Brrrr

Well, I just had to take a ride today. It was cold, but at least it wasn't raining. No time for photos, but it was a brisk and exhilarating little ride. I explored a few neighborhoods I hadn't visited before, and rode by the holly tree farm to see the lights they put up this time of year.

The bike ran well, I had some fun, and I discovered why those hard-core riders need leather chaps after October. My upper body was fine - a fleece, my jacket, helmet and thick gloves took care of that - but the legs were another story. Above 30 mph, the wind cut through my thick jeans like they weren't there. I've got to get something before those nice early spring days arrive and I want to go for some longer rides.

Portland to Astoria and Back

Today was a gorgeous day for a ride. Wanda and I decided to try a tougher, longer ride today and after a short discussion, we settled on a trip to Astoria via Hwy 47 and Hwy 202. The route is listed among the better rides in Oregon and I have to say, we certainly enjoyed and from the number of other riders we met along the way, it is appropriately listed and looks to be a local favorite.

Before we got too far along the way, we stopped at Starbucks for a scone and some coffee and a chat about the ride. The weather forecast called for warm and sunny weather and so we looked forward to a very pleasant ride.  Our plan was to stop in Vernonia for our first break, grab a late lunch in Astoria, and take Hwy 30 home so we would be back by 6 pm.

The first leg was an easy ride with not much traffic. We reached Vernonia on schedule and took a walk around town for a few photos. Cafe 47, seen in the image above, was one of several colorful and interesting buildings along the main route through town. Vernonia suffered a major flood a couple of years ago and it was great to see how well the town had recovered.

Wandering through the town felt great. We hadn't had much time for ourselves lately and it was simply nice to get out of the house and away for a day. I even got Wanda to pose for a few photos while we were out and about. There's an old locomotive and what looked to be an old steam engine in the park near the end of town and they made a nice backdrop for some quick portraits.

After a soda and a bathroom break we got on our way again and headed up into the coastal range to pick up Hwy 202, an old logging road, with quite a few twists and turns. This was our longest trip on the MP3 so far, so we knew we'd need to take a few breaks to allow circulation to return to our butts. So we stopped at the Jewel Meadow Wildlife Area well known as a grazing area for elk and other animals. By this time, Wanda was definitely ready for another break and she spent quite a few minutes walking around the pull-off stretching her legs. I'll have to admit, I need to stretch for a bit too, and the sunshine was nice as the wind was getting a bit chilly as we were getting up to the higher altitudes.  Unfortunately, no elk could be seen as it was simply the wrong time of day for them to be grazing.

The stop warmed us up and let us get the blood flowing again and we needed that for the remainder of the ride to Astoria. As we got higher into the Coastal Range we began to run into cloud cover, much cooler temperatures, and even a bit of fog and mist. The road grew much rougher as well, with many more potholes, cracks and twisties. Wanda kept watching the thermometer on the MP3 and she told me that at one point it reached 57 degrees. As we came down the west side of the mountain range into Astoria, it got a little warmer, but it was cloudy during our entire visit to the city and the clouds only began to break up once we headed back east to Portland.

Since we were thoroughly chilled at this point, we stopped for some chowder at Josephon's Fish House. The chowder was hot and filling, but having lived for many years in New England we found the seasonings to be not quite what we expected. I did, however, have a great Salmon Burger.

After lunch, we took a walk around town for a bit of photography down by the waterfront and along the harbor wall. Astoria has a trolley that runs along the waterfront and to other areas of the town. We didn't take a ride, but the trolly made for a nice photo. There were also several ships at anchor in the harbor basin, but the gray skies didn't make for a great shot. I did my best, though, and tried a hand-held HDR shot to see what I could do.

The shot turned our reasonably well, but it would have been much better with better light.

As we returned from the harbor wall, Wanda noticed a tent in the Sunday Market advertising fresh, hot crepes and she pretty much made a beeline for the tent (I don't think the chowder quite cut it for her).

The small Sunday Market was quite interesting and there were actually some decent bargains to be found. Had we been on/in something other than the scooter, we may have come away with a birdhouse or two from the market. I guess I should be grateful we were on three wheels instead of four.

Wanda did enjoy her crepes and she managed to be one of the last few in line before the market began shutting down for the day. She chose strawberry and chocolate for her filling and proceeded to make short work of them. After she finished licking the chocolate and sugar off her fingers, we took short walk around the area and wandered into a few shops. We didn't buy anything, but we had fun just looking.

Pretty soon it was time to ride, and we geared back up and headed out of the city on Hwy 30. It was still pretty cool, though the clouds seemed like they were ready to start breaking. As we headed east out of the city, the cloud cover become thinner and then suddenly we were back in sunshine and the temperature started to rise. By the time we were a couple of miles out of the city, the temps were back up into the high 80's.

