Riding Towards Christmas

Every year it seems as if life shifts into high gear this time of year. I struggle to stay tuned into the Christmas spirit and stop to enjoy the simple things. It took some gentle persuasion by Kim to nudge me out the door one evening to shoot a picture of the little snow-covered tree in our front yard.

After some bad weather and hectic work schedule I managed to get out on the weekend for a ride after more gentle nudges by Paul. In his honor I made another jumping picture. As he prepared to leap from the platform at the back of the train all I could imagine was a broken ankle. Safety experts at work counsel farmers to not jump down from their tractors due to the high incidence of injury. The same counsel should be offered to riders who jump from trains.

We arrived in Bellefonte during the last moments of their Victorian Christmas Celebration. I managed to photograph one of the carriages drawn by a team of Percheron horses transporting people around town. These events are always shine with more seasonal magic if there’s snow but this time everyone had to be content with 40-degree weather.

Paul and I idled the remains of the day at Cool Beans Coffee and Tea but eventually had to head for home before it got dark and the temperature dropped below freezing making the chance ice spot more probable.

The sun hit the horizon about six miles from home and the temperature dropped to 33 degrees by that time as well.

Stopping to look out over the valley I remembered that the Christmas tree farm where we get our tree was off in the distance. Even though I was riding towards home I was also riding towards a tree as well. Perhaps this weekend if the snow isn’t too bad I’ll bring one home.

Two-Lane Blacktop

A colleague at work recently began riding. About the same time he spread his blogging wings and has slowly been moving forward on both fronts. Jonathan is riding a vintage BMW R75/7 airhead in wonderful condition. I'm not sure the precise year but it is definitely a fine looking machine. Jonathan shows all the makings of a serious rider and blogger but as those of you already involved in this type of enterprise know it is a struggle sometimes to figure out how to fit it into an already busy life.

So I thought I would introduce his blog, Two-Lane Blacktop, to everyone so you can perhaps watch it develop from infancy. I am always curious about the directions taken by riders and writers both in the world and in a blog.

Jonathan and I have not ridden together but if I can coax him out onto the road this winter you may see that black BMW in pictures with the Vespa GTS.

Update on John's Surgery

I spoke with John on the phone a few minutes ago and he is in good spirits and all signs are positive concerning today's graft surgery. Surgeons drilled into the bone and saw blood indicating that the bone was alive and well, skin was grafted over the exposed bone and if it takes he could be back home, or at least at a facility in town by Christmas.

We talked a bit about his future on two wheels but I will leave it to him to comment in that area. He may post here or send me something. We both agreed that it is a personal decision that no one else can make.

A Prayer for John

Riders everywhere often feel some level of connection to other riders when an accident occurs. My friend John will be undergoing surgery this Friday and I ask that you consider taking a moment to say a prayer for him. Even if this is not something you do or believe perhaps you would pretend this once. What could it hurt to add to the positive feelings in the world...

John sent the letter below to friends and family to let us know what was in store. I hope none of you ever have to send such a letter.


Dear All,

The surgeons haven’t made a final decision on the procedure yet—either a major skin graft, a muscle graft from above the knee, or else attempt another flap using part of the gastroc (calf) muscle. They will confer on the approach and let me know, but we got a green flag from infectious disease, whom the plastic surgeons thought would be very conservative and make us wait two weeks. The ID doc said, “Now or never. It doesn’t make any sense to wait; if they can do this next Friday, that would be fine.”

So, apparently the infection is down enough that it won’t harm the graft – they weren’t sure whether the dying graft caused the infection, or the infection killed off part of the graft. But the wound is now very clean, and the infection is diminished, so here we go.

All the doctors are saying they want to avoid the free flap surgery, which takes muscle from the stomach, and then they microsurgically attach healthy arteries and veins in the leg to the transplanted muscle. Dr. Bitterly says that procedure has about a 70% success rate, and he would only do it if it were “4th and 99, and we’re not there yet.”

He also said that sometimes the patient and surgeons reach a mutual point of frustration, where it’s just not worth it to go on. He says we’re not there yet either. His colleague, Dr. Harter, who did all the orthopedic work, is fond of saying, “Save the leg, lose the soul.” In other words, the leg can really take over the focus of one’s life. But we still have two arrows in the quiver—this Friday’s graft, and the free flap, should that become an option.

So, positive attitudes, thoughts and prayers everybody. It’s kinda like a televised World Series—they always take it to Game Seven. Well, that’s enough sports metaphors. I hope this finds you well, and that things go smoothly this Friday and after. Will keep you posted, and thanks for all your kind thoughts, prayers and support all along.

