The Contemplative Ride

I have been thinking about why I ride. The easy answer is it’s fun, a recreational moment away from the noise of work and responsibility. The past couple days I have been reading why other people ride their motorcycles and scooters and have focused on a post on the “Musings of an Intrepid Commuter” blog site that suggests riding can be a path towards a wider understanding of one’s life. I find myself asking if a spirit of contemplation exists for me while I ride, something akin to the Buddhist idea of a meditative walk. There are common elements. I ride alone. I seek out empty stretches of landscape, places where I feel alone. Solitude.

I can’t always find the time to engage this sort of ride, but when I do the results are worth the effort. The temperature by morning will be in the teens but I plan to ride. It won’t be fun or recreational under those circumstances, but it will be positive. And I will feel better for doing it.

Breakfast Ride

Some mornings everything in the universe aligns and the day is perfect. The temperature at 7AM was 38F and rising, the sun was out, and I was going to ride the scooter to a local restaurant to have breakfast with my friend Howard.

Riding in I could see the warm glow of sunlight across the empty cornfields and along the ridgetops. This was one of those days I wished I could just keep riding and skip work. Such is not to be and I had to go to the office after breakfast and get "busy".

The Vespa awaits my return.

A Ride Before the Snow

Yesterday morning I was out on the road by 8:30AM. The air was still at 25 degrees with a promise of snow beginning around noon. I had a few errands to run but my objective was to drive to Bellefonte to see the remains of the historic Bush House Hotel which just burned to the ground.

The Vespa had just been to the dealer for an oil change and new rear tire. They adjusted the valve lash and generally gave it a good going over to make sure everything was functioning well and the scooter passed with no problems or issues. Bellefonte is about 15 miles north of here as the crow flies so it would be a nice ride. Stopped at a nearby Sheetz market for $3.00 of gas and then on the road to Bellefonte.

Before Christmas I bought a pair of Roadmaster snowmobile gloves to keep my hands warm but they still get chilly so I had to stop once just to warm my hands from the heat of the muffler. I had frostbite a couple years back and that hand now gets cold fast---probably from poor circulation. The ride was beautiful and the air was clear. Coming into Bellefonte I could see the pile of rubble that was once a magnificent hotel. A steam shovel had already gotten to the remains so it was mostly a big pile of nothing. I turned up the street towards the Kool Beans Coffee shop and parked myself there to have a cup of hot chocolate before walking down to look at the rubble.

After leaving Bellefonte I made a stop at "Nature's Cover", a place that sells stone, gravel, top soil and other compents necessary for serious garden construction and maintenance. I got some prices on various things and figured this year I'll need about two dump trucks full of stuff. So much for transporting on the scooter.

I did run some errands that the Vespa was fine for. A stop at Angelina's Italian food store supplied me with a loaf of fresh baked bread, two pieces of a meat frittata, some cookies, piece of chocolate cake, and a few other little delicacies. Hung the bag on the hook on the front of the seat and rode home.

There is about 3 inches of snow on the ground now and I am not planning on riding for the next few days. I have a lot of work to do in the darkroom so it is probably a good thing I park the scooter. I find myself wanting to ride at the expense of doing other things that have to be done. Like finishing the work for an exhibition coming up in April. I even started to wonder if this BLOG is just a distraction from the things I need to be doing.....

Circumstances interfere with riding

I took the day off work today to do a few errands and then go for a ride. The temperature is 25 F but that's OK. Was going to swing by the Vespa dealer and have them install the new rear rack that I ordered. The plans were a lock. A few minutes ago I heard a "boom" in the basement. Walking down the stairs I could smell something wasn't right. Looks like the boiler or circulation pump has blown. Hot water everywhere. So much for the ride.

Seems like everything is getting between me and the Vespa these past 10 days. Now I have to hang around waiting for the repair people who will arrive anywhere between now and tonight.

So much for riding in the landscape. But I have hopes to still sneak out.

Seeing Things

I was on my way to the Vespa dealer to get a new rear tire and have the oil changed when I saw this horse standing by himself in a field. He was watching me approach. His ears were alert and I new he was paying attention. I pulled over and he walked up to the gate and even though I walked off to the side he kept staring at the scooter. Maybe he thought it was a distant grey cousin or something.

This is what I like about riding the scooter. I see things that I would never see in a car. And even if I did I would NEVER stop. Riding on the scooter has allowed me to experience the area that I call home all over again. Everything is new.

I just love riding.

First Rain Experience

I've been riding in cold and light snow all winter. Scooter functions fine and I am up to the task down to about 15 degrees. But I have just not wanted to go out in the rain---until today. The temperature was in the forties and the sky was a dark grey with intermittent rain. Mid afternoon the sun broke through and the world had that wet gold glow. I got on the scooter and was off.