We made one more planned stop for a break, and one unplanned stop when a bee flew up my jacket sleeve, but the remainder of the ride home was mostly uneventful. The bee sting hurt (I can't remember the last time I got stung), but I made a smooth stop and managed to get the bee out of my sleeve without spilling Wanda off the back of the bike. Now I know to keep my jacket sleeves lightly strapped around my wrists when riding.  I sure don't want that to happen again.

All in all, it was a good day and a fine ride. A nice long soak in the hot tub later that evening took care of any aches and pains incurred during the ride and we had good night's sleep.

Riding Weather

We haven't seen much riding weather this year. Every time we think we're about to get a nice long break from the rain,  the forecast changes, it clouds back up, cools off, and the rain begins anew. Fortunately, though, the last couple of weekends have had a least one day of good riding weather and Wanda and I have been able to get out for a jaunt in the countryside. Last weekend we decided to ride up to see some friends on Bald Peak.

The ride up to their place, Dragonfly Landing, is quite scenic and has some great twisties plus some long straightaways through farm country. It wasn't as warm as we would have liked it, topping out in the low 70's, but it was sunny and in Oregon that's all you need for a ride.  Besides, we were looking for any reason to get away from the house and out into the world.

There wasn't much traffic on our route and except for a bit of construction on 185th Ave, we had a nice smooth ride over to Farmington Road and then out to Bald Peak Road. We saw quite a number of other bikes on the roads and more than a few were couples with a rider and passenger as well as a number of small groups.  It seems like lots of folks had the same idea as Wanda and I did.

On the ride up the mountain we had some great views of Mount Hood and the Tualatin Valley. There was a bit of loose gravel on the road, but the twin front tires of the MP3 seemed to handle it quite well, though honestly we weren't moving fast enough to really test it. Wanda was much improved as a passenger this time and I could tell she was much more relaxed on the ride. There were far fewer helmet bumps and she didn't shift her weight in anticipation of the curves. There was one curve on the way down the mountain though where it seemed she was fighting the turn and leaning out of it instead of moving her body with mine, but that was the only one.

At the crest of ride, we stopped at Bald Peak State Park to enjoy the view there. Mount Hood was clearly visible for a change, and the view of the valley was quite lovely too. We took a short hike on one of the trails leading down from the west side of the park to get a better view of the valley. The rain has been good for something at least--the vegetation was lush and there were lots of little wild flowers blooming all up and down the slopes of the mountain.

The trail was well drained, so there wasn't much mud to deal with on the hike down and up. I had Wanda stop for a couple of shots on the trail as I thought I might use it for a future photo shoot and also because I think she looks might fine in her riding gear.

We walked around the park for a bit, used the restroom facilities there, and then headed on over to Dragonfly Landing to see our friends, Mark and Gabi. Our timing sucked though, because Gabi wasn't there and Mark was taking a nap. Good friend that he was, though, he got up from his nap and showed up some of his family's latest projects - a new leather corset for Gabi, new tents and camp-beds for their SCA group, and some of the landscaping and housing improvements they've been doing around the place.

Mark lets me use his property quite a lot for my summer photo projects, so I took some time to check out some of the fields and wooded areas in preparation for an upcoming shoot I have planned. Wanda was very interested in the camp-beds and I'll have to say there were very nicely built and seemed quite rugged and sturdy. Steve, the builder, told us they could be broken down in 5 minutes and setup in about 10 minutes, and more importantly they could be stored flat for transportation.

We didn't overstay our welcome, though, and we wanted to get back home while the sun was still high so we could have a little cookout with our daughters and grandkids. Coming back down the mountain was just as fun as riding up, although the one curve I mentioned previously did give me a bump of adrenaline.  What was rough though, was the winds down on the valley floor, pushing us around when we cleared the mountain shadow.

All in all it was a fun little ride and a nice afternoon outing.

Wanda on the mountain trail

Ready to ride.

Wanda's First Ride

Wanda has gradually been coming around to the idea of riding with me. Slowly, but surely she has been warming to the idea and yesterday, on our way out for our anniversary dinner, we stopped by Beaverton Motorcycles to get her some riding gear. I'll have to say this much for her, she has good taste.

She picked out a lightweight Nolan helmet with built in sunshade and a detachable chin guard, and black armored jacket with magenta piping, some leather gloves, and very nice mid-calve riding boots. She definitely looked good in the outfit.

Today was a perfect day for riding. It was sunny, but not too hot, and the roads were finally dried out from all the previous weeks rain. Our plan was to head out for a ride then hit McMenamin's Rock Creek Tavern for a late lunch on our way back.  Before we could head out, though, Wanda insisted we get some chores done first. So, while she vacuumed and cleaned the house, I edged and mowed the lawn and then we both went to Home Depot to get some supplies for a small project.  After that, Wanda finally screwed her courage to the sticking point and we got ready to ride.