More later – love, John

Morning Expedition

When I went to bed last night the weather forecast for my morning commute was questionable. Snow squalls through the night with warming temperatures around the freezing mark around 7 AM. And winds gusting to 50 MPH. Laying in bed I wondered when one of the big spruce trees would crash through the bedroom ceiling. As I fell to sleep I figured I would be driving the truck to work. Probably the smart choice.

At 6AM rain and blowing wind painted a gloomy picture outside the window. Even the dog hesitated at the door before braving the elements. Standing out in front of the house it didn’t seem that awfully cold – 32° F with 50 MPH gusts – hell, I could ride in that. And so I began my morning expedition.

Not even a mile from home I rode into heavy sleet. That coupled with a badly fogged visor and fast traffic forced me off the road to regroup. And take a picture of the Vespa idling as I decided the best course of attack.

With visor clear and a long break in traffic I rode towards town in heavy wind but thankfully only wet roads. I took extra caution at intersections, curves and any other places I could see myself of others breaking free on a sudden slippery spot. At traffic lights I took the opportunity to warm my aching fingers on the headlight. Parking at the office I kept the GTS as close to the building as I could in hopes that it would not blow over in the wind. What a great ride!

I wasn’t feeling well and left for home around 1PM. The forecast called for snow and it was a good thing I left when I did. Sitting in the living room I watched the snow begin to fall and cover the ground and road with a slippery coating of ice and snow. It would not have been fun to ride in that with the wind blowing so hard. Right now it's dark, cold, and windy. Everything is shaking. At least the Christmas lights haven't blown away.


I know I will be driving tomorrow. Looking outside it just feels to cold to imagine anything else. I'll have to chip the snow off the truck and burn up some gas...

Looking Down the Road at Risk and Regret

I’ve not posted in over ten days and I have been avoiding this one for over a month – from the time my friend John rode his BMW into a garbage truck on the way to work. The Pennsylvania State Police cited him for riding too fast for conditions. As John commented “You should be able to stop for something as large as a garbage truck.”


His well ridden (Iron Butt rider) motorcycle won’t see any further service and sets in pieces at his home. And physically the future is cloudy.

His injuries were severe with a month in intensive care and weeks more in acute care. Dozens of medical procedures, operations, and hundreds of thousands of dollars later he’s still in medical limbo on whether he’ll be able to keep his right leg.


Multiple compound fractures, infection, and failed muscle grafts have created a ponderous challenge for John and the medical team. The hospital he's being treated in has wireless internet access so John has sent numerous dispatches in the way of images, PDF files, and PowerPoint presentations.


I've included a few to give you an idea of the physical nature of his injuries. I've not included the more graphic ones from early in the process.

For the past few weeks I’ve noticed the accident is present while riding. Situations appear while riding that requires consideration and assessment. That process has come to include a scenario for catastrophe – a direct result of thoughts about John’s accident. I’ve always been aware of the risk that comes with riding but I have begun to wonder about regret.

Like pilots who don’t talk about crashes I question my own mental turning of this subject. For good or ill it is the way my mind works and I don’t easily let stuff like this pass. No matter who or what is at fault in an accident a person is left with their own situation. And I suppose everyone would regret an accident, a bad decision, an unfortunate circumstance. I ask myself thought would I regret ever having gotten on the Vespa if I found myself in John’s situation. If I was spending time looking at an injured leg not in control or sure of what was going to happen. Would I? Would you?


Weighed against those thoughts is the question asked at the end of my life “Would I regret it if I stopped riding or never rode at all?” That answer would be different for everyone and dependant on what place riding occupies in a person’s life. For me, riding is more than transportation and it surpasses recreation. It touches something spiritually fundamental in me the same way photography and writing has. I would be diminished if I stopped riding.

Many riders do stop after an accident. I’ve not considered stopping nor have I become fearful on the road but something has changed. Perhaps I’ve matured. John and I have not talked of regrets but he has said the accident has put him at a major life crossroad. He’s not sure if he’ll be able or willing to ride again.


Surgeons have attached a vacuum pump to the severe wound on his leg in hopes of eventually making it ready for a muscle graft to allow the leg to finally heal and save his leg. It’s a day-by-day assessment.

