Nice day for a scoot

...and I wasn't the only one to think so.

I met my best friend at a local nursing home where he was paying a visit to a church member, and we took our scooters to the local "Berean" bookstore. He was riding his little Wildfire, which I noted has started to lose its rear turn signals. I took a moment to take a closer look and saw that they just sit on a pair of little metal nubs which they had popped off of. They were just hanging by their wires, which speaks to the quality of Chinese construction. They still work, but just the same, I'd rather have my durable turn signal posts instead of flimsy rubber ones sitting on metal nubs.

Anyway, I saw a 200cc Yamaha Riva scooter. Kinda neat little bugger. It's just too bad that Yamaha doesn't make a 200 anymore. I'd really like a 200cc eventually, but unfortunately none of the Japanese manufacturers make a 200 at this point in time. Neither Yamaha nor Honda have even a 250cc in their lineups this year. Honda seems to have cut out everything except for their 50cc's for 2009, and Yamaha seems to be focusing on the 50cc, 125cc, and 400cc+ crowd. From what I understand, Honda hasn't manufactured the Elite 80, the Helix, or the Reflex since the '07 model year. It really seems like they don't care about the scooter market, which kinda surprises me since it seems like there's a lot of money to be made from them at this point.

125cc is fine I guess, but it seems a little underpowered to me. 150 is a little better, but when I get a new scoot, I want it to be something with enough oomph to take me up to about 65 MPH and keep me there comfortably, but with a small enough engine that I'm not sucking down gas like there's no tomorrow.

Ahh well, unfortunately there is a tomorrow and I need to get to sleep so I can wake up in the morning. So, safe scooting and keep your eyes open for all the other scootin' fools out there.

not the same...

Well, I drove my wife's new SUV to work this morning, and I have to say, I much prefer the scooter. Sure, the Rav4 is nice enough, but there's something freeing about having the wind in my face and no vehicle walls around me.

I'm impressed with the quality of the Rav4 so far. It's the "base" model, and front wheel drive as opposed to 4 wheel drive, but it has alloy wheels, 4 wheel disk brakes with ABS, traction control, stability control, a really nice stereo, cruise, keyless entry, and a bunch of other bells and whistles I've never imagined I'd find on a base model.

It looks like a good day for a scoot and my wife wants me to run some errands, so I will go do that.

A sad farewell...

Well, today, I got up at 5:15, scooted to work, gave meds to the men at the home, then went grocery shopping. I got a really good price on some lamb chops so I picked them up while I was at Oregon Dairy. I got back to the home and did some piddly work that needed to be done, then went home to make the chops for my son. We had a nice lunch, watched some Airwolf on Netflix, then he went to the local pool for a while. It was a nice day all told.

After that, I fiddled around a bit on a couple different forums and then my wife came home. I had found someone's day-timer on the side of the road, so I let my wife relax on the couch a while and scooted to the borough office to give them the day timer so they could give it to the police. Since I didn't really want to go home yet, I scooted down the road and popped in at Lancaster Toyota. My wife had been looking at one of the Rav4's there, so I went in and talked to Harold (one of the salesmen), explained my situation, and everything went downhill from there. My poor sporty two-door has been traded in on a small SUV.

-Pause for a moment of silence -

So, in farewell, I post a picture of my beloved beater. May she not end up on a scrap heap in the too-near future.

Little wrinkle...

Well, I found out last week that New York State requires a motorcycle license for those operating 50cc scooters that are capable of traveling between 30 and 40 mph. My little Vino does that rather well. Since I do not yet possess an M class license, I am unable to do my Jaunt to Massachusetts via Scooter at this time.

I went to the DL center to take my motorcycle learner's permit test. I'd studies some, but missed 5 questions anyway. I'll go back Tuesday to try again. I'm sure I'll pass the second time around. If I can get the permit, I might be able to book a road test in the next two weeks. Fat chance, I know, but hey. It's worth a shot.

Anyway, I've still been scootin' around. I took my son in to Lancaster City for the Hispanic Festival yesterday. he was all excited to get rice and beans. He ate half the plate. I think I'll have to stock up on them and learn a good recipe. Finally, something he'll eat! We got a lot of smiles and comments (positive of course), from folks while we were riding.

