all over again. Each time I stop I have to take off the helmet, ski mask, and sometimes the earplugs if I need to hear well. And then put it back on to ride to the next stop. Until I developed a ritual around this it was a chore to gear up. It is a habit now and I am grateful for it.

I've spoken to other riders who comment to me about how over dressed I am and they express either their impatience at having to put so much on, it looks weird, or they like feeling "free" when they ride. I'm always left thinking that impatience, looks, and feeling free isn't a good trade off against an unprotected fall or crash. But that's just me. So I gear up.

I kind of like the look now. Sometimes when running into people as I enter my office I'll respond with a hearty "trick or treat" or use Gary Charpentier's "I'm a Power Ranger" line. That always gets a chuckle. Either way, I'm content with what I'm doing.

I do use earplugs almost all the time. I started because I wanted to protect my hearing but what I really like is the quiet. I can still hear the engine and surroundings fine but all the wind noise and high frequency noise is gone. I find I am less fatigued by a long ride and can pay more attention to the things that matter.

One last thing that was interesting yesterday. When I got to work I was the only two-wheeled vehicle. When I came out at lunchtime I was happy to see a Harley Dynaglide guarded by two Vespa scooters.


How long can it be until there will be swarms of Vespas?

The World is Constantly Changing

I left this morning not knowing where I would ride other than eventually I needed to be at Lowe's to buy a tube of silicone caulking for the bathroom. It's always something with a house. I decided to take a long loop to the north that would take me through some quiet places with a minimum of traffic. After a stop for fuel I rode along Spring Creek just to see the water. This is one of Pennsylvania's great trout streams and during trout season you will be lucky to find a place to stand. Being a loner I never understood the attraction of opening day either for trout or deer. Just a huge madhouse.

I stopped to look around at the water and rocks and sort of got lost for a while.


The quiet is magnified by the earplugs I wear and when I stand looking at the water my thoughts get loud. I wear the plugs to save my hearing but I definitely like the way they cut be off from the noise and make it easier to pay attention to thoughts.

Riding out of the valley and into the farmland above the creek I was struck by all the open land we still have. One big farm has been sold off and is now the beginning of an industrial park, something we have a lot of in Pennsylvania.


I'm not sure how successful they are but the local business leaders seem to think they are the answer to every economic woe. As I look out at the empty farmhouse I can't help but wonder how much land has to surrender itself to development before we're done. Big business, big houses, big stores. Growth is the Holy Grail. You don't have to ride far to see that the world is in a cycle of constant change.

Snow fences are emerging in preparation for the blowing wind and snow that sweeps across this area.


The skies seem to get darker every day as a reminder to prepare for winter.

I saw another old farm off in the distance and decided to cut across a field to have a look.


No "No Trespassing" signs and being Sunday all good farmers and landowners would either be in church or in front of the tube so I felt a good dose of trespassing was in order. The scooter just looks so tiny in the wide-open spaces of Pennsylvania. I can't imagine what it would be like in the West and Midwest. Someday.

All that was left of the farm was a silo.


The house was torn down and I suspect a developer has bought up this land as well to turn it into something great, another retirement community, some condominium cells, or perhaps another shopping plaza. There just aren't enough places yet to dump money. I rode away towards Lowe's and the tub and tile caulk and realized that everything is part of a cycle. The farms would give way to something else and that would give way to something else. Nothing is permanent if you're patient enough. I grew up on Neville Island in the Ohio River south of Pittsburgh. Almost the entire island was taken up by shipyards, steel fabrication companies, blast furnaces, coke ovens, tank farms, trucking companies, and chemical plants. A bustling industrial beacon employing tens of thousands of people. In a few short years in the early 1980's all of that vanished. Steel disappeared and the landscape changed again.
I stopped at the old Lowe's building to take this picture.


They were in business at this location for about 10 years or so. Now they have built a new facility and abandoned this site. It won't disappear as fast or easily as a farm but it will eventually give way. I hate to see the best landscapes surrender to development but money talks and walks. Too bad it doesn't think.

On the Road Again

After a week of fighting a cold I finally got back out on the road again. I did manage a short ride to work yesterday but this morning I was able to venture out for a few hours to ride and see the world. I'm still not one hundred percent healthy and because of it I felt the 38° F temperature more than usual. That aside I enjoyed being out in the world and feeling the connection to the landscape that riding offers me. The world is slowly surrendering to the coming of winter with gray skies and bare trees. Snow is forecast for tomorrow.