So I continue to ride to work and make the occasional trip through the countryside with my camera. Riding down the road I’m aware that I am solely responsible for anything that happens to me. I’m not talking about legal responsibility but actual responsibility for living. It’s not a matter of right and wrong. I am the one who has to live in the circumstances I find thinking about this stuff has taken a bit of the luster from the road.

Ride to Nowhere

Before I begin I want to extend to each of you warm wishes for our day of thanksgiving. In a complicated world it’s easy to overlook the bounty that is before us.

There are some days, dare I say it, that I don’t feel much like riding. Thoughts I had earlier in the week of a long ride evaporated among an assortment of chores and responsibilities. Plans abandoned I still had the day off from work and rode into town to have breakfast with my friend Howard. After a leisurely meal, discussions of hikes and canoe trips, reviewing the state of his airplane, and generally assessing the state of the world we said our goodbyes and I headed for the bank to get a little cash for the holidays.

Emerging from the bank I stood for a while looking at the scooter, the darkening sky, and wondered if I should take a ride. I had a few hours but had no idea where I should go. Seeing the approaching darkness what better course than to head straight for it.

While those might sound like foolhardy words keep in mind that the temperature was rising towards 55 degrees and only a chance of scattered rain showers existed. I rode directly west out of town and turned off the main road onto a small road that I had somehow missed in the decades I have been prowling this area.

I rode along a narrow road through forested land enjoying the scenery; the fragrance of decaying leaves and the slow easy riding that abounds in this region. Progress was slow as I stopped often just to look around, take a picture, and just enjoy the complete disconnection from the normal workday.

Then I come to a turn onto Ardrey Hollow Road. A sign greets this turn saying “Snow Tires or Chains Required”. What better invitation could there be. At this point I depart from the paved road and travel up the mountain on a gravel road.

On the first ridge a road turns off to the left past a cemetery. This one is paved and I would probably been well advised to take that one but instead I only stopped to take a look at one of the old cemeteries that can be found throughout the hills in this part of Pennsylvania.

There are a number of Ardrey’s buried here, no doubt the namesakes of the road and hollow. The oldest died in 1830 at the age of 63 years, 11 months, and 3 days.

After a look around I get back on Ardrey Hollow Road and continue on towards the Allegheny Front which is some hundreds of feet higher.

The road continues to wind it’s way upwards with sweeping views across the valley. I continue to stop and look around and wonder where this road goes. The Moshanon State Forest lies ahead somewhere farther up the mountain.

Around a bend and the road narrows. Traffic is non-existent so I can park in the middle of the road for a picture. The Vespa handles things nicely and I have a full tank of gas so what the heck.

Reaching a crossroad I know where left and right will take me. The muddier choice straight ahead is unknown. As I sit at the bottom of the hill a pickup truck comes down the road and stops to ask me if I am going to try to go up the mountain on that “thing”. He says it’s pretty muddy and rocky. This is where the smart rider would turn left of right but I’ve already decided I need to find out where this road goes. How bad could the mud be anyways?

Mostly the Vespa moved along fine. There were a few places where the road was more rock that road and sudden areas of sloppy mud that seemed more like heavy snow and slush than dirt road. This is where tires with aggressive tread would be useful to keep the scooter from wandering and wanting to fall down.

The scooter slogged along slowly at times working so hard that the radiator fans kicked in to cool the engine down. I was getting tired using my feet as outriggers to keep everything upright.

Eventually I emerged onto Strawband Beaver Road, still gravel but definitely a hard and stable surface.

I could move along at 35 mph providing the scooter and I some welcome natural cooling effect. It is still bear hunting season here and I wondered if anyone would confuse me with a black bear. It was only a passing thought.

I found a familiar paved road just in time to head for home. The scooter had some mud under the fenders and on the engine but nothing a garden hose wouldn’t fix. After riding through the messy stuff you really appreciate a smooth paved road. Just one more thing to be thankful for.

Tire Testing for Snow Traction

Snow was falling when I got up this morning with enough sticking to the road surface to create a thin layer of slushy ice – perfect for testing my Pirelli GTS 23 and 24 tires for traction in the slippery stuff. These are considered sport-touring tires and replaced the stock Sava’s that the Vespa came with. The Pirelli’s have a central front groove designed for improved wet performance. They are also noticeably quieter than the Sava’s running down the road.

Even though the snow came down pretty hard at times the road surface shifted back and forth between wet and slush so I had to look for places to test braking, sliding, and traction in general. It was slow going as I got my winter riding legs limbered up a bit. All the moisture in the air coupled with near freezing temperatures made for excellent visor fogging.