I had a destination in mind and the plan was for a relatively short ride to give Wanda time to adjust to riding with me, and for me to figure out how to ride with her riding pillion. We tool a slow ride through the neighborhood first to let me get a feel for how the bike responded to two riders and to give Wanda's nerves a chance to setting down. After a short circuit around a couple of blocks, we headed down the long, straight route leading east from our subdivision. That let me pick up some speed and settled her in on the bike.

At the first intersection we headed north on a curvy stretch of road to give her a chance to learn how to lean with me and the bike. I kept it fairly slow, but I could feel her grip tighten with each curve. At the next intersection, about 4 miles up the road, I stopped and checked with her and she told me she was fine, so we turned and continued west toward our destination.

The road we eventually rode is called Skyline Boulevard, and it's called that for a reason. It runs along a ridgeline that divides the river area of North Portland from the fields and farms of the Washington County.  Our destination was a logging area just off the road where, on clear day, you can see the snow-capped peaks of Mount St. Helens, Mount Ranier, and Mount Adams in a beautiful panorama. I'd driven there a couple of times when searching for fall foliage to photograph, but had never ridden there on the bike. It seemed the ideal destination for our ride, and I wasn't disappointed.

The view was fantastic. Bright yellow scotch broom dotted the landscape and all three mountains could be clearly seen in the distance. The area where we stopped is owned by a logging company, but they allow hiking on the property and the logging road allows good access to various overlooks. Wanda and I didn't go very far from the gated entrance, but we did wander down the trail to get a couple of different images. It was definitely cool enough at this elevation that we could keep our riding jackets on as we walked.

The ride up was quite curvy and Wanda really got to experience some decent speed and twisties. As we road through the curves, she became better at adjusting to the ride and moving her body with me along the way. We bumped helmets a few times, but that was the worst of it. When we got to the viewpoint she seemed quite excited and happy to be riding with me. She admitted to some nervousness at first, much like the anticipation of standing in line for a roller coaster ride, but she seemed to have gotten over that pretty quickly. Of course, the beauty of the ride and of our destination helped with that I'm sure.

Once a the top of Skyline, it was time to ride back down for lunch. Rock Creek Tavern was our place of choice because of its proximity and its lovely outdoor patio. One thing is for sure, you don't go there for the service which is very, very slow even on the best days. I'm not sure why it is, but service always seems to take 15-20 minutes initially and is intermittent even after that. The surroundings are lovely and the food is quite good (the beers are terrific), but they never seem to have enough wait staff on duty to accomodate the patrons. Even with smaller crowds the service never seems quick and drinks can sit empty for quite a while before your server gets around to you again.

We weren't the only riders deciding to stop for a bite at the tavern. There were at least a half dozen motorcycles parked in the bike area as well as a number of bicycles along the upper fence (we were passed by a couple of sports bikes on the way down from the viewpoint, but we didn't see either of them at the tavern).  We managed to get a nice seat on the patio and settled down for a leisurely meal. As usual, I received a number of questions about our ride, since lots of people are really interested in the unusual looks of the MP3 500ie. One Harley rider asked me some extensive questions and as he rode off said, "nice ride."

After lunch, we went a different direction and chose to ride around looking at some of the lovely farms and homes located in our area. Lots of people were out enjoying the sunshine and working on their yards or on their farms or ranches. Bicyclists were out in droves enjoying the sunshine - it's been raining almost solid here for nearly 3 weeks so who can blame them. After about another 45 minutes of riding, it was time for another short break so we decided to head to Starbucks for a drink before heading home and tackling our own yard project.  A nice cold frappacino hit the spot just right and we took advantage of the stop to check on a small bicycle for our granddaughter and to visit the new toy store in the shopping complex.

All in all, it was a pretty good first ride for us both. We got to spend an afternoon together in some beautiful weather, enjoying some gorgeous scenery, and still managed to get quite a bit of work done around the house as well.

Since the rain is coming back tonight and we'll have the grandkids the rest of the weekend, we made the best of a lovely afternoon and some fun time with just us.

Afterwards, Wanda suggested a trip for us latter in the summer that will require a longer ride and a stay at one of our favorite Oregon retreats. That should be a lot of fun and we're both looking forward to that and many more rides together.

Rain, rain, go away!

Wouldn't you know it? I came back from Georgia and it's rained everyday since my return on Monday. I finally got the MP3 out for a ride yesterday at lunch for a ride up to my favorite sushi place, but didn't get to ride anymore that day as the rain came back as I was finishing up mowing the lawn, weeding and raking after work.