Two miles down the road the sky grew dark and the rain started. I got wet but it was fine. If I was going to ride for long periods in the rain I would have to dress differently but for the 10 miles today my riding jacket and jeans were fine.

Made this photograph right after the first rain stopped and the next began. I will be using my foul weather gear from sailing next time.

Midnight Ride

At a few minutes before midnight last night I made a trip to the local video store about 5 miles away. The temperature dipped to around 30 degrees with a clear sky. I really enjoy riding at night when the traffic is minimal. I wonder if those who rode horses for transportation felt the same way? Just being alone and moving under the sky.

Still love riding the scooter. Glad I did not purchase the Triumph I had planned for.

The Cold is No Problem

A morning without slippery stuff---no snow or ice on the road. It was 18 degrees F when I left the house but heavy gloves and the right clothes cope with that. I was delighted to be able to ride the scooter. My ride home will be at a balmy 40 degrees and the sky is a nice clear blue. I am definitely looking forward to spring though so I can ride more often.

The scooter will go into the shop at Kissell Motorsports next week for its second oil change, lube and service. They are ordering a chrome rack for the Vespa too so I will able to carry some more stuff around.

steve

Leisurely Ride around State College

I got up yesterday morning and was faced with a weather forecast that said 45 degrees F (good)and a chance of rain shower (not so good). After stepping out the front door to test the air I decided I just had to take a ride. So off I go towards the local Sheetz store to put air in my tires. By the time I got there and the tires were warm I was up to the right pressures. The only other errands I had to run was a trip to the post office and then to Lowe's to pick up a toilet tank replacement kit---all that stuff inside the tank that makes it flush so nicely. But I digress.....

The Vespa is just fun to ride anywhere. Errands become adventures and after having this scooter for almost 6 months it as just as fun as the day I drove it from the dealer. I decided to take a short jaunt around some of the farms here and made this photograph while riding the farm lanes. The Vespa is not a dirt bike but does fine on the dirt and gravel if you don't have to drive like you're in a motocross race. And you can get knobby tires but that would just be wrong.

Last stop of the day was at a new Italian gourmet store with takeout food. Just another stop on the growing list of scooter destinations.

Still riding, accidentally deleted pictures

I have continued to ride when the roads are dry though around here that is becoming more and more rare. I took some pictures but accidentally deleted them from my camera before copying them to the computer. Man, they were great! *grin*

The Vespa is approaching 2300 miles so I am 300 away from my next oil change. Kissell Motorsports called to tell me they have the new rear racks in for the LX150 so I might have to have a look.

I took a shortcut home yesterday by using the freeway. I was moving along nicely at 60 MPH when I hit a huge crosswind. Good thing I was holding on tight otherwise I might have flown away. It was bad enough that I had to get off at the next exit and use the backroads. Even then the wind was strong. Really came up suddenly.

It's raining right now and is forecast to change to snow. The prediction for the morning is clear and 30 degrees so perhaps I can get some riding in then.

Other than that there just isn't much to report. Oh.... I did sell my 8x10 view camera and acquired a Mamiya 7. I can carry that along on the scooter. I still have plans to start some sort of scooter based/inspired photography project.

Altoona Trek

The weather forecast predicted temperatures in the 40s today so I thought I would take the scooter out for a nice long ride. Thermometer read 35 degrees when I left and the roads were clear. As the sun started to appear it got even a bit warmer though water began appearing on the roads as snow and ice melted. I managed to miss most of the spray from other vehicles but the Vespa will get a bath shortly.

MapQuest says its 48 miles to Altoona from my house but that is the more direct freeway route. I spent two hours and 58 miles on the scooter. That included one stop for hot chocolate, two stops to take pictures, and one last stop for tea. My only complaint was that my hands would get cold and I needed some heavier gloves. Altoona obliged me with a nice heavy pair of TourMaster gloves. They were perfect at $38.00.

This picture was made near Seven Stars, Pennsylvania on the morning route to Altoona.

The 19 degree ride

I decided last night that I would ride the Vespa to work this morning. The forecast called for a dusting of snow and temperatures in the teens. When I got up there was fresh dry snow on the driveway. The road was mostly clear with a few streaks of white here and there. The temperture was 19 degrees.

I don't have any formal winter riding gear. I put on long underwear, shirt, pile shirt, windstopper jacket and on top of it all my Triumph armored jacket (vented). I have a Mountain Hardware skimask and full face helmet. That is plenty as long as I stay dry and the temperture doesn't drop below 15. Someday maybe I'll get a one-piece riding suit.

The main roads into town were mostly clear and I could ride along with the traffic. Once in town on secondary streets I found some to be covered with a frosting of worn snow. I stopped and put my feet down to check the slickness and decided to slow down a bit more. Down the hill to the first stop sign I used the rear brake and was fine. Got to my free parking and walked on to work. I took this photograph from the library across the street.

