Why I Don't Ride In Winter

At the sound of the alarm my body doesn't rally into the day like it once did. The cold air before the furnace comes to life makes seems unbearable. It's 57 degrees in the bedroom but 25 outside. If I have trouble facing the house is it any wonder that riding in winter makes no sense?

I do ride through the winter but the transition from sleep to awake, from indoors to outdoors, from not riding to riding is a terribly high hurdle. Homeostasis works overtime on me. It is a reason I don't ride more in winter.

The Vespa idled in the driveway before work. Clear skies, cold air, and a bit of time before needing to be at work.

Once I get moving I'm fine. Happy. Ecstatic even. But heaven help me through the transition. The roads were clear save for gravel and salt residue. Turning off the road onto a snow covered farm lane for a short detour was short lived. The Pirelli tires are absolutely useless in snow. After riding (pushing) the Vespa a short ways it occurred to me that my energy would be better used elsewhere.

At the end of the day I feel the same transition challenge to get myself out the door. Once on the Vespa things improve and I decide to ride home another direction.

Riding along on more heavily trafficked roads is a mixed blessing. More cars to deal with but I get a sick sense of thrill knowing I am not sitting behind the wheel.

Anyways, there are other more obvious reasons I don't ride in winter --- snow, ice, extreme temperatures. But the real riding killer is homeostasis. I get comfortable and have a hard time transitioning. Riding, diet, exercise, you name it. It's a constant negotiation to get up and go, to take action. Action isn't my middle name...

3 Prints Project: February 24, 2008

I only have so much time and attention in a day. As I get older it becomes easier to see how my choices can waste them. Shooting two rolls of film each week, 72 exposures, on top of everything else I do demands I take my camera with me everywhere. To work, on dog walks, to the bank, to bed. Most people you see on a daily basis don't have a camera hanging around their neck. Most people aren't riding a Vespa in the winter. But I bet most people wish they could do more.

Perhaps shooting these pictures is a concerned attempt on my part to not squander the time I have. To do more.

So here they are.

The multi-stemmed white birch in the front yard

A view from my tea cup in a local coffee shop

Beaver Avenue the way I like to see it

Manage Email, Manage Life, Ride More

Have you ever wished you had more time?

Two days ago I sat at my computer searching for an email I missed. Scrolling back and forth through my inbox it occurred to me (again) that I spend a lot of time "working" on email. And the more I "work" the less I seem to get done. Email gets in the way of me getting better or more involved in important things. At least the way I was handling it.

Embracing a need for professional and personal development I visited the 43folders Web site. It was here that I first learned of my trusty Hipster PDA, another completely functional asset for day-to-day living. Arriving at the homepage I saw the words "Email Eating You Alive?" along with an invitation to watch 43folders author Merlin Mann's recent talk at Google on how to tame the beast. His talk is called InBox Zero.

I've embedded the video below but before you get to that I wanted to share some quick statistics. When I started the video I had almost 9000 messages in my inbox. A paralyzing mix of messages from the past couple years representing a mix of indecision, procrastination, lack of attention, and inability to do anything but collect more and more. The only hope was for some cataclysmic email server failure that would deliver a reborn email world.

One hour after I finished the video I had zero messages in my inbox. I had successfully deleted over 6000 messages that were absolutely and utterly without worth. The remaining messages were moved to the DMZ and I had put in place a method of taking action on email, made a commitment to keeping the inbox as empty as I do the mailbox in front of my house, and following something that many others have suggested before -- I turned email off and check it only a couple times a day. It isn't instant messaging after all.

I've only been doing this a couple days now but I have to say it is a remarkable experience to see an inbox with only a handful of messages to deal with. And turning it off has meant I actually had time to work. Make things. Figure things out. Create. Contribute. Earn my keep. And ride more too.

If you think you might have a problem with email, if like me at one point find yourself checking email on your Blackberry in the middle of the night when you got up to go to the bathroom telling yourself how lucky your employer was to have such a dedicated employee, them maybe you should invest an hour to watch Merlin Mann's presentation.

So without further ado I give you Merlin Mann...