On a positive note, however, Wanda finally admitted she actually wants to start riding with me and we'll soon go get her some riding gear to make it not only fun, but safe for her as well.

A Gorgeous Ride

Okay, it was beautiful today. It was warm, sunny, and calm. Yesterday wasn't too bad either, but today was simply superb. It wasn't too hot--the temperature topped out at about 78 degrees, and there were only a few lovely, fluffy clouds in the sky. So, when I rode home from work today, I simply couldn't help myself.

The route in purple is the shortest and fastest way home - 10 minutes tops, maybe 4 miles at the most. The route in blue, however, is much more fun. It goes through some beautiful rural areas, up some hills, down some grades, around some curves, and at the top of the ride, looks over a good portion of Washington County all the way to the Coastal Mountain Range in the far distance.

The fact that spring flowers were blooming everywhere and the rhododendrons were in their full glory just added color and beauty to the ride. There wasn't much traffic this afternoon, and while I didn't have the road entirely to myself, for most of the ride I wasn't crowded or restricted by those behind or ahead of me. This is why I got the scooter. If I had had a little more time to get home, I would have stopped several times along the way to shoot some images, but unfortunately, I still had one meeting left before I concluded my day and began a short vacation, so I didn't have that luxury. So, you just get to see the map of my route.

As the weather improves, and it will since Oregon has the best summers, I'm planning on a lot more rides and those will include lots of stops for images. I'm especially looking forward to a ride to Astoria and back in the not too distant future.

Mods

Has it really been nearly a month since I updated this blog? A lot has happened since that Sunday ride. Probably the biggest event was that I completed the Team Oregon Basic Rider Training Course and received my full motorcycle license endorsement. The course is 2 1/2 days of classroom and rider training and the last day concludes with a riding evaluation and a written test. The instructors are knowledgeable and friendly, and do a lot of coaching throughout the course. Motorcycles and helmets are provided, or you can provide your own. Two people in our group decided to ride their own bikes, and many of us used our own helmets. I decided to use one of their motorcycles because I wanted to familiarize myself with braking and shifting on a motorcycle as opposed to the system used on the scooter.

The riding evaluation was definitely not easy. We were tested on everything we learned during the course as well as evaluated on interactive riding on a closed course. I did pass the test, so that was all I was looking for at this point. I did, however, ace the written portion of the exam. The course wrapped up on a Sunday afternoon, so I went home and had a nice cookout with the family to celebrate. The following Tuesday I went down to the DMV and paid for my motorcycle endorsement.

This past weekend I decided to add a couple of safety and security modification to my bike. My first task was to add a brake light modulator so that when stopped or slowing down, I would be clearly visible to trailing vehicles. I chose the Signal Dynamics Back-off modulator. The hardest part about the whole modification was removing the rear panels and the passenger handgrips to access the tail light assembly. Once that was complete, wiring in the modulator was quite easy.

The next modification I installed was much simpler and was accomplished while the rear side panels were off. I wanted a security system that would sound an alarm if someone approached the bike or attempted to tamper with it. I chose the Scorpio i900 system with a backup battery, and RFID pendant and a proximity alarm.  Since the Piaggio MP3 500 has an alarm harness already installed, hookup was a matter of attaching the main module, antenna, RFID sensor and proximity unit. During this installation, my grandson came over for a visit and he decided he really needed to help Papa with the modification. He was so earnest and cute, but I had to watch him with an eagle eye lest he actually do something I really didn't want him to do.

I installed my final modification this evening after work - a headlight modulator. This was a little trickier to wire, and I did leave one function of the unit uninstalled - the heads-up feature that engages when the horn is activated. I figure I'll save that one for when I install a large air horn sometime later this year.

Once again, I chose Signal Dynamics for the manufacturer, and the installation was relatively straight forward, even though the MP3 500 has dual low and high beam headlights. The headlight modulator changes the headlight intensity on a continuous cycle which attracts more attention than steady headlights. The modulation is only active during daylight and automatically reverts to non-modulated lighting at low light levels. The modulation can also be turned off by simply switching between high and low beam lights quickly. The post installation test went well, but I did have to take a short test ride just to make sure everything was working as it should.

The weather is supposed to clear up tomorrow, so I'll be riding into work and running some errands later in the afternoon. Summer rides should now be safer and more secure with these modifications.

Sunday Ride

The weather was beautiful today. The grandkids came over to play in the backyard around lunch time, and I managed to get some minor chores and repairs done around the house - you know, little things like adjusting the gate on the fence, pruning some dead limbs from the birch trees, adjust the track on the sliding screen door. When it was nap time for the grandkids though, I took advantage of the nice weather to take the MP3 500 out for a ride. This time, I took a camera with me as the main reason I bought the bike was to support my photography addiction. I also wanted to practice riding during a time when there was little traffic on the roads and on some hills and curves.