The tires were surprisingly good in the slush. I had to work hard to get the wheels to lock up. The tread pattern seemed to push the slush out of the way and gave pretty good contact with the road surface. I was doing all this testing in the 20 to 35 MPH range. Nothing fast, just a slow speed comparable to what I would do on a commute to work in this kind of weather. I'll have to wait to see how they do when there is deeper snow on the road. Something tells me they won't do very well chewing through that.

Swinging through town you can see two things. The Christmas decorations are already up and there is no traffic. Granted it was Sunday morning and everyone was probably in church, but I have a marked advantage from a lot of people in terms of traffic.

I’m sure there are better tires for winter riding. The Continental ContiNavigators have a mud and snow rating and come in sizes for the Vespa GTS 250ie. Not sure you can get them in the United States though. I suspect there isn’t much of a market.

Front Door Decisions

Just a brief dispatch from the sticks. Lately it seems I stand at the front door every morning deciding whether I will ride or drive. Weather, work activity, or just how I feel. I make a conscious decision on whether to roll the Vespa out of the garage. This morning the temperature was steady at 35 degrees with snow flurries. I wondered whether I would get half way to work and the snow would start to stick on the road. Or on the way home.

I haven’t been riding much lately so that made the decision pretty easy. Later in the season the decision would be faster. The cold weather still has me on edge. My blood seems thin. Stopping to take a picture with some of the last colored leaves of fall I could feel my hands getting cold as I fumbled with the camera. Again thoughts of heated gloves dance in my head. Arriving at work I knew I made the right decision and plenty of motorcycle spaces were available. The only other two-wheeled vehicle in the lot was a friends Yamaha 125 Vino.

Tomorrow will bring similar weather and another decision…

Wet Leaves and Other Natural Wonders

Not much riding this week. Work kept me in need of the truck. A collection of unfortunate coincidence. When I finally rolled out of the driveway yesterday it was onto wet pavement and leaves. At this time of year the roads have a lot of them and when wet they can be like ice. More reminders of things to come.


I had things to do at work so I had to get up a bit early to give myself time to meander into the office. The clouds quickly gave way to blue sky and warming temperatures. The red barn was just part of the illuminated landscape. With all the apparent color it made perfect sense that I would choose this morning to bring along a camera loaded with black and white film.


Ever the thoughtful planner I left the camera on the front seat of the truck in the driveway to enjoy the 29-degree chill. The moment I removed the lens cap the cold glass introduced to the moist air created a mini-fog on the front element. I grew impatient waiting for the sun to clear things up so I unzipped and unbuttoned down to my black t-shirt and wiped the lens clean so I could make a few exposures. Nothing like an old worn t-shirt to clean a lens.


In spite of turning my camera on these open farmlands with sweeping trees a hundred times I’m still smitten. And surprised. I swear sometimes the places are rearranged. Time and chemistry will reveal surprise or frustration---probably tomorrow evening. Riding on I came across another interesting natural hazard – the Osage Orange.


There is a large Osage Orange tree along one of the country roads I sometimes ride to work on. The fruit are about the size of softballs, hard, and heavy. Another instance where a helmet is a nice thing.


These specimens along the road seem innocent enough until you realize the tree is on the other side of the road. Lots of these guys fall on the road and I have to thing more than a few have struck the unsuspecting cage operator.


Just looking at those things starts to give me the shivers when I think about having one ding my pretty Vespa. There aren’t many of these trees around though so I don’t have much to worry about.

The rest of the ride was relaxed. This evening the temperature will drop to the mid 30’s with a chance of snow showers during the night. I’m riding the Vespa to work tomorrow regardless. I’m getting a bit antsy not having ridden much of late. This weekend I have to get out and go. Who cares if the temperature will approach the freezing mark…

Watch For Ice

The sign stood out like a warning beacon as the Vespa and I crawled to work by roads largely free of traffic. A quick check of the online weather forecast promised, suggested, guessed, predicted there would be no snow, a short period of light rain, and air temperatures approaching 40 degrees under cloudy skies. Snowflakes danced through the air as I pulled out of the driveway. I had already tested the road surface to confirm adequate traction. The ambient air temperature gauge on the GTS displayed a chilly 35 degrees.

The first snow of the year, even this snow for effect, causes me to shift mental gears. Something happens. I have trouble explaining to riders and non-riders why I ride in cold weather. Last night Kim and I were watching Seven Years in Tibet and Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer came as close to describing my feelings about riding as I have come across as he describes to the young Dalai Lama what he loves about climbing mountains:

“The absolute simplicity. That’s what I love. When you’re climbing your mind is clear… freed of all confusions. You have focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, sounds are richer, and you are filled with the deep, powerful presence of life.”

