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....

My Dog Ate my Torque Wrench

I didn't become the Vespa mechanic I had hoped to be. Instead I hung out with Kim during my last weekend of vacation before going back to work. When I did get on the scooter it was to buy a big chocolate chunk cookie to enjoy with my afternoon cup of Earl Grey tea and a magazine. The Vespa shop manual was nearby, but only physically. My mind was elsewhere.

But it's not my fault, there was rain, it was cold, I didn't have the right tools, my dog ate my torque wrench! I have to confess, all those hours lying under vehicles as a teenager still has left a bad taste in my mouth for all things mechanical. And the Vespa has not yet allowed me to embrace the joy of mechanical maintenance.

I did have all the parts to do the drive belt and variator weights change. And a new Michelin Pilot City front tire and sparkplug. I ordered everything from Motorsport Scooters in San Diego. There are several great scooter parts and accessory places but I have warmed up to them. If you need parts or want to dream about all the myriad of things you can buy for your scooter check them out and tell them Scooter in the Sticks sent you. Maybe they'll give me a Vespa key chain or something!

I did get the front tire changed and had found the torque wrench so I could tighten things correctly.


I thought of actually changing the tire myself but even that was too much to consider so I took it to the fine folks at Kissell Motorsports for mounting and balancing. All I had to do was take it off and put it back on the scooter. And of course I had to do the really critical testing of the tire and make sure the slippery factory coating was worn off the tire. Entirely for safety reasons you understand. And get that cookie.

So far the Michelin tire seems pretty nice. Certainly a lot smoother ride than I was getting with my Pirelli front tire with 7500 miles on it. I will do a more thorough evaluation of the tire once the roads get wet and cold.

And I will change that belt this week. I told my dog not to be fiddling with the torque wrench.

Thoughts of Riding North

Woke this morning with thoughts of riding north through Pine Creek Gorge. By the time I left the driveway I was on my way south with no particular destination in mind. The weather forecast promised sun and 50° Fahrenheit temperatures but all I saw was dark skies and my hands were cold before I went five miles. Those cold hands gave direction to the ride as I visualized a route that would take me past four motorcycle stores and the hopes of finding something warmer.

The Vespa ran smoothly all day. I have grown more comfortable with its ability to run flat out and perform regardless of conditions. Secondary roads with little traffic and travel speeds between 25 and 55 miles per hour are my first choice but I don't hesitate to join more congested or faster environments if necessary.

The first couple hours I wandered through the township roads that crisscross the mountains and farmland common in central Pennsylvania. I stop often to look around and take pictures that I can't imagine anyone wanting to ride with me unless they had a similar obsession with stopping. I joined the 65 MPH traffic on US Route 22 traveling west towards Hollidaysburg and Altoona. At the top of Short Mountain I stopped to take a picture for Kim of Louie's Coral Lounge.


This place has been around since I first came to this area in 1972 and was once a fine dining establishment. Over the years it has declined into a hybrid roadhouse until I guess it could not make ends meet anymore. Riding down the mountain I stopped to take a photo of the leaves that are now past their flaming prime.

My first destination was Cernic's Suzuki dealership in hopes of finding some good winter gloves or waterproof covers for mine. Before I got there I just had to stop at Donnelly's Antiques in Duncansville to pose the Vespa in an environment more suited to its quiet sophistication.


No gloves at the Suzuki Dealer but on the way home I stopped at Steve Selzer's new Honda Dealership. Nice place and they hand the Tourmaster Winter Elite gloves in stock though not in my size. One of the techs told me he has a pair and rides to work with them and found them warm at 70 MPH at 35 degrees. I'm sold. On payday I will order a pair from someone.

After a stop for gas I made the final run home by the fastest and most direct route. At least that was my plan until the sun came out and the world got brighter. I detoured a bit through some farmlands that I knew would have some of those lone trees I am so drawn too.


By the time I got home I had put another 120 miles on the Vespa and the odometer is turning close to the 7500 mile mark. A new front tire and variator weights are due for delivery tomorrow so I will begin my maintenance work of changing the drivebelt, weights, sparkplug, airfilter, and change the front tire. I will transform from rider to mechanic.

Vespa SuperMoto

This past Monday morning my friend Paul and I decided to take a long ride north. His only requirement was that it not be raining when we left. At dawn the sky was heavily overcast and gray, the roads wet, the wind moving at a sustained 20 MPH and the temperature hovering around 34° Fahrenheit. And it wasn't raining. A perfect morning to ride.