I stopped first at the former location of the Sweet Oregon Grill. I say former because the restaurant burned to the ground a few years ago and for whatever reason, the owner never rebuilt it. That's a shame because it  was a very nice little place with live music on the weekend, and cozy bar with a big fireplace, and lots of local Oregon products in their little store. The food was good and hearty fare, but the grill caught fire one night and the whole place, with the exception of a few out-buildings burnt to the ground. The fire was still burning the next morning as I passed by the site on my way to work.

The fireplace still stands and, of course, the concrete slab for the restaurant is still there, but the site is now weed infested and full of scattered trash. I've toyed with the idea using the spot as a glamour shoot location. There are a few issues associated with this:  it's located at a high traffic intersection (not conducive for glamour photography), the trash and weeds make it slightly hazardous for walking through the area in bare feet or legs, and the area is posted "No Trespassing".  Still, it would be fun to shoot a model there early one weekend morning if I can get permission from the owners.  There are lots of useful textures and structures on the site that wold make for a wonderful shoot.

After my stop there, I headed west on NW West Union Road. Traffic was fairly light, but there were lots of two-wheel riders out - both of the powered and non-powered kind. The bicyclist were definitely enjoying the warm weather and sunshine and the motorcyclist were out in droves. I didn't keep count, but there I saw scores of riders on my little one our jaunt.

From West Union, I turned north on Helvetia Road to practice on the hills and curves. Helvetia Tavern's parking lot was full of both cars and bikes and lots of people were out on the patio enjoying the tavern's enormous burgers washed down, I'm sure, with many pints of cold brews. I didn't stop, but I got a few interesting looks as I slowly cruised by the place.

I took the scenic route up to Jacobsen Road and when the road intersected with West Union Road again, I headed west again, this time to North Plains. Since the bike is still in the break-in period, I varied my speeds considerably during the ride. My intent was to practice riding the curves, braking, starting from a stop on hills (tricky when you have no clutch), and just generally working on my riding skills.

In North Plains, I stopped at the Hitching Post tavern for a Diet Coke. A group of motorcyclist standing outside the tavern looked at me with interest as I came riding up, but frankly my camera, a 5DMKII with a 24-105 f/4L lens and the 580 EXII flash got as many looks as the MP3 500 did. In fact, the first question/comment I got was about the camera rather than the scooter, though many question about the scooter did follow.

As you can see from the image to the right, there were more than a few bikes lined up in front of the tavern and lots of guys and gals in leather riding gear hanging out both inside and outside the bar. They were all having a good time and were enjoying the day. I stayed only long enough to drink my soda and grab a few photos. A couple of guys that were asking me some questions inside the bar came outside to watch me ride away. They were really interested in the hydraulic system that locks and unlocks the MP3's dual front wheels, and I overhead one guy telling another in the crowd how the bike worked in that regard. I made a semi-graceful exit from the parking lot - at least, I didn't hear any loud laughter as I rode away.

My final stop took me to an active rail trestle that I've often used as a photographic setting. The trestle spans a couple high ridges and towers above the road below. The large, rough beams make a great contrast for soft skin tones, and the road is not well traveled at all, so there is some degree of privacy available for shooting. Over the years I used the spot for glamour photography, senior photography, portfolio photography, and just as an interesting backdrop for portraits. I'm not sure how many different models I've photographed here, but it's been easily a dozen or so.

It certainly makes an interesting backdrop for portraits and the light hits the road just right a couple of hours before sunset. The lovely, young lady to the right is my daughter's friend Christine. They met in college and as Christine was an aspiring model, I help her build her portfolio over a couple of year period. She loved shooting near the trestle and we went through several outfit changes while we were shooting here.

We also shot under the trestle and in the field next to the right of way. We were totally undisturbed during the entire shoot. Christine got quite adventurous, climbing up on the fence and up into the beams of the trestle as well. I'm sure I'll continue to bring models to shoot here in the coming years, and who knows, it may be on the scooter.

Belize to keep her happy!

What a Beautiful Day

What a beautiful day to commute to work on a scooter. Although it was cool enough to frost this morning(44 degrees by the temperature indicator on the bike), the sky was clear and the air was calm. The ride in to work was brisk and I got a bit of practice managing the morning work traffic. The traffic spot that concerned me the most was the spot where the west bound Highway 26 traffic exits and then merges with south bound Cornelius Pass Road, but even though traffic was pretty heavy, the mirrors gave me a clear view of the traffic lane and I was able to easily merge into the right lane so I could make my turn a short distance from the intersection.