It is like that for me riding the Vespa.

When the potential for slick roads increases I make a number of riding adjustments. The first is occasional stops to assess available traction. I want something other than the tires telling me they are breaking loose.

I also decrease speed. Depending on where I am and what the weather is like it can be pretty dramatic. Other times it means slowing to the speed limit, which this morning meant I had instant company on my back wheel. I’ll pull over or just keep moving along but I usually can’t be coaxed to go faster. The creative driver though can influence me to go much slower though.

Finally, I choose different routes. Usually choices are made in order to have less traffic and always mean longer distances and slower speeds. But they are safer in bad weather. I’m fortunate to have good alternative routes.

Last night Kim and I were watching Seven Years in Tibet and Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer came as close to describing my feelings about riding as I have come across as he describes to the young Dalai Lama what he loves about climbing mountains:

“The absolute simplicity. That’s what I love. When you’re climbing your mind is clear… freed of all confusions. You have focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, sounds are richer, and you are filled with the deep, powerful presence of life.”

It is like that for me riding the Vespa.



This morning brought me across several farm fields via mud or gravel lanes. No one pressures you here though you do have to keep your eyes open for those infernal single strand wires stretched across lanes between fences.



You can’t get too worked up though since these aren’t public roads. Travel at your own risk and such. Slow and steady are the watchwords.



By lunch time the snow was falling harder but still not sticking to the ground. Air temperature remained at 35 degrees but I started to wonder about the possibility of a sudden decline and snow on the road for the ride home. Add to that the shorter days and less light and winter commuting can be a challenge. And it’s not even winter yet.

Same technique on the way home plus the added frustration of visor fogging made worse by bright headlights. At times visibility evaporated and speed declined accordingly. The routes I ride allow for drastic changes in speed. Riding in this kind of weather in heavy traffic would be a nightmare and I would work hard to avoid it.



Stopped on the way home for milk before the last dash for home. Dark and raining I wandered off the main roads through neighborhoods and along secondary streets. The roads remained wet but not slippery.

Thinking about what’s to come I wish I would have purchased those Kenda K761 tires that Gary Charpentier so adamantly endorsed. And a pair of Gerbing electric gloves would just be nice. I suppose I could take the bus. The truck stands ready but I filled it up last night to the tune of $53. That’s just depressing.

For now I’ll keep riding the GTS.

Vespa Go Green Video Challenge Winners

It's always nice to dream that someone, somewhere, sometime, will step up and give you something for free. Like a Vespa scooter. For Vespa enthusiasts and video creators Rex Hermogino, Eric Brewer, and James Eckes they actually did something about it and are now the proud winners of a Vespa GTS 250, LX 150, and LX 50 respectively. Their videos were judged best in the competion sponsored by Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. The video below is the winner submitted by Rex and is and exceptional piece of work. It has one of those tunes with it that gets into your head.



For complete information check out the news release from Vespa.
Go Green Vespa Video Challenge Winners

Congratulations to Rex, Eric, and James!

To Ride or Not to Ride

That is the question.

One that goes beyond any momentary consideration of weather. It’s a question of time and choices. Riding for riding’s sake and not for transportation. Transportation is a simple question to answer and so is the weather. What I’m talking about is making a choice to ride when I have nowhere to go. When the choice to ride means I won’t be raking leaves or paying bills. Time spent with friends or family will give way to time on the road. That choice is more difficult.

This past weekend was perfect riding weather. Gray skies, cool air, and no one on the road. And I had a ton of work to do. More than normal and the days pass quickly. I feel the clock. I make the choice to ride though I don’t know if it’s the right one.

It’s easy to say I need to ride to stay sane but I know that’s not true. If I never rode again I would retain my grip on reality. I also know that riding has changed me. For the better and that’s something that’s hard to dismiss. But still I’m left with much responsibility and a fixed amount of time.

The ride was short, sixty miles with a stop for breakfast. The temperature hovered around 50 degrees and the skies remained heavy with cloud cover. Farmers were cutting corn and spills of the hard yellow stuff were evident on and along the roads, another road surface hazard that could surprise the unwary rider on dry roads.

Stopping by a small lake in Pennsylvania Furnace Paul offered to leap through another picture. Looking at it now I see myself responding to the question of riding.