I had gone over the Vespa carefully the night before and made sure everything was mechanically sound so I could roll it out of the garage and go. Paul arrived on his bright yellow Suzuki DRZ400 SuperMoto and off we went. We were only 10 miles out when we stopped to add some more gear. I put on a windproof Mountain Hardware jacket on under my First Gear jacket and Paul pulled on some waterproof and windproof covers over his gloves because his fingertips were getting numb. My hands were still fine but by midday I was looking at every motorcycle store for a pair myself.

We rode over two ridges and down into the Susquehanna river basin and the town of Jersey Shore and stopped for a hearty breakfast at the Penna Waffle House and Deli.


Afterwards Paul decided he wanted to check out a guitar store and Harley dealer in Williamsport, a definite variation from my desire to continue north into the wilderness. The Vespa had been in the lead until now but Paul took responsibility for finding our next stops and I followed behind on US220 at 55 - 60 MPH. Even with the crosswind the LX150 was fine.

We found the Harley dealer was closed on Mondays. And we never found the guitar store. So much for that detour which took up an hour. My turn to lead again so I jumped on US15, a limited access four lane highway that I knew would quickly get us out of town and headed north. We stopped at Bob Logue Motorsports so that I could look for a pair of those waterproof covers for my gloves. This unassuming motorcycle shop was home to the Honda Museum. Check out their Web site. No glove covers but a ton of vintage bikes to look at. And a change to warm up a bit too.

Eventually we rode north into the Tiadaghton State Forest to see the flaming foliage that Pennsylvania is so famous for. We rode through places like Trout Run, Steam Valley, Beech Grove and White Pine before stopping in English Center for lunch.


These little places make nice riding stops but my guess is they do their big business during buck season.

As mid afternoon approached we rode west along Pine Creek through narrow valleys.


This is the kind of place I love to ride and the Vespa performed flawlessly and seemed up to the task of running along with the SuperMoto. Paul kept asking if I wanted to switch bikes and I finally did toward the end of the ride when we were making the run home. Here are my observations from riding the Suzuki:

The LX150 ride is luxurious ride compared to the SuperMoto. The Vespa seat is soft and forgiving compared to the hard, narrow seat on the Suzuki. The Vespa riding position is flat out more comfortable. I felt strangely exposed with my feet on pegs rather than hidden behind the cowl of the scooter. The bars on the Suzuki are extremely wide and I found my shoulders aching after a few miles. And shifting - I just found it annoying. I'm sure I would fall into the groove again but why bother....Finally, the big tires on the Suzuki don't allow for the quick and nimble movements of the scooter. I guess there is a lot of centrifugal force to overcome.

On the positive side the Suzuki shocks were a dream. Every road bump and bang just disappears. The sound and feel of the 400cc thumper engine was nice compared to the silence of the scooter. Not sure that I still wouldn't want silence tough. And power---geez. At 60MPH you twist the throttle and torque and acceleration is yours. I came upon a situation on the road where a car in the other lane was stopped to turn left across my lane while another car was waiting to turn onto the road I was on. With the scooter I slow and become ready to stop. With the SuperMoto I slow but when I got close enough I could haul on the throttle and "squirt" through the gap. With the LX150 there is no squirting.

When we switched back my first impression of the Vespa again was that it was tiny. Sitting lower, narrower bars it seemed weird for a moment but that passed. And I definitely noticed the loss of acceleration and torque.

I asked Paul at the end of the day if my limitations of speed and power prevented him from riding differently. He said that there were only two places where he would have ridden faster, both on 4 lane limited access highways. One I could only manage 45 going up a long grade and the other I was doing 60 to get from one exit to another and he said he would have rocketed along that stretch. For the entire ride through the woods though he said I was going faster than he would normally have gone.

I think I'll stick with the scooter.

I arrived home eight hours after I left. I was warm, dry, and smiling. I only rode 180 miles which surprised me for the amount of time I was gone. I would have stopped a lot more to make photos if I had been by myself. I think Paul would have strangled me if I did my every 300-yard stopping pattern. I guess I will have to ride back north for some pictures. I'm afraid the leaves will all be gone before I get there....

Lessons from 100 Posts

On October 2, 2005 I posted for the first time on Scooter in the Sticks. Today sees the 100th entry here and I thought I would use this as an opportunity to ask why I've done this. Before I do I want to thank my wife Kim for her patience and understanding of the work I do with Scooter in the Sticks, but also with my riding.

And of course she receives complete credit as author of the name Scooter in the Sticks. She always has the best ideas.

As I look back over the past twelve months and think about how writing, riding and photography have come together I see several themes or changes that recur from day to day.

