Sunny Morning on the Way to Work

A bright sun under a clear blue sky warms even a 33 degree ride to work. A lot different than Wednesday. I stopped in Oak Hall to make another panorama shot and with a helpful suggestion from bobskoot was able to actually put the Vespa in another part of the frame. This old farm raises Belgian draft horses now as well as some goats scattered around from time to time. Off in the distance you can see Mount Nittany, iconic landscape feature of Happy Valley and known to Penn State alumni the world over.

With the temperature so near freezing I had to watch along this road for water and ice. About a mile ahead the road runs along a working limestone quarry and they spray a lot of water on the road to keep the ice down. I suspect they add salt in the winter to keep it from being a sheet of ice but at this time of year I wasn't sure.

Made it to work without incident and appreciated the clear fall morning. Another ride to work that I put in the outstanding column.

Riding in the First Snow Flurries

Winter has arrived at my doorstep I suppose. I can remember when the first snowflakes would give me a rush. Now, well, it's different. And not just because I am riding. Biology is speaking louder and complaining about the cold. Riding down the street I could see a squall of in the distance and wondered if I would get to my office before it arrived. I stopped to make another panorama picture. If you look close you can see a few snowflakes in the air. Nothing on the ground yet but not far east had 13 inches of snow yesterday. And no salt on the road yet either.

The temperature indicator on the Vespa GTS read 35 degrees all the way to work. I went the direct route with no side trips. Four lanes of drivers that I imagine all groan at the weather. But maybe it's just me. But once the scooter is parked in it's space and I am walking towards my office I get a little rush thinking about riding in the cold. Nothing happy or exciting, but a flicker of accomplishment and perserverance.

Night Landscapes

I want to shoot more at night. And ride at night, especially in open rural landscapes under a full moon. I've thought about it for months and now it's cold and windy. Making photographs that take a long time to expose when it's cold just doesn't sound inviting at the moment. Maybe because the wind is howling.

I made the above image to see how Photoshop would stitch together multiple exposures to build a panorama. Click the image to see it better. Depending on the size of your monitor you might have to scroll across it.

The cold weather is definitely here. A small section of Interstate 80 east of here was closed temporarily because of snow. Oh well, maybe I'll make pictures in the daylight.

5 Reasons to Ride on Fall Mornings

The pools may be closed and the kids back in school but that doesn't mean you can't keep riding. In case you're not convinced riding after Labor Day is a good idea I'll share a few reasons why I keep riding through the fall and beyond.

1. The sharp air.

Walk outside early on a fall morning in Central Pennsylvania and the cool air goes right to your heart and brain. Metaphorically speaking anyway. The leaves were fringed with frost as I prepared to leave this past weekend. The temperature indicator on the Vespa displayed 31º Fahrenheit. Lungs fill with the chilled air. All senses turn on. I'm awake, aware, alert, sharp and ready to go.

2. The light is magical.

For a brief time just before sunrise until an hour or so afterwards the world is painted in a unique way. The angle of illumination renders the landscape more dramatically. The color of light creates alternative versions of even the most mundane roads. Riding down the road I saw leaves falling into a pool of light and just had to stop to watch the Fall in action. Sleep in to wait for the warmer part of the day and you may miss all that.

3. Imagination runs free.

Perhaps it's just me but venturing out in the early morning always fills me with a sense of adventure, of anticipation and the feeling that anything is possible. I want to know where every little road and path leads. What secrets may be revealed around the next turn in the road. My brain runs free with that fuel and anything seems possible.

4. A feeling of satisfaction.

Related to number four but more a sense of mental or spiritual satisfaction. For me it's the knowledge that I have done something good for myself by having fun, detaching from any cares for a time, and allowing myself to live. Seeing things is important to me. It's a feeling that comes when I know I pushed past a bit of discomfort or resistance by riding on a cool fall morning.

5. The joy of warming up.

You can't ride forever and sooner or later you have to come home. Or stop at a destination. After riding near freezing, no matter how much fun I had on the ride, it's just great to transition from the outdoor cold to indoor coziness. A physical satisfaction. Feeling my body warm is just nice not to mention the addition of caffeine, sugar, and chocolate.

Rhapsody in Glue

My wife Kim and two other artists have a show opening this Friday evening at the gallery of the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania in Lemont, Pennsylvania.  The show has nothing to do with riding save should you use the event as a destination for a fine fall ride. I'm not sure how many readers are close enough but if you are stop by.  Central Pennsylvania is a fine place to ride.

Here is the important information:

Art Alliance Gallery
818 Pike Street
Lemont, Pennsylvania

RECEPTION: Friday, October 24 from 7-9pm
SHOW: Saturday and Sunday, October 24 and 25 from Noon to 5pm

If you want to know more about the show you can read the release below.

“RHAPSODY IN GLUE” EXHIBIT AT ART ALLIANCE GALLERY

Lemont, Pa. -- Artists Ruth Kempner, Kim Dionis and Karen Deutsch will present collage and mixed media in their show "Rhapsody in Glue" on October 25 and October 26 from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Art Alliance Gallery, 818 Pike Street in Lemont. The Opening Reception on Friday, October 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. is free and open to the public.

The three artists approach their work differently and have very distinctive styles. They use a range of media, materials and techniques, combining oils, acrylics and watercolor with found materials, such as magazines, newsprint and ephemera. Materials may be transformed--scratched, burned, bleached or otherwise--or exposed to forces of nature, ultimately creating a new kind of work.

Kempner received a fine arts degree from Cooper Union and worked as a textile designer in New York City before settling in Pennsylvania. She has exhibited in major shows in the tri-state area and teaches experimental technique at the Art Alliance. She exhibits work locally at the Gallery Shop in Lemont and Artisan Connection.