I had to work this morning, but I got a chance to scoot while working. We take the men from the group home to Church on Sunday mornings and I was training a new staff this morning. Since we had three staff and three men going to Church, I opted to ride my scoot rather than sit in the back of the van feeling claustrophobic. One of the other staff shot the pic to the left while I preceded them on the road. I think he needs a cell phone with a better camera, but at least I didn't need to blur out my plate number!

On the thought of claustrophobia, Joe over at Scootin' da Valley, has a blog about claustrophobia in standard four wheeled vehicle. I honestly have to agree with him. It's not so bad if I'm driving, but if I have to sit in the back, wow. I feel a panic attack coming on just thinking about it. It's not as bad as riding in an elevator, but it's close. Elevators may be a great convenience, but me, I'd rather take the stairs.

Success!

Well, despite having to run to K-mart to buy a new set of socket wrenches because I didn't have anything big enough to take off the Oil filter plug, I was able to change the oil pretty easily. It's actually a ton easier than it is in my car. Ugh, that's a pain the hindquarters since the oil filter is way up in a hard to get to place on a Cavalier. Really poor design if you ask me, but not so with the scoot.

I think I'll do some research for the best oil to use in the Vino. It takes 10w-40, but I'd like to get a decent brand that will help extend the life of the engine. I used Castrol this time. I suppose oil is oil because it has to meet certain standards, but I'm wondering if synthetics have value in small engines, and so on.

In any event, my son and I went for a ride after I finished the oil change. It kills my fuel efficiency when he rides, but I think it's worth a little wasted fuel to see him smile.

Oil change time

Well, tomorrow morning I am going to make my first attempt at a solo oil change for my scooter. I've never changed the oil on a vehicle by myself so this will be a new experience, but I've seen it done enough so I'm not terribly concerned. It did take me a while to find the oil. Wal-Mart had nothing, Advance Auto Parts had nothing, and I ended up at Pep-Boys. They sell scooters (though they didn't have anything street legal in stock), so I was relatively certain they would have what I needed, and they did.

So, I got home to find the oil change tray I bought won't fit under my bike right, so I need to either find another pan or find a way to get the bike up off the ground so I can get the pan all the way under the oil drain. I'll figure it out, I'm sure. Worst case scenario, I can take the other pan back and get something more functional.

2,000 miles!

Well, yesterday I hit 2,000 miles on my Vino! Now I need to change the oil. I've looked at the manual and have figured out how to do so, it's just a new process for me. I think I will work on that tomorrow evening, or maybe Thursday. I have an appointment to get it done, but I figure, I can save 40$ if I do it myself. My car is still out of commission and It won't jump so I think it's worse than just the alternator. Perhaps the battery I got two months ago is Fubar. I dunno. I want to get it running so I have rain insurance. hehe. I love my scooter, but rain on bare hands stings like mad, and it's a bit too warm to wear gloves.

I also saw about five other scootsters on their scoots yesterday. This is a Chinese jobby that I saw yesterday. I also went to Lancaster Honda yesterday to browse. They had an '07 Elite 80 there and two '06 Metros, both blue/white. I was impressed by the speed at which I was greeted by a salesperson there.

I'm starting to study the Motorcycle manual so I can upgrade to something with a bit more oomph. I love my 50cc, but I'd like something I could travel with.

Wildfire scooter update

The web address for the company that made my buddy's scooter is http://www.wildfiremotors.com. He says he now has 600 miles on it with only a few hiccups, one being the fuel system won't use an entire tank of gas. He says it starts to sputter at about 3/4 tank. The dealer said they'd be able to look at it, and I hope for his sake that he can get it fixed.

The price of their scooters is really tempting, but I think I'd rather plunk down a few hundred dollars more for the peace of mind that comes with owning a known brand.

Anyway, My buddy and I caught breakfast this morning at the Dunkin' Donuts in Leola this a.m.. Was kinda nice. We hadn't gotten a chance to sit and chat for a couple weeks.

I then scooted over to Domaki Leathers (sorry, no website), in Leola to window shop for a leather jacket. I'd like to get some skin protection for the fall and winter. They had some nice jackets for under $300, with vents even. I hesitate to spend the money, but then, I also shudder when I consider what a bad case of road rash would feel like.