SEE MORE
As a photographer you'd think this would be a simple thing but I've found it a challenge to pursue and sustain. When I purchased the Vespa LX150 it was in large measure a step to introduce some fun into life. And it has exceeded my expectations on that front. What I did not realize is that it has opened my eyes wide to everything around me. The nature and demands of riding do not easily suffer the kind of automaton manner that I can embrace in a four-wheeled vehicle. Riding the scooter has heightened my awareness of the road and my fellows on it, but also everything thing that I pass by. The photo above was taken this past Saturday afternoon as I road home from the local library. Riding along I saw a dense growth of bittersweet vine, something Kim and I have been seeking for a long time. We never saw this growth while driving but ride by it one time on a scooter... I definitely see more.

REFLECT AND RELEASE
The process of riding unwinds me. I can feel the tension, noise, and chaos of a day dissipate as the scooter gains momentum. The scooter asks me to be patient and accept the world around me. It allows me to actually do what has often been suggested. I made the video below before I bought the scooter. I had identified a connection between the photographic work I was doing and the daily work that I was engaged in. Looking at it now I can see the Vespa is a mirror of photography. Both processes do the same thing for me.




CONSCIOUS OF DECISIONS
Managing a safe ride requires focused attention. I'm aware of the direct connection between the choices I make while riding and the results of those decisions. Riding allows me to stay awake and not be asleep in my life. I appreciate the days and being awake allows me to take action rather than just think about things to come.

So there it is, reflections drawn at 7AM on a Monday morning. In another hour I will be departing on a long ride with my friend Paul. It's 37° F right now with a 20 MPH wind. The forecast calls for a high of 44° by midday. We're heading north in the remote and forested countryside of Pennsylvania, me on the Vespa and Paul on his bright yellow Suzuki DRZ400 SuperMoto.

A fine pair we'll make on the road.

And the Road Begins

This will be a short post. A notification for myself as much as something for you to read. As I rode home this evening it was with a fine anticipation of nine days of vacation. I'm not going anywhere or doing anything. Just nine days to hang out at home with Kim and relax. And take the opportunity to ride. I'm pretty excited about it.

I stopped twice just to look at the sky. Fall is upon us and the leaves are changing and falling fast. The late day sun and broken sky just cry out "Autumn!" to me. For any of you who live in places that don't experience a dramatic seasonal change like this you must add it to your "See before I die" list. And to ride through it is magic.

As I approached home I saw a rainbow. By the time I stopped and got the camera out it was nearly gone.


You can see a bit of it above the Vespa. The rainbow is obviously a signal of gold to come.

Nine days of vacation!

Riding Home and the Vespa Commute

I had mixed feelings about the weather looking out my office window late Tuesday. Dark skies and a steady rain on top of a throbbing headache just didn't create the feeling of joy the anticipation of a ride home usually engenders regardless of conditions. Throughout the day people stopped by to comment on the weather and how wet I will be on the ride home. It's difficult to explain to someone who is not a rider why I ride on days like this. From the point of view of comfort, protection from the elements, and others on the road it seems a little crazy. I won't convince anyone that I am comfortable and dry on the way home and actually feel good even in the rain. So I don't try too hard but just smile and agree that yes it is wet outside and I'll be careful.

On Tuesday I decided to detour through some farm roads rather than sit in traffic. It was a muddy mess at times but even with the headache I had to stop and just look at the sky. I love those oppressive skies. A quick picture and off I went. I really wish I had some of those Kenda tires that Gary Charpentier of Rush Hour Rambling recently posted about.

I eased my way through things and out onto a smooth secondary road and wandered home. Just a nice way to wrap up the workday and compared to my cage commutes of the past it is fantastic even on the worst days.

Last night on the way home it was gray but no rain. This time a stop at Meyer's Dairy Store for a bottle, that's right a glass bottle, of milk.


I can carry two gallons under the seat but I worry about the bottles clanging together and breaking so usually it's just one. Chores like this, stopping at the post office, the bank, and other routine business are actually fun on the scooter because it is easy to navigate, park, and I get to ride more. I'm still kicking myself for waiting so many years before riding again.

Lost on the Road

Not every ride delivers happy satisfaction. That's not to say the ride is not good, but not always something I would describe as fun. Right now it is in the mid forties, raining, and dark. I have to leave for work in a few minutes and I can honestly say I don't think the ride will be fun. But I am looking forward to it.

This past weekend I did an early morning ride on Sunday and it was not a ride I would categorize as fun. The temperature was in the high 20's when I left and a heavy frost covered the ground. I wasn't cold but aware that the temperature was something to manage. I paused for a long minute at the end of the driveway wondering where I was going and finally turned down the hill with absolutely no destination in mind. It wasn't until about 50 miles later that I had a destination in mind ---- home.