I had some chores to catch up on so my ride had several planned destinations. Gary Charpentier has been posting on Rush Hour Rambling about a diner in St. Paul. I remembered a ghostly diner parked out behind the garage of the auto mechanic we use and I thought I just had to take a closer look.


The shiny metal is in pretty good shape for someone who wants to take the plunge to open a classic dinner. The inside needs work but the basic structures are in place. Anyone thinking of a diner business? This may be your lucky day.


From there I rode to a local orchard for a fresh Red Delicious apple. I'm always amazed at how good an apple is when it's fresh. From there on to the local Vespa dealer to check out a moving sale they were having. I knew there wouldn't be anything I wanted but I have to look anyway. I only have two things on my want list---a small MotoFizz seat bag and a pair of snowmobile mittens. What happened to me? My list used to be pretty long. I guess I'm getting more content in my growing years.

I did have to make a stop at O.W. Houts to pick up some special hangers for a seven foot long photo construction piece I made.


Houts is one of those old, small town department stores that are fast going the way of the dinosaur. It's sad to see their parking lot so empty on a Saturday afternoon and knowing that Wal-Mart and Lowe's are jammed. Houts has the best hardware store anywhere around, a lumber yard that offers custom milling, a grocery store and meat department that you can find some pretty exotic stuff. Furniture, dry goods, garden supplys. I remember when it was the place to shop. The employees are adults who have made careers as sales people and many have been there for decades. I can't help but think their days are numbered.

I only had one more stop on my ride. Sneezing, sniffling, coughing, I made my way towards home to stop at Eddie Agostinelli's Market and Deli.


This local Italian place has great bread, sandwiches, pasta, cookies and more. Kim loves their lamb sandwiches and I had some pepperoni bread today.

By the time I got home I felt the cold sneaking back and needed to lie down and rest. Snow may fly tomorrow but I'm ready to go.

If You Can't Ride, Eat Chocolate

There it is surfacing right in front of you, the real passion in my life - chocolate. And don't think I'm writing this now because I've been sick all week and the Vespa has stood alone in the garage for the past few days and I don't have anything better to write about. Or that I am so bored by being sick and not able to ride that I'm just out of my mind. That's merely coincidence. Hale and hearty and riding hundreds of miles a day I would not let this event pass unnoticed or fail to share with you the arrival of the Harbor Candy Shop holiday catalog. Just looking at it I want chocolate so bad now that I am almost willing to drag my sick and sorry body into the truck and driving to the grocery store to have some woefully inadequate chocolate in hopes of quieting the hunger within. And Harbor Candy bears great responsibility for this desire.

You need a little background to make sense of this story. Add I should preface these comments to let you know this is an unsolicited and unpaid endorsement. Kim and I usually travel to Maine in the late fall and again in early spring to spend a week or so relaxing on the Atlantic coast, walking the beaches, climbing the rocky shoreline, and dissolving away any tether or link to our life in central Pennsylvania. We always stay at the Beachmere Inn (a real gem too) in Ogunquit and visit the Harbor Candy Shop everyday. Did I say everyday? Yes, it's true. And around the holiday's I buy candy from their online store or over the phone. A pound for a friend, a pound for me. One year I bought pounds and pounds of candy for gifts. The box was so big that it seemed like 25 pounds though it was probably more like nine. I have sampled chocolate from all over the world and Harbor Candy is as good as any I have tasted. But wait, there's more.

Their sandwich pralines are simply the best chocolate candy anywhere at any price. I have seen other companies try their hand at these but no one, and I mean no one comes close to the rich, smooth flavor of these cubic delights. I can barely stand it knowing that 600 miles separates me from one of these right now.

If you like chocolate, do yourself a big favor and order a pound of the sandwich pralines. Sure, they have a lot of other candies and they are fantastic too, but the sandwich pralines are in a class by themselves. Just look at that image of the chocolate. Go to their Web site, buy, eat. If that store was closer it would be a riding destination.

Here is the direct link to sandwich pralines.

It doesn't get any better in the chocolate world than this.
Hell, it doesn't get any better in life!

My Photography Gear for Riding

I've been asked several times what I use to take the pictures you see in Scooter in the Sticks and as I thought about it the subject grew more complicated. I use a variety of cameras for different projects and reasons. I've been home sick with a nasty cold, not riding, not sleeping well, so I thought I would attack this topic. If I seem to wander in my thinking just blame the Sudafed Severe Cold. And before I forget, I would be interested to know how and if you work photography into your riding routine.