Still Cold, Scooter Still Starts, Still Riding

Clear skies on Wednesday night allowed for excellent viewing of the lunar eclipse. And it meant I would be able to ride to work the next day despite temperatures in the single digits by daybreak. Before the eclipse I picked up a few things at Barnes and Noble (by car -- it's dark and cold and still slippery in places) and while the goodies are always good, they don't possess the same magic when you sample them chilled to the bone from riding. Kim and I shared them at home.

The ride to work was lovely under clear blue skies and bright sun. No matter how cold it is sunshine always makes it more tolerable.

The ride home was uneventful despite taking a few twists and turns looking for mini-adventure. Almost all the snow was gone. A stop at the dairy store for a bottle of milk, a detour along a gravel road, a stop at an old barn. It only added a few minutes to the commute but nicely unwound a hectic day.

Snowing again this morning with predictions of sleet and freezing rain later in the day. I'm taking the bus. It will give me a change to finish up my second roll of black and white film for this week. The frame counter on the Leica is broken -- has been for a couple years now so I never really know how many pictures are left. Another mystery in life...

Winter Riding Devastation

I’m tired and don’t have a lot of energy to write. But that’s not a product of winter riding. Last week I made a picture of the snow on the road in front of the house as I was doing the morning check to see if I was going to ride to work. I made this with a little digital camera moments after I photographed my bike riding neighbor with the Leica M6.

Winter riding, especially in snow, can lead to devastation. Mostly I focus on the risks associated with cold, ice, snow, and the potential for accidents. I rode to work a couple days agao when there was a brief break in the weather that allowed the roads to clear a bit. But on some of the secondary roads there is still much to be wary of.

I got to work fine but I did notice that no one plows the motorcycle spaces. I had to gingerly back the Vespa over some snow and ice to nestle it into position beside the box truck that was awfully close. It was there first and the only reason it wasn’t closer was the snow and ice. So perhaps it’s a good thing.

The real devastation is mechanical. If you are going to ride year round in a climate that believes road salt is one of the seven wonders of the road then you had better swallow hard. It means your scooter is just another vehicle on the road. A daily rider. And if you ever look underneath a car it is covered with rust and corrosion. My exhaust system is one year old. When the weather warms and the salt is gone I’ll pull it off and repaint it. Geez…

Anyways, I enjoy riding more than cleaning. And the scooter will just have to take it’s knocks like a car. And when it falls apart I suppose I will have to get a new one.

I am curious though how you deal with your two-wheeled machines. I know lots of people who treat them as fine antiques and will wash and polish after each use. Others are more lax in their cosmetic maintenance but as you can see this is more than cosmetic.

3 Prints Project: February 17, 2008

Another week and more film through the camera and darkroom. Three rolls of Ilford HP5 35mm film, one more than my weekly goal. And I actually made 9 8x10 prints. But I'll burden you only with three that reflect the ongoing winter weather last week that has kept my Vespa in the garage. It has to stop sometime right?

80 plus year old neighbor rides by on his bicycle.

This man rides relentlessly year round. I was standing out in the road trying to decide if I should ride to work. He went by and I drove the car. I've lost my winter riding edge.

Bench in park down the road from our house

Apple tree in backyard

I've gotten into a photographic flow. Shooting, processing, and printing is easier though the last batch of prints came out of the wash water at 1 AM. I must be reliving my energetic youth. A focus is beginning to emerge that can be best described in words provided by my friend Frank Armstrong -- pictures of an ordinary life. After thinking about it that is what I photograph; the ordinary moments and places that appear in front of me as I live each day. I do the same thing with my riding. I ride in the places here where I live. We'll see how it turns out.

DON'T FORGET!

It's that time of year again when you can choose the best and worst of the motorcycle and scooter industry. The motorcycle industry is starting to take bloggers and blog readers seriously. Your vote will matter and who knows what that might mean down the road.

To view the nominations and vote click----> 2008 Riders Choice Awards.

Motorcycle Bloggers International: Time to Vote

It's that time of year again when you can choose the best and worst of the motorcycle and scooter industry. The motorcycle industry is starting to take bloggers and blog readers seriously. Your vote will matter and who knows what that might mean down the road. Personally I am hoping for a price rollback to pre-1976 levels and a motorcycle that a 16 year old can afford on a summer job mowing lawns.

