365 Days of Scooters: Day 75

More good gear!

So these gloves were much bluer when I got them originally. I didn't feel compelled to dig up the receipt, but I'm going to guess they are at least three years old. They've got some great cushion happening on the palm, leather on the palm and bottom side of the fingers, and breathable material up top. A great, protective glove for spring, fall and hot summer days.

Sadly, the cush on the bottom is finally starting to wear down on these, so I'll need to go glove shopping this year before the Corsette (Be a Girl, Ride a Smallframe). But, I just checked the Web site and the "Supervent Glove" looks to still be in production. Awesome. Hope they have a blue pair in my size!

365 Days of Scooters: Day 74

Okay, I'll keep rolling with the gear theme and give a shout out to my trusty riding boots. I prefer boots over other types of shoes because they provide both ankle support and protection. I've been know to have balance issues while standing still and not otherwise impaired, so I like a good flat shoe as well :)

I've been sporting some awesome blue Timberlands for several years now. I'm on my third pair of this exact same shoe and don't know what I'll do when this last set wears out.

Why am I so enamored with them? Well, aside from being a truly awesome and stupendous shade of blue, they're water proof and comfortable and I got them dirt cheap.

I ran across these shoes at one of those little sneaker outlet kind of stores that seems to get all the rejects--who knew there wasn't a market for blue men's boots in small sizes? $20 later, I had a spare pair. Wore out the first pair and was on to the second. Passed by the outlet yet again and saw the last pair of blue ones in my size and just couldn't resist bringing them home. Pair two started to deteriorate and I finally had to break out pair number three this fall.

Since I now have a scooter to match my boots, I really don't know what I'll do when pair number three has had its last ride...

365 Days of Scooters: Day 73

Speaking of gear, I'm a fan of the full face helmet. Sure, it can do some weird things to your hair and can be kind of hot in the summer, but it does have its advantages. I'll spare you the safety litany and head straight to the gross factor--have you ever taken a look at all the gunk that is stuck to the outside of your helmet after a long ride? Bug gusts, road gunk and other mysterious matter. Who wants that stuck to your face? Thank you full face.

Three Rivers Park, Pittsburgh, Pa.

365 Days of Scooters: Day 72

Time for a little scooter gear love.

I got my first real riding jacket just about five years ago (March 19, 2005 to be exact...yes, I actually found the receipt). It's an Olympia that has served me fairly well in all seasons. The zip out liner means it's wearable during some of the colder months and mesh/ventilation makes it doable in summer as well (although black probably wasn't the best of choices for sunny, humid days). Aside from a recent zipper malfunction, it has held up fairly well through more than 12,000 miles on the road.

Armor at the shoulders and elbow and back protection helped me feel safer on the roads, but the linebacker-like styling left something to be desired...and stowing it away for work meetings that require a suit required some creative scooter packing.

Needless to say, I was excited to hear last fall about a new line of ladies riding jackets in the works that was both fashionable and protective. And even more excited to see GoGo Gear in person today at Modern Classics. I couldn't resist bringing home "the trench."

According to the GoGo Gear Web site, it's waterproof, armored and abrasion resistant. It's also got some super-duper reflectiveness happening around the edges, on the lapels, wrist and (reversible) belt.

Periods of torrential rain kept me off the road today, but I couldn't resist wearing my new jacket to lunch and on the around town errands. Even though this jacket includes armor at the back, shoulder and elbows, you can't tell by looking at it! Sooooo nice to not feel like a bulky robot while walking around the library!

I'm definitely looking forward to my first GoGo Gear ride!

It's motorcycle show time!

The motorcycle show is coming to D.C. this weekend. Last year Ryan had a rather detailed list of bikes he'd like to sit on. So far, I haven't seen evidence of that this year...but somehow I don't think we'll be bored. My goal is not to bring home a jacket--I make no promises when it comes to gloves.

We saw one of these beauties in person for the first time at last year's show. Wonder what the scooter pavilion has in store for us at this year...

Gearing Up

I'm a little obsessive about wearing suitable riding gear--you'll very rarely catch me out for a quick spin without a jacket, gloves and full face helmet. Sure it takes a little more time to suit up and I'll have a few more things to carry or stow when I get to my destination, but it's much better than the alternative. Even a minor spill can result in some painful road rash. And who really wants all the random things that hit you while riding (from bugs to small rocks) bashing you in the knuckles, eye or arm and tarnishing an otherwise delightful ride.

For some local jaunts this weekend, I traded my armoured jacket for a leather one--much more stylish and less bulky for walking around town. And it was the perfect temperature for it--not too hot, not too cold--gotta enjoy these lovely fall days while we can.

The importance of rain gear

So I got soaked on my ride home from work yesterday. I had traveled about a mile when it started getting really windy and pretty dark. As I sat at a traffic light I could see lightening flashing up ahead.

Internal monologue:

"Maybe I'll beat it home."
"It can't rain the whole way."
"It will just be a quick shower."

Of course, I hadn't pack my rain gear--it's summer after all and the weathermen say there's a chance of storms every day. And my rain gear is bulky.

Little drops of rain soon became a deluge.

"Maybe I should pull over."

Amazingly, I was traveling through a stretch of suburbia with no commerce in sight. I moved from the middle of three lanes to the right and just kept going. By the time I reached a service station, I was already soaked through so I just kept going. Since it was coming down so fast, water was just pooling on the roadway. I stayed to the left of my lane to avoid the river along the side of the road which put in a prime position for catching the sheets of road spray from cars passing in the neighboring lane.

I took it slow and stuck it out. By the time I pulled into the driveway some 12 miles later the rain had turned to a fitful drizzle. I scooted into the shed, untied my bag and squished my way to the back door. Fortunately, my gear fared better than me. My trusty Timbuk2 messenger bag kept all the essentials dry. The purse I had slung across me for the ride did surprising well and most of its contents were also safe.

The dogs must have thought I was nuts as I scurried to the bathroom to avoid dripping all through the house. I left everything to drip dry and went in search of some dry clothes.

At least I don't need to wash the scoot this weekend!