After a 3 hour meeting, I headed over to Hillsboro Vespa at lunch to have my new windshield installed. Kara managed to get it on pretty quickly, though I had to help her a little bit with one screw that kept wanting to strip at the head. The quick install left me time to stop by the post office to mail a CD of images to one of my recent models, and to grab a quick bite at Red Robin.

By lunch, the weather was gorgeous. The temperature was up to 67 degrees and it was quite sunny. If I hadn't had a full afternoon of meetings ahead of me, I would have been tempted to just keep on riding. Being the dedicated employee that I am, though, I soon was back in the office and logged on to the computer.  I'll have to say, the windshield made the ride quite a bit less chilly and when I got to Red Robin, I folded up the fleece I was wearing under my riding jacket and put it away.

I'm looking for many more warm and sunny days to ride. Practice makes perfect, after all.

Mobile Blogging Test

Test of mobile phone blogging. Sending this from Chandler, Arizona where Harley-Davidson's are in abundance, but safe riding gear is not.


Very cool, it works. I set this up last night because I thought it would be a cool way to post to the blog while I'm on the road, then add images later during the editing process. I took a walk this morning and during my stroll I saw probably a dozen riders or so out riding on this beautiful Saturday morning. I saw one guy on a Harley Electroglide in full riding gear, but most of the others were wearing t-shirts, shorts, sneakers, and only a couple wore helmets (Arizona doesn't have a helmet law). Seriously, you won't catch me riding like that.

The image above and to the right was taken a few years ago on a business trip to Arizona. The flower was blooming in a small man-made pond in Desert Breeze park. It's probably not too likely that I'll ever ride in Arizona, but I like to include an image with every post as this is primarily a photography blog.

First Commute

I rode in to work today. I hadn't really thought about it ahead of time, but the sun was out, there was only a few clouds, and no falling rain, so I decided that it would be my only opportunity to ride this week as I am leaving for a trip to Arizona on Friday and won't be back until Tuesday evening.

I geared up remembering AGATT, and eased the bike out of the garage. My backpack with all my work gear fit easily into the top case which was great. It meant that I could easily use the scooter for commuting without having to downsize my backpack.  I set the parking brake, started the engine to let it warm up (I've still got several hundred miles left on the break-in period), and just as I was putting on my helmet, my daughter drove up blocking the entire end of the driveway.  I had set the bike at a bit of an angle when I rolled it out of the garage and she didn't give me any extra room to maneuver as I left.

The ride to work was fun, but cool. I didn't mess with the hydraulic locks for the front wheels, instead I focused on familiarizing myself with the bike's weight and balance at each of the stops. Later on, when I'm much more familiar with the bike and it's low speed attributes, I'll use the hydraulic locks for stops.  I varied speeds considerably as suggested, but the bike easily handled the commute both to work and back to home. It will be much nicer when the windshield is installed though on Wednesday thought.

I took a different (and longer) route home than normal so I could bring the bike up to a higher speed to learn more about the handling capabilities. I hit at least 60 mph on the way home with plenty of throttle left in reserve. The mirrors gave me good rearview vision, and the bike was stable and comfortable (except for the cool wind) even on rough patches of the road.

Of course, when I got home, the entrance to both garages were blocked by Wanda's and Talitha's vehicles. So, I had to park the bike at the curve, set the brake, then get Talitha to come move her mother's car so I could get the bike in the garage. One thing I learned from this is that the scooter is quite cumbersome to maneuver a very low speeds and with a tight turning radius. I'll need to consider that for future rides.

This weekend is supposed to be sunny and warmer, but I will be in Arizona for a business trip and won't get the chance to ride. That's quite alright, though, as I will get an opportunity to visit with my youngest granddaughter whom I haven't seen since December.  I'm really looking forward to that.

Big Smiles

More later, but this was at the time of the bike delivery - Ryker sure enjoyed visiting the shop. His mom and his Auntie TeeTee brought him along when they took me up to the shop to take delivery of the bike. Kara, the saleslady, thought he was quite cute and playful.  He tried to play on all of the scooters, but I did tell his mommy and his aunt that if they let him knock over a scooter, it would be their responsibility. After that, they kept a much closer eye on him. He still enjoyed his visit to the shop and tried to help his mommy pick out a ride as well.

I delayed picking up the ride until the mid-afternoon since the weather was supposed to improve to at lease partly sunny and mid-60s for temperature. Unfortunately, just as we headed out the door for the shop, it started sprinkling rain from the light clouds blanketing the sky. It was still better that be strong gusts of winds and bouts of hail we had yesterday, but I had hope for a little better weather for the ride home.