Anyways, to view the nominations and vote click----> 2008 Riders Choice Awards.

Thank you for your active participation.

PS. It is still the worst riding winter. I was planning to ride this morning but freezing rain is on the way. I'm getting frustrated...

The (Potential) High Cost of Riding

Various views of John's skull

My friend John underwent another surgery on his leg yesterday, a bone graft to fill a piece of bone that was missing as a result of his motorcycle accident last October. The surgery went well and to his surprise was an outpatient procedure. John's recovery has been slow and frustrating at times but he is coming around. I know a lot of you have asked or wondered how he has been doing and when a recent dispatch arrived from John the other day I thought it would be a good time to share it. All the pictures displayed in this post are courtesy of John.

I also thought it serves as a good reminder to anyone venturing out on two wheels to do so with open eyes and be aware of the potential risk and that each of us should do what we can to manage them. And accidents are just that -- accidents.

John is a serious rider putting thousands of miles on his BMW. He's seen below just before departing for New Mexico on an Iron Butt ride.


Always the comedian he is pictured below with his new ride.


Anyways, if you want to read John's latest dispatch that he prepared and distributed in a Microsoft Word document you can download it HERE.

I must warn you that it is graphic in its display of his injuries. John retells the medical story of his stubborn leg wounds and treatment complete with color photos, X-rays, the works. But mixed in throughout the story is his humor and indomitable spirit.

3 Prints Project -- February 10, 2008

I've continued to expose film and it is getting easier. I am almost finished with my second roll for the coming week. That should allow for more time to process and print. These prints were made late at night. My flatbed scanner appears to attract dust that I just can't see on the glass. The prints are clean but the scans look as if I made the prints in the dirtiest darkroom on the planet...

I made six prints this week. My goal is to make at least three a week. Here they are:

Dawn just before ride to work

Birch trees in front yard at dusk

View into backyard at the end of the day

My friend Paul relaxing at local tavern

Turn out areas for horses

Rock in garden

3 Prints Project Index

I've been tackling a goal I set for myself to shoot two rolls of film every week. And then process, contact, and make three gelatin silver prints. Work prints. Every week, rain or shine, no excuses. And so far I have been pretty successful. And to add another motivational stick I am going to begin posting those prints here every Sunday night/Monday morning.

I've undertaken this work because I have been searching for my next creative direction. I have never planned out my projects. They just appear, find me in some mystical fashion. And they only appear when I'm working, while I'm pressing the shutter in response to something that interests me personally. And when I am engaged like that something will happen. It always does if I am patient.

Below are links to the project posts.

3 Prints Project -- April 5, 2009

3 Prints Project -- March 22, 2009

3 Prints Project -- February 24, 2009

3 Prints Project -- April 6, 2008

3 Prints Project -- March 30, 2008

3 Prints Project -- March 24, 2008

3 Prints Project -- March 17, 2008

3 Prints Project -- March 9, 2008

3 Prints Project -- March 2, 2008

3 Prints Project -- February 24, 2008

3 Prints Project -- February 17, 2008

3 Prints Project -- February 10, 2008

3 Prints Project -- February 3, 2008

3 Prints Project -- January 27, 2008

The Black Sabbath Ride

It rained on and off all day. From my office window I could see the sky change shades of gray. I find this kind of weather and light transforms what I see and how I feel. And it felt great to be riding without concern for snow or ice. As I rode home from work an old memory of a Black Sabbath album cover came to mind. I remember how fascinated I was with that picture.

I embrace the dim eeriness of the foggy dusk both as a rider and photographer. If I didn't have things to do I would have stayed out longer. Instead another commute home from work.

Frozen Grand Central Station

(also available on YouTube)

My friend Frank Armstrong sent an email with a link to a happening at Grand Central Station in New York. While it doesn't have anything to do with riding it is a curious example of how slight changes in the day can create a stir.

For more details on this event check out FROZEN GRAND CENTRAL on the improv everywhere blog.