First off, the majority of the pictures in Scooter in the Sticks are made with a beat up old Canon S50. This excellent little camera has been near the trashcan several times but keeps coming back to life. It has been dropped, rained on, immersed, and generally abused by most standards. And it still works fine.

I keep the camera in the left side pocket of my riding jacket---now the First Gear Kilimanjaro IV. I like to be able to get to it quickly without having to unlock the seat of the scooter. I have had a few concerns about riding with it in my pocket, not so much for the camera but for me should I crash and have that thing poking at my innards.

I have a 512MB memory card in the S50 and keep the image settings at JPEG LARGE FINE. The resulting files are about 2MB in size. I shoot exclusively on the MANUAL setting. Every now and then I will switch to RAW if I think the image is something I may want to print someday but so far that hasn't happened. The only thing that might even be considered a negative is that if it is cold the battery loses power fast. I'm sure if I kept it under the seat heated nicely by the engine the battery would always have power.

I also keep a very small collapsible tripod under the seat for the occasional self-portrait or long exposure. It's about ten inches long and flat and takes up almost no room. And you can put a pretty big camera on the thing.

So there is the easy stuff. If I decide I am in serious mode I may pack along the Nikon D200 with an 18-55 and 80-200 zoom lens. This gear is in a soft case bungee corded to the rear rack. And I have thought more than once about what would happen to that stuff should I crash. It is worth as much as the scooter. I have put it under the seat at times but I worry about vibration and heat. The D200 is an excellent camera and the additional range of focal lengths can afford different kinds of images. I usually have a 2GB card in the camera and shoot RAW files. I use RawShooter on a PC or BibblePro on a MAC to do the RAW conversion to TIFF files that I work on in Photoshop.

I have only been shooting digital images in any consistent way since I started the blog. And with the D200 for a few months. Until then all my work was on film and in black & white. I shot Kodak Tri-X in all formats for years and processed and printed in a small darkroom I built in the basement. I am currently in crisis concerning photography and am not sure what my next step is.

For the past ten plus years I have been working on two projects --- photographing my wife Kim and photographing the landscape I experience on a regular basis. I still sort of do the later though the damn Vespa keeps wanting in the pictures. I still photograph Kim but not as obsessively as I did. Both projects, Kim series and Landscape series, were a result of questions I had about myself and I have largely answered them. I have new questions that photography does not seem to address for me. And the relative ease of digital photography and printing makes me wonder if I should not shed myself of all my chemical based equipment. Hence, a crisis.

If you want to see some of the results of that work click HERE.

Right now I still have my Leica M6 which I carried everywhere and ran hundreds and hundreds of rolls of film through, and a seldom used Mamiya 7 medium format camera that replaced the 8x10 view camera that I had used for years. I used the view camera primarily for landscape work but since I couldn't transport it with the Vespa I ditched it.


The 8x10 camera was big and heavy with the camera and tripod with a lens a bit over 40 pounds. Add film holders, film, dark cloth, meter and geez that's a lot of weight.

Basically my interests shifted, my focus changed, and the tools I need changed. But I am clinging to things that should best be let go.

Bottom line: I am following an interest in writing, riding and photography. I don't know where it is going and don't really care right now. What is important is that I step forward and work. From consistent work something always emerges.

Autumn Investigation

We are past the prime colors of autumn in Central Pennsylvania. Most leaves are on the ground but the landscape still radiates a warm glow before surrendering to the monochrome of winter. Saturday morning was clear with temperatures in the forties when I decided to ride through the hills and valleys solely to witness the sun illuminate what was left of this season.

The day was perfect and the roads seemed smoother than normal. Even the gravel mountain roads had been worn almost bare through another season of use making it easy to navigate on the Vespa. I stopped at the Bear Meadows Natural Area to look at the boreal bog. It was quiet and empty.


The location is a 890-acre National Natural Landmark surrounded by the ridges and upper slopes of the Alleghenies. From there I traveled over the gap and down into the Colyer Lake area.


One bright color I noticed that was more pronounced this year was the blaze of yellow-POSTED signs on trees along the road. I remember a time when you seldom saw such loud indications of private property. The world has changed I suppose either because of legal liability, selfishness, or a rise in terrible actions by those who would trespass. Whatever the reason I felt unwelcome riding along that road with the signs screaming at me.

