Make It Your Own

One of the things I love about a good scooter rally is the opportunity to admire everything that folks do to make a bike there own. Walking down a line of scooters and seeing the things--great and small--that folks have done to make their bike more comfortable, functional or fabulous is just plain fun.

See what I mean?

Finding your scoot in a crowd

It's always fun to see how scooterists make their ride their own. Thought I'd share a few spotted at rallies this year in Pittsburgh, D.C. and Philadelphia.

Another Good Rally!

Polly Scoots is excited to serve as a sponsor again this year for Philadelphia's Independence Day Scooter Rally. In addition to being a fun rally, a portion of the proceeds for the raffle go to local and national charities. For the past two years, the Hostile City Scooter Club has chosen the Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia to be the primary focus of their donation energies.

So, if you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, head on up to Philadelphia for another good rally!

Scooter Ride!

Okay, I know this isn't the most thrilling video you ever saw, but in case you're wondering what it's like to travel with a pack of scooters, here you go! Ride along with some guys from NOS (a Washington area scooter club) on the road to the British and European classic motorcycle show. And in case you're wondering, that's a Vespa Rally in the lead, a Vespa P200 in the middle and a Lambretta DL 125 bringing up the rear.

what's that?

I said it last year, and I'll say it again this year. It's fun to head out to a classic motorcycle show on a kind of gray day and come across something that makes you say, "what's that?".

This year, it was a three-wheeled machine that had me saying it...the Lomax.


In addition to the oddity, I couldn't resist adding a few more fun emblems and badges to the photo collection...they just don't make them like they used to. Here were a few of my favorites:





Luckily for the ponies in our stable, seeing all those shiny bits inspired us to go home and give them a much needed bath...

A few good rallies

Polly Scoots is excited to serve as a sponsor for two great upcoming scooter rallies. Rides, raffles, scooter peeps and tons of awesome bikes...what are you waiting for--register today!

Tornado R'Alley V in Kansas City May 15 to 17.

Scootergate 4 in our nation's capital June 5 to 7.Alas, I won't be making it to Tornado R'Alley V in person (one day though!), but Scootergate is definitely on the calendar!

I heart Pittsburgh

Ryan and I hit the road for our first scooter rally of the season on Thursday. We tried unsuccessfully once before to make it to the Pittsburgh Vintage Scooter Club's City Rally (riding Stella+BIG hills=engine crapping out and turning around half-way there), so this year we played it safe and trucked the bikes to the Steel City.

We made it there and back in one piece, ate our way through the city, had some fun rides, hung out with some great peeps and generally had a kick-a** time. I'll sort through the all the pictures and share more as the week progresses. In the meantime, check out our first rally trophy!! Thank you PVSC!

Scooters on Parade

There's nothing better than scooters on parade. Well, maybe scooters on parade in July would have been a little better--when the wind chill isn't in the teens! But it was the Mayor's Christmas Parade, so what can you really expect?

Spectators along the streets of Hampden (Baltimore, hon) came out to take in the parade wrapped in blankets and clutching beverages (some hot, some cold). Others were pressed against the glass of their neighborhood bar or their neighbo'rs house, taking in the view while sitting inside where it was a little warmer.

Five of us braved the elements--four Vespas, one Vino, two hours or so waiting for division three to step off and maybe another half hour riding down Falls Road and "The Avenue."

And just in case I haven't said it before, my Vino rocks!! This is how it got to Baltimore and back. A few kicks and she started right up. What a bike! And, yes, I know, it's really not a good idea to transport her this way. Desperately cold temperatures call for desperate measures.

Postcard from the road: Smallstate 2008

Here's a still to accompany the video above.

Road Trip to ID8

As seems usual, our trip to Philly for the Independence Day Rally was not without a little bit of adventure. Year one for us (2004), I made the trip up on my Vino 125. The bike was a week old when we set out and I hit the official 600 mile "break-in" point coming home across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Last year, we tested the towing capacity of our car and a rented trailer for the first time. More on that here.

This year, we were hoping to trailer up my "new" bike while Ryan rode his SportCity. Alas, my bike wasn't done yet, so I decided to be a passenger for once and give riding on the back of a 250cc a try. We made plans to load our stuff and the dogs in the car with me while Ryan rode his bike to the in-laws house north of Philly Thursday after work. I'd ride on the back of his bike to, and during, the rally.

Then, on the way to work on Wednesday, Ryan's bike started gushing gas and all our plans looked murky at best.

We tried out our trailer for the first time and hauled his bike home. Ryan then spent 45 minutes removing 5 body panels and 15 pieces of hardware (in five different varieties) to find where the fuel line to the EFI/carb was detached at the fuel pump. It took two seconds to click it on--and another 30 minutes to put the jigsaw puzzle of body work back together. The commute to work and back on Thursday proved that things were roadworthy. We hit the road around seven and reached our destination just before midnight Thursday night.

More on the destination tomorrow...

Spring in Washington

The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and so are the tourists. While it's wall-to-wall people at the Tidal Basin in downtown D.C., a little further north, the National Arboretum offers a much more relaxing take on things. Yes, there are far fewer trees in bloom, but getting to them is so much easier. To be honest, I didn't actually see a lot of cherry trees on this visit, but the magnolias were gorgeous!