Riding in a Winter Respite

Stepping outside in the dark this morning to take the dog out got my tail wagging too. It was warm! A balmy 39° F. Who cares if it was dark and raining because after many days of ice and sleet and freezing rain the weather spirits opened their arms to the commuting rider.

It was a wet, damp ride but just felt good to be on the road.

3 Prints Project -- February 3, 2008

Another week has passed and I managed to shoot two more rolls and make prints. It is becoming easier to get myself into the darkroom and exposing the film is becoming more transparent in my life. It definitely helps that I carry my Leica M6 with me everywhere.

Here are the pictures...

Early last Sunday morning at local cafe

Kim in parking lot

Farm along long route to work

Non-Riding Observations

One day last week at 4 AM I was awakened by the sound of a train thundering by the house. I thought it strange being the nearest active railroad is over a mountain nearly twelve miles away. I eventually awakened sufficiently to realize the sound I heard was the snowplow going by. I closed my eyes and said to myself that I wouldn't be riding this morning.

Over the past few weeks I have been noticing some things that aren't riding related but have stuck with me long enough to write them down. They are non-riding observations and they probably say more about me and my problems and prejudices than they do about the people and situations I have observed. So here they are.

LAYING ON THE HORN
Standing by the Vespa at the local Sunoco station adding a gallon of premium gas to the tank my concentration is interrupted by a car horn. Not a honk but a continual piercing blowing. I look up and see a minivan hurtling towards a car pulling out into the road. The minivan is sixty yards away from the car and is speeding up. The horn continues to blow. The car hurries to accelerate in front of the racing mini-van. The horn is still blowing as the minivan brakes hard just short of the car's rear bumper horn still blasting. Taking this all in I can't help wonder how a driver can become so offended by an interruption in progress.

2000 CALORIES ISN'T MUCH
A New Year's resolution to lose 15 pounds has me recording calories. My goal is 2000 calories per day. Since the beginning of January I have meticulously recorded everything I eat and right it down on a 3x5 index card. Every morning when I sit down to write in my journal I record my weight and calorie intake from the previous day. I'm paying attention. Not worried about the quality of what I eat right now, just the calorie content. And after a month of this I can tell you that 2000 calories of food isn't much. Not much at all.

REALFEEL TEMPERATURES®
Every morning as part of my riding decision-making ritual I check the weather online. Before I get to the forecast details I see a display of the RealFeel® temperature. I'm not sure if the forecasters think I am an idiot and can't discern what the actual temperature means in relation to other factors or maybe they think I'm too busy or lazy to think for myself. The predictions of social impact of weather are so distorted that I wonder why I look at all. An inch of snow is a major disaster. And this isn't Virginia.

TAILGATING
There is no better display of faith in fellow man than in watching a tailgater. I wish my faith was so strong that I believed nothing bad or unpredictable was ever going to happen to that car in front of me. Or maybe it's not about faith at all. Maybe it's a display of selfishness and fear that someone will get in front of them and destroy their hard won self esteem.

RUNNING STOP SIGNS
Walking across the street in front of my house the other day with my dog a car almost hit me when they decided not to stop at the stop sign. This isn't a straight through intersection but a T. And as the woman flies by me after her rolling stop (15 MPH) she gives me such an evil look that I figured I must of done something wrong. I thought about it a second but most of my thoughts pondered the effect of rice in a radiator.

WALKING ON SNOW AND ICE
Just this morning I sat in a local coffee shop. After a night of sleet and freezing rain things were a mess. Only two cars were in the unplowed lot. A cafe worker was busy throwing salt and gravel in a wide swatch between the front door and my car. I suppose to make sure I would be safe. I just wondered what all the fuss is about with a little snow and ice. Maybe it's lawyers. Or maybe it's a high percentage of fancy shoe wearers who can't navigate in foul weather. I sure hope it's not because we've forgotten how to care for ourselves in winter.

Anyways, things just have been popping into my head lately and thought I better release them. Now they're your problem. Rode to work yesterday. Routine and ordinary. Cold, clear, and 21 degrees F on the way to work. It was 33 degrees on the way home. I stopped at a park to watch the sun go down and appreciate that it was 5:30 PM and there was still some light. Spring can't be far off now.