The ride was compelling though not fun. I found myself looking carefully at the landscape, the road, and just absorbing it. I didn't know where I was going, not that I was lost in the sense of not knowing where I was but lost in the sense that the ride was without expectation. It was movement and experience. Everything seemed to fall away except for that. I stopped often to look around at rocks and plants and just smell the fall air. Color and light was center stage and I was there to witness it. And it was cold. I stopped near a lake to eat a sandwich and the wind was so harsh that I ate with my riding gloves on and wishing for a hat.



I returned home 76 miles after leaving the driveway. It was a good ride and was good to be lost and without a plan. And it was good to recognize that I don't have to come home thinking "Wow, that was fun!".

Time to pull on the gear, ride to work and get wet. My dog doesn't even want to be outside.

You Need More Power

It never seems to end - more power, bigger, more expensive, faster, shinier, more devices, more features, more, more, and more. And it's not just with motorcycles (and scooters). It's cars, it's trucks, "I need four-wheel drive and power to pass..." Homes, TVs, stereos, cameras, our entire culture. Growth. Big. Grow or die. I don't want to spend any time on the economics, culture, or politics of consumption now but I did see a picture on Ben Armstrong's Honky-Tonk Dragon blog that had a picture of John Wayne and a Vespa. Doesn't get much more macho than that. Maybe Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood....

I posted this mostly out of an ongoing curiosity as to why so many men have such a problem with a Vespa. I have met many who seem actively annoyed by its very existence. They seemed threatened at a deep level as if to look too long at one might irreparably harm them. The Vespa is small. It doesn't have a lot of power. Or chrome. And it is quiet. Sitting on it doesn't make you bigger, stronger or more powerful. Riding it can make you at times an object or derision or the butt of jokes. You better feel confident in yourself before starting one up. No compensation available astride a Vespa LX150.

So I smiled when I saw the Duke on the Vespa. And wearing a beret. Damn. I don't think men need more power, they need more guts.

Cold, Cold, Cold

I know in a couple months I'll think 35° F is positively balmy. But tonight riding home from a meeting I felt cold. Granted that I did not have my ski mask on so the cold air cut into my neck in the gap between the helmet and jacket causing a strong ache at 50 MPH. Stopped at the grocery store for a few things and a welcome chance to let my flesh thaw. Tomorrow morning the weather forecast calls for 30° so I will definitely cover my tender neck meat as Napoleon Dynamite refers to it.

The ride to work this morning was fantastic. Windy, cold, leaves blowing everywhere under an ominous grey sky. Halloween weather. I expected a witch to fly overhead. Or something out of the Exorcist to happen. I love this weather.

Not much else to report and I want to go sit with Kim and eat popcorn. The new tire is worn in and performs like a champ. The Vespa seems ready for winter. And I have all the motorcycle spaces to myself at work.

Keeping a Motorcycle or Scooter Clean

I washed the scooter yesterday in part because it was dirty, but mostly because I was taking it into the shop for its annual Pennsylvania Safety Inspection and to have a new rear tire put on. I felt embarrassed at how dirty the thing had gotten from the past month of riding in rain, mud and dirt. The Excalibur Gray Vespa paint really does a good job hiding the dirt but when you get up close or look underneath at the engine......

Here is a shot of the underneath of engine that I posted on the Modern Vespa forum to indicate where the oil drain plug is. That dirty thing to the right is a week old oil filter.


So I hosed it down and washed it up and cleaned most of the underside, at least as much as I could stand before getting bored. All of this is leading to a question of those of you who read and ride. Am I nuts not washing and shining this scooter more often? I definitely have a long history of slim attendance to cleaning. Don't get me wrong, I do attend to maintenance and mechanical issues, but keeping something shining bright and new just bores the hell out of me. I would rather be riding.

All of this applies equally to my cameras, home, garage, garden, computer hard drive, basement, toolbox and dog. With the Vespa I've really tried to be different but if I wash it once a month that's a lot. I wash my truck maybe three times a year. The last time a friend who borrowed it washed it because it was too dirty for him. It is a truck. It was made to haul wet concrete right?

Anyways, back to the Vespa. I know lots of riders of motorcycles treat their machines with extreme care and patience. My eyes glaze over as they describe some new cleaning product that does a fantastic job but be careful you don't let it linger too long on this or that. I've never seen them with their bike when it didn't look like it came right off the showroom floor. Not a single scratch from riding down a too narrow path in the woods. No mud spray from the last rain. Just shiny. It's like those people I see in the neighborhood who are always dressed up. Never once do they appear dirty or unkempt. They have lawn services....