And the grounds of the Arboretum are a fun place to explore by scoot. Even though Ryan had his "big bike" out, he didn't mind riding along with me on my "little one" so that I could test out a new piece of equipment. Stay tuned for more on that later this week!

They sure know how to make them

I'm not a Vespa girl myself, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it when they make a hot new bike. When I started seeing news about this scoot in Scootering Magazine, I couldn't help but be a bit intrigued. At about 5'4", many new bikes are just too tall for me to feel comfortable riding. A new smallframe-like bike sounded interesting indeed.

When the Motorcycle Show came to town this year, I was happy to see the Vespa S in person. Not sure that I like all the "chrome" ascents, but all in all, it's a good looking bike. And, I could touch the ground just fine when I rolled her off the center stand.

Riding the Goat Man

We got some much needed rain this week, but that didn't bode well for our scheduled "Goat Man" ride. Overnight we got more than three inches of rain and by 9 a.m. (just an hour and a half before our meet up time), the pouring rain was just starting to slack off.

By 10 a.m. the rain had stopped and the sun was starting to peak through. We gassed up the scoots and headed to the ride meet up point.

We were a small group, but that always makes it easier to keep everyone together. It turned out to be a great ride through some scenic country. The seven inches or so of rain that had fallen in the past few days left a few road hazards, including tree debris, high water and gravel, behind, but everyone made it through just fine.

The abandoned buildings at Glenn Dale Hospital were spookier than usual as someone has cleared off all the overgrowth in time for Halloween hauntings.

We stopped in for some lunch at Rip's in Bowie at the mid-way point, then headed on our way. High water took out part of Governor's Bridge Road, but Ryan navigated us around it and we rejoined the road later on.

By ride's end, we'd traveled about 70 miles round trip and the sun was out for most of it. Maybe we'll spot the goat man next year.

Ride Invite--Washington, D.C./Baltimore Metro area

Chasing down the Goat Man – Saturday Oct. 27.

What: Come ride through the haunts of the Goat Man, a homespun legend of the Prince George’s County, Md. Our satyr may be escaped from a government farm, a science experiment gone awry. Or he may just be a human wildman, displaced from a now abandoned sanitarium and left to roam the countryside. Does he hide under the Crybaby Bridge? If you scooter stalls there, it may never start again. Travel the scenic and sometimes surreal backroads of Prince Georges and Anne Arundel counties tracking down Goat Man sightings and pieces of the legend. The 60-mile ride will take 2-3 hours depending on what the groups wants to do for lunch. It includes a few stretches of country highway, but is mostly winding back roads.

Who: Motorized two-wheeled enthusiasts of old and new stock are welcome. Your rides should be able to maintain 45 mph. Many 50 cc scooters may be inappropriate. Maryland has a helmet law so please abide by it.

Where: IKEA in College Park. Ride will meet up near the Starbucks in the new condo-strip mall at the front of the IKEA complex on Route 1. It is just north of the Beltway interchange and south of Beltsville. It will end there as well (though feel free to peel off for home where you wish). If you would like to trailer or van your scooter, please drop a line for directions to an appropriate side street or driveway, not far away. From D.C. drive straight out Rhode Island Avenue for just over 10 miles.

When: Meet up beginning at 10:30. Ride leaves at 11 a.m. sharp.

Chasing butterflies

It doesn't get much better than this. Morning temperatures in the 50s; temps in the 70s/low 80s for the ride home. And maybe best of all, no humidity! Ah, if only fall lasted a little longer in our nation's capitol.

Forget playing hooky during the dog days of summer--hop on your bike and bask in the shady splendor of autumn. Chase a butterfly or two.

On the road again

I may only have one ear (luckily the other was found and just needs to be reattached), but I'm finally back on two wheels. My ankle isn't 100 percent better, but it's close enough.

To celebrate my mobility, after some yummy lunch at a local Labor Day festival on Monday, we took a 50 mile ride out of suburbia. We explored a "new" tree lined and twisty road to its end before heading back home. For once I left the camera at home and was probably the better for it. It's really amazing what a ride through the country can do for you.

Head to the shore!

Were I wish I could be this weekend!

Destination: Annapolis

Looking for a fun place to scoot to in the Baltimore/DC area? There's nothing like a day trip to Annapolis. Instead of detailing all the touristy things to see and do (lots of web sites already do that well), I'll stick to the basics.

There are some nice tree-lined, moderately twisty roads in and around the area, making the ride there a pleasure. People watching along the docks is loads of fun. There are tons of places to grab yourself a good crab cake. And, most importantly, FREE SCOOTER PARKING at the city docks! Get yourself out there!

Saturday at ID7

I'll keep this post short on words and big on pictures. Put about 130 miles on the scooter Saturday including the ride into South Philly and back to our temporary home for Philadelphia's ID7 Scooter Rally. Took part in an awesome group ride through some twisty and hilly streets, chatted with many a cool scooterist, had some tasty food at the BBQ and feasted my eyes on many a groovy bike. All in all, a great day--and the weather was pretty darn good for July too! Sweet.

Loads of pics to be had on the scoot.net page, but here are a few of my favorite bikes from the day.