Modern Vespa

Just back from a short ride along Skyline Dr. (west of Portland). 60 deg and sunny, with colors about at their peak for here. Rains start soon, so gotta ride these days when they happen.

I especially love that last picture. It's gorgeous!

awesome pics!!!! very beautiful there.

Looks great, Tim!

Lookin' good... Sometimes I miss Portland - I lived there for about 6 months one summer while in grad school (I was doing a clinical rotation through OHSU and the VA). For the most part, I lived up on the hill (literally), but I did venture down and out a couple times - mostly to the west or down the gorge, but everything I saw was wonderful!

Well Masala...you'll have to pop back up for a visit.

We now have a honest-to-goodness TRAM that goes from the bottom to the top of the hill (and back, of course).

I've yet to try it though... but it is interesting seeing the gondolas go up and down while passing under them on I-5.

Heres a link to the info if you are curious.

http://www.portlandtram.org/

It's been so dry here that our fall colors are almost non existent. Thanks for the pics of some beautiful colors. Maybe the rains today will perk it up a bit but I am afraid it is just too late.

Same here in Alabama. some of the sweet gum trees are showing their color but that's it.

Here in Ottawa, Canada we've had absolutely beautiful fall colours but now the weather is just getting too cold to commute. I drive along a river parkway (the Rockcliffe Parkway) to get to work and it's a wonderful vista, but yesterday it actually wasn't fun anymore but just too cold (fingers especially, and that's with sheepskin lined suede gloves on).

Alas, it has been falling a few degrees below freezing at night, and the past two days there has been frost on the ground during the morning ride. Not only is it a bit cold on me as the rider, but grip is way reduced, too, as the road surface temp drops and the tires' own compound doesn't offer nearly as much grip in that kind of cold, either. Moisture on the road isn't quite freezing (the heat from the ground keeps it warmer than the air temp, I guess) but it's getting damned close. The ride home in the afternoon is great, but it's getting just too risky and cold at 8am in the morning.

I think I'll be able to get in a few more rides on the weekends in the afternoon, but then that's about it...

Once the snow actually flies it will be time to take things apart and rebuild which is fun, too.

Cheers,
phaetn
My scoot

Man phaetn, I sure am glad it doesn't get that cold here in the Bluegrass. I plan to ride as much as possible this fall, winter, and into the spring. For your hands you might want to try a glove like the Olympia Windtex thinsulate lined glove. I used mine the other day and fingers were nice and warm after a 30 mile ride.

Thanks for sharing. I went on a fall ride today. It was not as pretty as your location.

Tim,
Thanks for posting the beautiful photos. I can't get out and enjoy a fall ride this year, so I'm living vicariously through those who can. Thanks for sharing two of my favorite things, scooters and fall!

Well, I phoned in sick to work today (cough, cough) so I could actually get some marking done at home (weird, isn't it, calling in sick to do work?) and took the opportunity to go for a scoot over a lunch break. It will probably be one of the last of a handful of rides before the season's over as there are only a few nice enough weekends left.

Most of the trees have lost their leaves, alas, but I hunted down a few within a few minutes of my house and stopped to take a few pics.

More images (including those below in high-res) and a vid of the scoot running are available at at Flickr.







A couple of weeks ago all of these trees had their coloured leaves, but it's been pretty rainy the past few weeks so not great scooting weather:


Lastly, a self-portrait:


Enjoy the season and keep the tires on the road!!

Cheers,
phaetn