When I got back to US Route 322, a road that traffic normally flies by at 60 MPH, I found bumper-to-bumper traffic traveling at 15 MPH. Car after car heading to the Penn State Football game at Beaver Stadium just 15 miles to the West. After two miles of the traffic I turned off onto a farm lane to cut across the valley towards home.


The corn is ready to be chopped and the agricultural landscape has its own autumn glow.


I arrived home just before a weather front covered the sky with a new grayness that brought with it rain that is forecast to last all week. This ride in the sun will help during the wet commutes to come this week.


And the rare self-portrait to provide evidence that I am actually enjoying myself, have a helmet, and do wear protective gear even though I am "just riding a scooter".

Adventure Riding

Adventure riding and Vespa are not words commonly linked together. The image of a BMW R1200 GS fording a rushing stream or crossing a desert in is the stuff of adventuring riding. Not a Vespa. Not a scooter. My own definition is broader and finds the possibility of adventure everywhere. I consider it a state of mind rather than a location or route.

Yesterday morning on the way to work I made a detour that took me through a fallow field that I suspect will soon yield to a developers bulldozer. I followed the matted tracks in the weeds across uneven ground. As a kid I would explore these places looking for real estate suitable for a fort or raw material for the next tree house. These places were unknown and uncharted and I was the explorer.

My landscape photography reflects my interest in exploring what is outside my door and while I enjoy trips to far away places I can find the same wonder in my backyard or neighborhood if I am open to it. I saw this tree on one of my adventures just two miles from my front door, a small oasis almost in town that most people never see in their rush to get from place to place.


At 52, I am still an explorer and still excited at the prospect of treasure. The Vespa is a suitable companion. Longer and more challenging trips are still on my list; a ride to Akron to visit the cemetery where my father was buried, a ride through the Adirondacks, and the king of trips that has haunted me since high school the trip out West. And the Vespa can easily undertake any of them from a mechanical perspective. The question will be "Am I up to it?".

Consider the trip taken by Walter Muma on his 50cc moped in 1978 from Toronto to Alaska and then into the Northwest Territories past the Arctic Circle to Inuvik. Over 11,000 miles much of it on unpaved road. And on a moped. You can read and see the tale written by Walter here:

1978 Moped Trip

It is worth reading. The only greater adventure would to do it on a bicycle or walk. The Vespa would be unnecessarily luxurious and overpowered. A sign of an overly consumptive society. Fat Vespa riders.

It's 5:54AM and a balmy 54° F, fine weather for the ride to work. Another day, another adventure.

2006 Election Results

On the way home yesterday I stopped at the military park near my home. It seemed a fitting time to pause and think about the election underway. At this place I am reminded of one of the paths that those we elect can take us. It's easy to feel the process and decisions are beyond my influence being in this place helps me glimpse, if only for a moment, that I am part of the whole. Every decision I make has a subtle effect on the outcome of the decision making process of those men and women elected and in the fate of those people affected by those decisions. Like the flap of the butterfly wings that give birth to a hurricane.


It's dark, raining and 46° F this morning. The Vespa is waiting patiently for me to gather myself together for the ride into work.

Riding and Memory

On the way home last night I stopped at a church near my home. The landscape had that intense end of autumn feel where the sky seems bloated with the color and shape of snow. Looking across the cemetery I experienced a flood of memories extending back to childhood and while not all of them were pleasant I was grateful for the experiences and being able to accept them. As I walked around I saw this tree standing as a silent witness to the world --- much like I was to my own world.

Last night I had a dream about my dog Iggy Pup. It was one of those dreams that is so real that you see, smell and touch. Iggy Pup was a big American Foxhound and possessed all the qualities of a stubborn and ingenious hound.


How does this relate to riding and memory aside from the random experience described above? For the past few years I have been working to pay attention more to my life and not allow myself to be devoured by things that rob me of what is important. The noise and chaos of everyday living can easily put a man to sleep. I did not want to wake up on my death bed and realize I squandered my life. I have used writing, photography, video and now riding as tools to pay attention. The link to the video below was made to help me understand, pay attention to, and accept things that were part of my life. And not just the good things like a loving family, a good job, friends and a scooter in the garage but also those difficult transitions that we all face eventually. As I thought about my experience on the way home yesterday I realized that the Vespa has a powerful ability to heighten my awareness not only of the road but my entire life. And from that awareness I form memory, something important to who I am.