I have to say it was just fun riding in cold and all. When I ride the bus or drive my car I am just putting up with the commute. This is a much better use of my life.

The Vespa on Christmas Errands

After reading "The Baron in Winter" I decided to ride the Vespa today to finish up some shopping errands. The driveway is still a solid block of smooth ice from the ice pellet storm a few days ago. I had to carefully walk the scooter to the street and drier pavement. The temperature was a balmy 27 degrees and a clear blue sky. The picture shows the ice that I departed from....

The roads were mostly dry but I had to be wary of those sudden patches of snow and ice that seem to always appear on turns. I saw a big sheet of ice come off the top of an SUV about 100 yards ahead of me---glad I was not right behind it when that mass sailed onto the road.

Riding was wonderful. The scooter needs some cleaning so the salt spray doesn't do too much harm so I will figure out what to do with that. Stopped to fill up the tank--- 2 bucks!

Made it to three different stores, bought everything I wanted to get including three new pairs of jeans. Everything fit nicely under the seat or in a bag hanging from the seat.

I'll keep thinking about that riding in real snow. Not quite up to that yet.

The Baron in Winter

I read a post this morning on a blog titled "The Baron in Winter" that provided a reminder of playing in the snow as a kid. Gary (the Baron rider) compared the fun he has riding and putting up with the snow and cold as a lot like the times spent in the snow as a kid building snow forts, sledding, and generally getting cold and wet---all overlooked for the sheer fun of it.

I don't see many kids out in the snow around here unless a parent has dragged them out. I suppose they're inside watching SpongeBob SquarePants and playing with their XBox. I remember those times outside playing in the winter. When I am riding the scooter I have fun just like I did 40 years ago.

I'd like to say that I ride for some of the other reasons Gary suggests---to not pose a threat to the safety of others and to save fuel. Sorry to say those aren't really motivating factors. I like not spending lots of cash on keeping the Ford Ranger in gas but that wasn't the motivation. for me it was the desire to have fun. And I do.

So after reading "The Baron in Winter" this morning I think I will take a ride on the Vespa. It's only 27 degrees right now and the roads are pretty clear. No moisture in the air. I think I can handle that.

steve

Too much snow and ice...

Have not had the scooter out in a week. The roads are covered in salt debris, gravel, patches of snow and ice and I am not willing to chance riding right now. The scooter rests comfortably in the garage and there will always be a warm day here and there during the winter to ride.

Riding alone

If given the choice I prefer to ride alone. I used to think it was because I'm anti-social or deficient in skills necessary to interact with others but I have come to realize I relish time alone. Riding by myself is an opportunity to completely disconnect from the world and just be present with myself. I see, smell, and hear things that I would completely miss if I was concentrating on staying in my lane so someone can ride along side me or that I don't run into the scooter in front of me. It's ok once in awhile but the big does of riding needs to be by myself.

When I do ride with a group I always take the last position. That way I can just linger along, stop, do whatever I want. If I lose them... oh well.

When I was considering the scooter one of the big selling points I was hearing from others was the social nature of scooter riders. I have found that to be true. But I think I have remained (at least in terms of riding) a loner.....

The picture above was taken on one of my many "by myself" rides.

Breaking 2000 mile mark on the Vespa

I planned to ride 60 miles this morning to Altoona but because of the threat of rain I chose to ride around locally. First stop was Barnes and Noble to check out the latest photography books and perhaps have something to eat. One the way I pass a quarry that I always find interesting to look at. The scooter makes it so much easier to stop and look at things than it does in a car...

Riding my Vespa with snow in the air

Went out this morning despite calls for snow. As long as the road is dry and I can see the pavement clearly I feel comfortable riding.

I made this image to prove the Vespa looks fine in snow. The yellow riding jacket is my nod to visibility. I like riding alone and in the winter the traffic falls off even more. Now all I need is some warmer gloves and I'll be all set.

Riding a Vespa LX150 at 20 degrees F.

Planned to ride to work this morning with the temperature a chilly 12 degrees. Was already to go until I found the black ice on the driveway and road. Took the bus rather than chance a spill in the dark on a spot of ice.

Got home and took a ride. By then the air warmed to 20 degrees and the sun made it possible to see the ice. Rode down to the Pump Station Cafe for a piece of chocolate pound cake. I really like the fact that you can park the scooter just about anywhere. I just ignore parking spaces....

Cold weather Vespa riding

Despite the fact that I have not posted in almost 2 months I have continued to ride. I am a dozen miles short of 2000. The cold weather has slowed me down a bit but through layering and some windproof clothing I can more or less comfortably ride in 20 degree weather.

This image was made during a cold morning ride last weekend.