So, advise me readers. What am I missing here? Am I sending my scooter to an early death by not keeping it sparkling? Isn't it enough to spray the salt off in the winter? Or am I just a lazy man and don't realize it....

Exposure Followed by Sanctuary

Yesterday morning's commute to work took place in a damp, cool fog. Awareness heightens when the riding environment presses more strongly - rain, cold, darkness, fog, wind, or even traffic. That awareness is as if a light has been turned on in a dark room. It's quietly exciting and it's something I have always been drawn towards. When I stop to make photographs I am often searching for evidence of that change in awareness and try to capture the elements responsible for the change. The shift in awareness is consistent while riding. I've also encountered in sailing in the ocean in foul weather or backpacking in the winter. It occurs on walks with my wife on cool nights in our neighborhood while looking at the stars. But with riding it always happens and since I ride almost everyday I get to see the world a little differently with great frequency.

I stumbled across a passage in a book I am reading, "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner, that clearly describes the physical, spiritual and emotional response that I experience and I thought I should share it with you.

"...walks along the shore amid tempests of wind and rain, with a fire and a cup of tea and the sure affections of a sheltered house afterward. Exposure followed by sanctuary was somehow part of Grandmother's emotional need, and it turned out to be the pattern of her life."

Reading that passage things came together for me in one of those moments of clarity. A pattern has existed in my life. I push myself through exposure to the elements, through physical challenges but there is always a promise of sanctuary at the end of the road. A cup of tea at a cafe, a warm house, a cozy sleeping bag, a dry cabin on a boat. I ride for the shift in awareness, I knew that, but now I know that there is an additional element that is essential to me - the sanctuary of shelter, friends and family.

Autumn Rides

This is my favorite time of year. The landscape transforms almost overnight into a paradise of color, fragrance and light. The other morning I was out early with my dog walking near Bear Meadows, a lovely bog area. Mist and rain softened the emerging reds, yellows and oranges.


This morning I found myself traveling along a gravel road through long stretches of drying corn. Autumn is everywhere and I hope to see it on foot and by scooter as much as possible. I'll share pictures as I get them but get out there yourself and see things first hand. For those of you who live in places that don't have such dramatic seasonal changes stay tuned.

Scooter Economics

The real economics of riding aren't at the pump; they are gathered when you make a decision to replace your four-wheeled vehicle as the main choice of transportation. Without that decision the scooter remains a toy, object of recreation or occasional transportation item.

There is no doubt I save at the fuel pump. My Ford Ranger gets about 20 miles per gallon. The Vespa gets around 68. On the highway the difference is even greater--- 24 vs. 90. Some quick math. Last year I rode the scooter about 7000 miles. My truck 1200 (at least 600 of that put on by friends or family needing a truck). The truck uses regular fuel so let's use 2.30 per gallon for calculation. Total fuel cost last year (using city mileage figure)--- $138.00. Pretty cheap. The scooter on the other hand using premium fuel at 2.50 per gallon cost $237.00. Still pretty cheap.

Now had I put all 8200 miles on the truck the fuel cost would have been $943. More but not a terribly troubling number. The focus on fuel is really not where the real economics lie. The real economy of scooters is when they become a replacement vehicle that either does not require the purchase of a four-wheeled vehicle or it extends the useful life of that vehicle. I spent $4500 on the Vespa out the door, tax, and license. The truck was over four times that cost. My wife and I have three vehicles--- VW Jetta, Ford Ranger truck, and Vespa. If we can eliminate the need for the Ford the economic benefits are huge in terms of purchase price saved, maintenance, insurance, fuel. There is also a big benefit if I can extend the useful life of the four-wheeled vehicles.

All of this starts to touch on personal preferences and comfort levels with style, age of vehicles, etc. I could go out an buy a 500-dollar junker and drive it and perhaps be cheaper than the scooter.

And a good economist would probably factor in health risk and medical expenses in the event of an accident. I don't want to even try to estimate that other than the scooter is probably a lot more expensive.

After all the thinking about this stuff I end up with a couple of observations. First, I hate thinking about money. Second, my decision to ride was not based on economics. Third, for me the economic benefit of riding is a welcome one and real based on our family's driving, riding, and ownership parameters. Because we keep vehicles until the wheels fall off we are able to amortize costs over a long period of time.

I hate thinking about money. What about you? Does a scooter or motorcycle save you anything?

Time to ride.