After that, I stopped at Trans Am cycle in Lititz. I wanted to see if they could give me some info on a 200cc Kymco "People S" scooter. The guy asked if I had my M class yet, when I said I was still working on that, he got kinda huffy and said I needed to do that before I do anything else. Sheesh. Ever hear of research buddy? Whenever I consider a big purchase, I always take my time. Sure, I know I will need my M class to get a bigger scooter. I figured that much out; however, I also want to make sure I know my options so I have informatin to work with when I am ready to upgrade.

As much as I think I want that particular scooter, I don't think I want to buy from them. It's not the first time I've gotten poor customer service there. I've gone in twice before to browse. The second time I went in, I asked about a Yamaha Majesty they had, and the guy said, something like "you don't want one of those, you want a Burgman. We've sold that one already anyway." He then wandered off and nobody else came to assist me with my browsing, so I left.

On the other hand, I've had really good customer service from B&B Yamaha. They never act like they are too busy to show you something, even if you are only interested in the cheapest scooter or dirt bike they have. Maybe it's the location, I don't know. I really recommend B&B to anyone who might be lookin' for a scoot, motorbike, ATV or whatever.

The long road home...

I had to work this morning. When I went out at 6 there was dew on the seat of my Vino, and on the windscreen. I should have worn a sweatshirt because it was a little brisk this morning. At least it was not terribly foggy, though there were a few fields covered in wispy mist, which was pretty to look at.

On my way home, I had to stop for gas. I'd only gotten 90 miles per gallon out of the last tank, but I think that was due to taking my son for a ride and carrying stuff for work, which gets kinda heavy. Adding an additional 20 - 70 pounds seems to change my fuel economy, though it's still a lot better than my car.

Well, in any event, I left the gas station, hopped down a side road, and there was a lady on a Wildfire like my best friend has, though hers was red instead of blue and had a trunk on the back rack. She said she had gotten it from the same place he had gotten his. I didn't get a chance to get any info out of her on how she's found it to be performance and reliability-wise. It seemed to be running well for her from my observations, so that is a good sign.

It was nice to see yet another scootster out there. I see at least one a day, and always someone new and different.

The fad died! Leave it that way!

I don't get it. I just don't get it.

Large rim, heavy plastic framed glasses were hideous when they first came out, back whenever that was. They went away for about a decade, except for the few rare cases where some old dude or older lady would still wear them. Now, over the last few years, I've noticed that they seem to be resurfacing. I saw a young teen wearing a pair with really wide, heavy looking stems on them (I couldn't tell if the kid was a boy or girl due to their hair length and lack of...shape, as can happen at that age, which is why I simply state "young teen."). They looked hideous on the kid. Why would you want to do that to yourself?

I just don't get it.

On a less annoyed note, I picked 17 cucumbers out of my garden this morning with the help of one of my clients from the group home. He took a few home to share with his housemates, along with some hot peppers for a co-worker. He also enjoyed petting one of our cats for about 15 minutes straight. It's always fun to have visits in my home from one of my clients. The pic to the right shows some of the cucumbers.

Our sunflowers are opening now too, and despite an attack by Japanese beetles (quickly squelched with some Sevin spray), my bean plants seem to be surviving. Gardening is a true pleasure. It is a wonderful feeling to pick something from a plant that you put there, nurtured for months, and are finally able to harvest. For supper, we'll have fresh lettuce and radishes. that will be particularly nice I think.

updated route

I rode a bit of the route I have planned for September. I made a few changes.

I think I need a new seat cushion. After about an hour of riding, my butt really hurts.

In any event, I rode from East Pete into Lancaster city, then up King street to Plum and out New Holland Ave to Butter road. I took Butter road all the way to Quarry road, then Quarry Road back out to New Holland Pike in Leola. I then took a left onto Newport road through Center Square and Talmage, then stopped at Brownstown. From East Pete to Brownstown took exactly 40 minutes. Not terrible I think. The complete ride will most likely take over three hours, but I think with two stops, it should work...Definitely will need two stops or else our butts are really going to be sore.

I'm going to have to re-work the route in the city though. They are building a new convention center, which is currently a terrible eyesore, and the 100 Block of East King Street is all torn up. From the look of it, the building won't be all that much better looking once it is done. It's unfortunate really. If it's supposed to attract people to Lancaster City, shouldn't it...well, look attractive?

Just a thought.