Nevertheless, when the time came to wrap up the paperwork and head out, it was still sprinkling.  The temperature, according to the thermometer on  the MP3 500 noted the outside temperature at 55 degrees fahrenheit - not the best weather from riding home, but since is was only about a 7 mile trip it wasn't much to worry about.

Kara took me through the basic mechanical controls of the bike again before we rolled the bike out of the shop. I confirmed my appointment to have the windscreen installed next Wednesday and I asked her to look up the price of an extended warranty for me (since I won't want to do much mechanical work myself, it seems a reasonable additional expense). Once outside, I dressed in my protective gear; armored jacket, full face helmet and gloves. Then, of course, I had to pose of the bike for a few more images for the girls.  While gearing up, I took some advise from an experienced cyclist who had dropped by the shop and offered me his congratulation. He advised me to start slow, be paranoid about other vehicles, and enjoy life. Good advice it seems to me.

The ride home was quite fun. I did a loop through the neighborhood next door to the shop to regain the feel of the bike. A trio of young men playing with skateboards right in the middle of on of my turns was a bit of a surprise, but easily handled a low speed. Back at the shop, Talitha and Tanith were finally ready to go, and so we were off.

It's pretty much a straight shot from the shop to my home. Straight north on Cornelius Pass Road to NW West Union Road, crossing several major intersections, then east on NW West Union for just a few mile, then a left into my neighorhood, around a few curves, and then up to the house where the bike fit easily into my side of the garage.

It was a slightly moist and cool ride, but quite fun nonetheless. Had I the extra time, I would have loved to keep riding for a while, but as it was I needed to get back to a meeting that wasn't an option.

Tomorrow's the Day

I'll call the insurance agent in the morning with the VIN, write out the check, and pick up the bike around noonish. I've been reading about the dealer PreDelivery Inspection and other items I should double check when I go to the shop. Obviously, Wanda isn't terrible thrilled about the purchase - that's a bit of an understatement. She'll eventually come around and I hope enjoy riding with me at some point. I'm getting a helmet for her in any case, and when she's ready, I'll take her in to get a jacket and the other required riding gear.

I talked quite a bit with my son, Jeremy, today about riding safety, the Team Oregon Basic Rider Training and recommendations for riding gear and modifications. Later I learned he had a long conversation with his mom to assuage some of her concerns. How successful he was, I don't know, but I hope he had some success in convincing her that I'm doing everything right and have the requisite degree of paranoia to ride safely.

I certainly plan to take my time to learn the scooter's strengths and limitations, remain on low traffic roads at moderate speeds for the first few months of riding, and only move to more significantly traveled thoroughfares once I have gained sufficient experience and confidence in my riding abilities. I intend to be supremely safety conscious and conservative as I learn to ride and I'm definitely not going to take any risks.

I am excited to get the scooter though. I've wanted to ride for many years, but have conceded to Wanda's point about motorcycles. The MP3 500 seems to me to be an excellent compromise of safety, stability, and a riding experience and I certainly intend to make as much use of it as possible during good weather, and I hope to be able to ride well into the fall months until it gets too cold and wet to comfortably and safely ride.

Got the Paperwork

The loan paperwork arrived today. I went by the shop to make sure that they could work with me using the promissory note and to get a final estimate on cost to include a riding jacket, a couple of helmets, a windshield, and some gloves. All of this came well within my budget so, I guess I'm going to do this. Now it's a matter of breaking the news to Wanda and waiting for the fireworks.  I'll probably put deposit down next week when the shop opens (they are on Winter hours - closed Sun-Tue).

I've talked to the girls about this and they understand my perspective, but like me, they don't think their mom is going to take it well. We shall see.

By the way, the images you see with these initial posts are images from previous trips taken in my truck that I'd like to do again on the scooter.

I'm Officially a Learner

I'm taking a couple of days off this week help my daughters finish their moves. Since their need for was variable throughout the day, I took the time to go to the DMV and apply for the Motorcycle Learner's permit. I easily passed the test and got the permit, and on the way home from the DMV office, I stopped by the Vespa store to discuss more about the MP3 with Kara, the lady who has been working with me since I first dropped in to look at the ride. Kara easily convinced me to take a test ride since it was a nice day, and even though I've not ridden a bike in many years, the controls on the MP3 made it a breeze.

I rode dirt bikes occasionally as a kid, and though I was proficient at shifting and braking with those bikes, the MP3 is an entirely different animal. For one thing, the CVT transmission means shifting is a thing of the past. The scooter moved easily and effortlessly through the gears with no discernible shifts as I increased speed. There's no rear brake, and obviously no clutch, so braking is done with both hands. The right hand controls the front brake and the left hand controls the rear break.