For those of you who ride recreationally this might seem a stretch. For those riders who have succumbed to the siren song and ride longer than seems prudent you may already be experiencing some of these unexpected gifts. Life unfolds at its own pace whether we are paying attention or not and I do not want to miss any of it.

Riding Out of a Warm Bed

It's that time of year when I face the daily challenge of leaving a warm bed. It's not a reflection of my desire to ride but simply the hurdle I leap in a run away from comfort. When the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM and the house is cold I want to stay under the covers. It's 25° F this morning. I'll gear up shortly and ride to work and smiling while I'm doing it. But oh those transitions....

It happened last night after I got home from work. Sitting on the couch with Kim in a nice warm house and I have to gear up and ride run some errands and go to a meeting. It's dark and it's cold and I want to stay where I am. But I made the leap and rode off and was excited to be riding. The picture above was made when I stopped at the local library to pick up a few new books. It reminds me that I love riding and that the cold or night is just another landscape to manage and enjoy.

I came across a Web site for the Underground Terrorist Motorcycle Cult. They have a section of their site titled Snow Riding Bastards. These guys thumb their noses at snow and cold. I bet they don't suffer the wussy transition reaction I do. Someday I'll be stronger!

And as the cold settles in this winter the transition gets a bit easier but I probably won't ever be able to say I look forward to riding out of a warm bed.

The Perfect Motorcycle Dealership

I don't think I'm unique in looking forward to walking through the doors of any kind of establishment engaged in the commerce of motorcycles, scooters and related products. Part of the experience of riding and owning is being able to browse and dream about the machines and accessories that promise to make the riding life complete.

The dominant business model in this industry makes it relatively easy to avoid actually spending money so I should consider myself lucky that I have not encountered the perfect motorcycle dealership. I have visited a variety of large and small, old and new businesses and apart from cosmetic and spatial differences they seem to all conduct themselves in the same manner.

So what exactly is the perfect dealership? After some thought I think the perfect dealership would embrace:

Here are some of the things that the perfect dealership would embrace:

REALISTIC HOURS
I'm not talking about hours that will make the staff happy. I'm talking about hours that will make me happy. I work during the week so I don't care a whole lot of about what the daytime Monday through Friday hours are. I want the place open when I am not at work and can actually visit the place. I don't want to see the doors lock at 6PM on weekdays, 5PM on Saturday, and Closed on Sunday. Come on now. You need to be open until at least 10PM every day. Think about the L.L. Bean model in Freeport. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Perfect Dealership will be open when I am out riding and need to see what kind of CrampBusters they have in stock.

Now some will say that there is no reason for these hours because there is no traffic through the doors. That leads me to the next set of things. You need to make the place welcoming. Give me reasons to come and keep me coming back. Let's visit the Barnes and Noble model for a moment.

OUR STUFF IS YOUR STUFF
When I go to Barnes and Noble I see people using it like a library. They are reading books and magazines for hours and then walk out the door without spending a cent. The Perfect Motorcycle Dealership won't have those annoying signs the say "Please Don't Touch" of "Don't sit in the Motorcycles". Instead the big sign on the wall will say "Feel Free to Sit on the Bikes, Start Them Up, Take them For a Ride." I'll be able to stop every Sunday afternoon and take something different for a ride and not feel like a pervert for even suggesting it.

RIDER COMFORTS
And lets not stop there. I'm a guest in this establishment and should be treated accordingly. That means a lot of big easy chairs to sit and stare at the bikes. To talk with other riders and just relax or get warm. And the place will have a small cafe to provide for the sustenance necessary to truly appreciate machines and accessories. And wireless Internet access for those riders who want to telecommute and work on projects in a warm and friendly environment. And the place will employ some people who were alive when Truman or Eisenhower was President.

INVENTORY
This perfect place will have an extensive inventory of new and used bikes and scooters, riding gear for all seasons, and well-researched accessories for every machine on the floor. Lots of downright useful gear. Just like L.L. Bean.

I really believe a place like this could make some money. But it will require a long-term vision for success, something sadly lacking in the American business mind. And it will require a cultural leap of faith to stop looking at new motorcycles as precious objects to be worships, polished, lined up, and protected from those who covet them.

So I'll keep my eyes open for the Perfect Dealership. Maybe one already exists. If so I would love to hear about it. Until then I will have to fulfill a big part of this dream by riding to Barnes and Noble for a cup of tea, chocolate chip cookie, and Rider magazine....