Two Funny

First, I found my son's kitten hanging out when I went into our laundry room:
She didn't seem too happy to see me.

There's also a funny Jib-Jab circulating at this link

Take it easy!

I've had a pretty nice day of it today. I got to buzz around the county a bit while working. That was nice. I had to make a stop at the bank and came to the realization today that taking a cash-box to the bank might be a great way to get robbed. Of course, I had my .380 in the helmet well under the seat, which is where I had the cash-box, so any would-be thief had a surprise in store for them. Carry permits are fun. :)

Well, then I wandered over to my work's main office to deliver some mail and found a huge hunk of metal in the road in front of Landis Homes. I was able to avoid it of course, and tossed it to the side of the road. It looked like a foot from a back-hoe stabilizer. That would have made my life interesting had I hit it.

I then scootered back to the group home where I work (had to specify that, you know), and hit the highest speed I think I've reached so far on my scoot. The needle was halfway through the engine check light. I'm thinking I was almost to 45. Of course, this was downhill.

Coming home after work was interesting, and is the reason for the post title. I was sitting at a relatively long traffic light, and was starting to twist my throttle to start rolling when this lady behind me in her ritzy silver Volvo starts honkin' at me! Sheesh. The light had just turned. I thought I'd been transported to the middle east or something. People are far too impatient to get to wherever it is they are going, then once they get there, they are impatient to leave. It boggles the mind.

Then, once I turned off onto the next road, some other lady comes up in an Oldsmobile something-or-other and starts tailgating me. Here I am, doing about 28 in a 25 and her car's practically eating my scooter's tail-light. Of course, she then passes me so that she can slam on her brakes at the light at the end of the street. Go figure.

My suggestion for scootsters, motorcyclists and cagers alike is to slow down, take it easy, and enjoy the journey. I love the Nissan commercials of the mid 90's with the slogan, "Life is a Journey. Enjoy the ride." Despite it's obvious roots in commercialism, that is a profound statement.

There are really three types of people. Those that just want to get to their destination, but aren't generally happy when they get there; those who focus on the journey and choose to enjoy life as it comes to them; and those who are still looking for their roadmap.

Not cool!

Our air conditioning hasn't been working right for the last week. Well, yesterday, I discovered, with the help of a friend, that one of the capacitors in the heat pump was blown. So, I went and got a new one today. Took me a bit of running, but it gave me an opportunity to get out on my scoot. The first store I went to didn't have what I needed, so I ended up at a heating and air conditioning place that had the part.

In my travels I saw about five other people on scoots, and I stopped in at Bachman's Auto Sales (sorry, no website that I could find), where my best friend bought his scooter. I chatted with the owner awhile, and then scooted on my way.

The back roads of Lancaster county are real nice for scootin'. There's lots of curvy roads and sharp turns and the occasional Amish buggy to dodge. It makes for a really pleasant ride, even in the more sun drenched places.

So, back to my topic, my friend came by this evening after I left for work and fixed the heat pump so we now have lots of cool air coming out of the vents. Now all is well with the world.

I also took a brief ride with my son to get gas. Ain't he cute?

I've decided on a name for my scoot. I think I'll call her "The Flying Cranberry!" Now I just need to find decals.

About me...

Ok, here goes, the obligatory, boring, "this is me" post.

I'll try to keep it short, but I realized that here I've been blogging for a little over a week and haven't really said anything about myself.

I'm pretty much your average guy I suppose. I live to be outdoors most of the year, which means I'm either hunting, fishing, gardening, or on my scooter (now that I have one) at any opportunity.

I'm a bit of a gun nut and have a small collection of firearms, including a 357 Daniel Wesson revolver, a Bersa Thunder 380, a Ruger Mark II target pistol (.22 lr), an NEF 12 gauge pump, and a Savage .22lr.

I'm married (happily), with an 11 year old son. He's adopted but most people have no idea when they look at him. He came to us through foster care and we adopted him two years ago. He loves to be wherever I am, and even has his own little helmet for takin' rides on the scoot. He's really a great kid and I'm blessed to be his dad. Unfortunately, he has his share of problems. His birth-mom drank while she was pregnant with him, so he has some of the effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). For one thing, FAS causes developmental delays, so he is very small for his age. He also has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from the abuse he suffered prior to living with us. It's a journey, certainly, but a tremendously rewarding one.