Dionis received a master of fine arts from Cornell University and published stories and news articles before shifting focus to the visual arts. She's received awards for her work, including a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship. Her collages have appeared in juried shows.

Deutch earned a fine arts degree from Brooklyn College and spent years painting while running an Internet book business. She recently switched to collage because of the freedom of expression it offers.

For more information on events offered by the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania, call (814) 234-2740 or visit http://www.artalliancepa.org/.

Riding Through Sherwood Forest

I took the day off work. Too bad I couldn't ride all day but I had to be home to meet a contractor to talk about replacement windows. Could be worse I suppose. I did have an hour to ride before that meeting so I just ventured off down one of the roads I ride regularly. And wouldn't you know it I find a little track moving off into a wooded area between two farms. Like magic the little kid in me lights up, I look to see if anyone sees me, and off I go into the unknown.

This is the kind of place that as a kid we would have had forts and battles, hikes and camps. No evidence of kid activity here today -- not sure parents let their kids out for stuff like that anymore. But damn, I felt like a kid exploring the wilderness. Here I am, 54 years old, riding a Vespa and having more fun that a person is entitled to.

The woods were dense and secretive, just as I imagined Sherwood Forest as a kid. The track ran for less than half a mile but that's plenty for an imagination to soar. These little rides recharge my spirit by reconnecting me with that wonderment I had as a child. Seeing a grove of bamboo growing along the road, stopping to climb to the top of a big dirt pile, things like that.

Definitely not the kind of riding experience most riders are after but I won't pass it up.

Riding in Cold Weather: Dress for Success

These two Vespa scooters flanking my GTS belong to first time riders -- a young man and woman, maybe in college, perhaps high school. They are excited about riding and I've seen them around town. They ride with helmets on top of short pants and t-shirts, no gloves and no boots. A riding costume I see not just with scooters but on sport bikes and cruisers as well. This post isn't about safety concerns though. It's about how these kinds of dress habits may short circuit the discovery of the thrill of riding in cold weather. I've spoken to many, many riders who dismiss riding in the cold. To a rider when asked what kind of cold weather gear they used they admitted they didn't have any. Under dress when the temperature dips below 70 and things can feel chilly. Below 60 and you figure you should just park the machine.

I love riding in the fall, especially at sunrise. There's a warm glow in the autumn light, a fragrance of decaying leaves, and a crispness to the air that is unmatched any other time of the year. I left early in the morning for a short ride before work, a sort of extended commute. Coming down the mountain I say my temperature gauge reading 45 degrees, cold by most rider's standards. I hate being cold and shiver at 68 degrees. I look forward to riding in cold weather but only with the right gear.

To be able to enjoy the road when the temperature goes down means you absolutely have to have the right gear. Otherwise things will be miserable. It means a commitment of money and time --- money to buy the stuff and time to put it on. And for some it may mean a divorce from any preconceived style ideas especially where helmets are concerned.

If you are used to just jumping on a motorcycle or scooter with whatever you happen to be wearing you may have a hard time in cold weather rationalizing the amount of gear you have to don. It may be best to bundle the machine up in the garage and do something else. Just remember, you'll be missing some great riding.

My hands were already getting cold after numerous stops to make pictures where I had to take off my gloves. The camera feels like an ice cube in cold weather. As the first beam of sunlight cut through the forest it was 45 degrees it was 40 degrees warmer than my lowest riding temperature limit of 5 degrees. At the lowest temperature here is what I wear from the skin out:

Poly long underwear
Long sleeved shirt
Windproof jacket
Blue jeans
Heavy socks
Tourmaster Overpants
Leather boots
First Gear Kilimanjaro IV Armored jacket
Ski mask
Full helmet
Gerbing electric gloves

For someone used to riding with no gear that's a lot of stuff to put on.

With the sun sweeping across the open fields it was time to ride to work. On this particular morning I had on everything on the above list EXCEPT the ski mask, long underwear, and electric gloves. Still takes time to put it on.

So before you decide that cold weather is not for you beg or borrow some gear and try riding when you are not cold. You may find the effort brings you many more weeks or months of riding.

Good Rider, Bad Driver?

Fog draped the world when I rode into town on Sunday to meet a friend. Better planning would have found me wandering with a camera. Fog is a high alert situation and requires (me) steady concentration and skills at the ready. I’m familiar and experienced in these conditions. I’ve considered possibilities in general and specific options on the road. I feel I am a good rider and continuing two-wheeled learner.

Recently a postcard came across my desk advertising an advanced driver-training course offered by my employer. As I read through the description – evasive maneuvers, skidding, panic braking, and other things that I’ve only experienced in movies I began to wonder what kind of driver I am?

Riders tend to make sport of cagers and engage in tales of driver antics and idiocy. I suspect more than one character highlighted has been a rider who happened to be driving on that occasion. I have a lot of years behind the wheel, a lot of experience driving, but I’ve not thought much about it and aside from drivers ed class in 1970 haven’t practiced a thing.

Riding experience doesn’t necessarily translate to a car.

I was excited to take the driving course until I figured out it would cost almost 500 dollars. Sure, I would like to get on a track and learn some high-speed maneuvers and skid along like James Bond, but 500 bucks…

I’m thinking about my driving and what gaps exist in skill or temperament. I don’t often get angry anymore while driving. That’s a plus. And I’ve always had two-wheel drive pickup trucks and function fine in the Pennsylvania winters. I’ve even pulled a couple four-wheel drive vehicles out of snowy ditches. That has to mean something right?