The scooter is quiet as well.  The two front wheels are great for stopping - no issues there, and riding it was exhilarating,  even though I did only a couple of short loops through the neighborhood adjacent to the shop. As I pulled back into the parking lot at the Vespa store, I decided to try engaging the hydraulic locks for the front wheels which keep the bike in an upright position without the need for the kickstand, and it worked like a charm. Overall, I'm very, very impressed.

It's getting to be crunch time now. I'll need to make a decision shortly about whether to proceed with the purchase or not. Each time I've dropped by the shop, I've expected to see the bike sold as they are very popular items right now - Piaggio has gotten lots of good press on them due to the design and the safety features.  I have much to think about.

The Devil's in the Details

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I have a shoot tonight with Sivonna (I'll add an image from that shoot later), and I think that's going to be quite fun, but even more exciting has been the information I've gathered over the last couple of days. I had some time do do some research yesterday and I've found out that the MP3 500 is well within my grasp. The insurance is a nominal increase, even with full coverage. That's primarily because the MP3 500 is classified as a scooter and because of its admirable safety features. So that's an X in my column.

The shop is wanting to clear inventory before the 2010 models arrive, so a 2009 model with only 21 miles on it is available at Vespa Hillsboro, and I can get a $600 discount directly from the shop through my employers discount program. Additionally, they've offered to throw in some free modifications for me (well the labor's free - I'll need to pay for the parts). I also found, that I can get financing for much more than the bike will cost and a very low interest rate for a three year term - and it's already pre-approved. I'll have the promissory not in hand by the weekend.

Finally, I'm scheduled for the Team Oregon Course for the 1st weekend in May, so if I decided to get the scooter in April, I will have a few weeks to learn some balance and control before I go to the class. The next step to to study for and take the Motorcycle Knowledge Test and get a learner's permit so I can legally practice riding, balancing and stopping before the course.

Later - The shoot went quite well, but I wonder if Sivonna saw an MP3 500 in my future when she was staring into the crystal ball. I didn't think to ask her.

Further Considerations

So, Wanda is in Arizona visiting our lovely little granddaughter and her parents, while I'm left here in Oregon to deal with continuing issues with our two daughters - essentially wrapping up moving one into and new apartment with our other two grandchildren, and helping the other move out of her current apartment to live with us for a few months before she heads to Georgia to live with her grandfather and go to college. To say the week has been stressful is an understatement.

I've also managed to schedule a few photo shoots which help to relieve some of the stress, but which were physically quite taxing (several hours of shooting, plus putting up and taking down the set can wear you out).  In the evenings I've been researching more about the Piaggio MP3 500 ie, and I've determined that this is really the best compromise for me.  I've also talked to a number of photographers who happen to ride, and they recommended the MP3 500 as the photographer's best choice for a motorbike/scooter so I think it's about to be decision time. Yes, if I decide to get the bike, it's going to seriously piss off my wife, but at the same time, if I forego what I think is a reasonable and well earned purchase because she is being adamantly stubborn, then I'm going to be seriously pissed off and that's not going to bode well for our relationship either.  So, I'm going to do some more research.

First, I'll see how much extra insurance is going to cost. If it's excessively expensive, well, that's an X in her column. Next will be when I can get into the Team Oregon Basic Rider's course. If that takes more than a month or two, that's a reason to at least considering delaying the purchase.  Thirdly, I've got to look a the total cost of the bike, the safety equipment, and the accessories I want to purchase. These have to fall within a ballpark budget I've established in my mind. And finally, I need to see what loan terms I can get with my credit union. All that research will be done this week.

And yes, I picked out the image of my wife standing beside the entrance sign to Death Valley for a reason.

The Ride

I understand the art of compromise, or at least I thought I did. A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle, and I thought about getting a Harley. Hey, it's everyman's dream, right? I'm a responsible person. I've taken care of my wife and family for over 30 years. I earn a good living, so I can afford a few luxuries and I've bought just about everything my wife has wanted for our home. I spoil her, our children and our grandchildren.

But, when I mentioned a Harley, all hell broke loose and I was threatened with both divorce and eviction. Okay, I can understand her point to some degree - she loves me and doesn't want to lose me - but she's willing to divorce me and kick me out to keep from losing me? Say that again? Female logic just isn't logical.

So, I thought I'd compromise, so I started doing some research, and I found out that the Piaggio MP3-500 scooter was an excellent choice for someone who wanted the experience of riding a bike while having a more stable and safe platform. The additional front wheel provides extra stability, more capability to handle gravel and sand, and yet maintain cornering capability. The 500cc engine powers the machine nicely and allows highway speeds, but isn't so much that dangerous acceleration and speeds are possible.

So, I took her up to the local scooter shop to take a look - well, I learned there's not much compromise available in her opinion. Hmmm, very interesting. What shall I do?