My wife is a public school teacher with a Master's degree in Elementary Education. She wants to get her Doctorate eventually, but I convinced her to wait until I get a master's of my own.

I work in a group home for persons with developmental disabilities. I am the "Lead Advisor" there which means I am responsible for making sure the home is provisioned with food stuffs and other supplies. I also am responsible for taking care of the money for the men in the home, as well as sundry other responsibilities, including about 25 hours on shift each week, helping the residents with their meals, medications, daily routines, and so on. The pay is horrible, but the non-monetary rewards are priceless.

So, that is my life in a nutshell. Not much to tell, but it's what I have to work with, and I'm happy with it. :)

Another PA Scooter Blog

I know I'm new to the scooter blogging thing, but I thought I should put a note of thanks to Joe for the add to his links at Scootin' Da Valley.

I also note that he is a school teacher. Cool beans dude! My hat's off to you!

My wife teaches as well, it's not easy work, especially in the public school system.

Small towns of N.E. Lancaster County

I've come up with another possible route for the ride on Sept 13.

This route will take us around and through several of the small towns and boroughs that make up Northeastern Lancaster County. They are also all roads I have ridden and familiar with, which is a major plus.

The route is heavy on country driving, which I am pleased with, but light on city driving, which I am not terribly pleased with. I want to have a nice balance of the two, but I don't want the ride to be too long or too short so that it leaves too many sore bums on the one hand, or too much disappointment on the other.

Better not let some kid chew on a fender, lead poisoning you know...

While perusing the "scootlancaster" blog, I clicked one of his links to a scooter store he visited recently in Cleveland. On their site, they have a page about Chinese scooters. What struck me is how very many of these scooters are available. I've seen tons of them around, and many of them are Honda knock-offs that are designed to look like Piaggio's.

My best friend/pastor recently purchased one called a "Wildfire R8" about a month and a half ago and he is happy with it, but I am a bit concerned about the reliability of the machine that he purchased. He has at least one thing going for him, that being that he purchased it from a local dealer whom he knows and who has been selling them for a few years with few complaints. On the downside, I have not been able to find the company's website, but I've found TONS of poor reviews about them.

I have ridden his scooter twice, and both times I was struck by several things.

1. Cheap plastic controls. The plastic looks like something from some overstock toys I've seen at Big-Lots.
   
2. Bouncy mirrors. The mirrors jiggle like mad and aren't terribly useful due to that fact.
3. Poor/slushy acceleration. I don't expect much from a 50cc scooter, but this was really poor.
4. Poor braking. For having front disc brakes, I expected a little more grab. The Wildfire "R8" didn't brake well.
5. There's not enough space under the seat for a full sized helmet.
6. Lots of bling, not much zing. It's got all sorts of shiny doo-dads attached, but they don't make up for the lack of oomph.
   

I find it mildly diverting that the scoot has a tachometer, but, really, do you need such a thing on a 50cc scooter? It's a freaking 50cc and it's a scooter! Scooters are twist and go so there's no point in having a tach since you don't have any real control over the tranny anyway.

One thing I noted, and which has been confirmed by my online digging, is that these scoots tend to have a lot of bells and whistles, but they are cheaply made and not at all pertinent to the operation of the bike.

I own a 2006 50cc Yamaha Vino (pictured to the right). It came with no extras, just a horn, lights, a speedometer/odometer, two wheels, an engine, a cupholder, rear rack, and a sizable compartment under the seat. I've obviously added a windshield and a crate (a little Amish charm, har har). It's not much, but I trust it not to break down at a moment's notice, and it gets decent gas mileage to boot (about 98 mpg on average).

I could have spent half as much, sure, but I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, and I feel that I got my money's worth.

possible ride for Wheels Wheels Wheels

I'm brainstorming ride routes for this event for an all scooter ride around a bit of Lancaster County.

So far, here's one possible route.

I'm not 100% certain on that, but it shows promise.

Relaxed

I took my family to Baltimore and D.C. this weekend. My son had a blast and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, except now our feet feel like they are going to fall off.

We visited the National Aquarium in Baltimore on Saturday and walked around Washington yesterday. The Botanical gardens are amazing, despite the global warming propaganda all over the place. After leaving the botanical gardens we went to the Native American history museum, which was a bit of a let down. Our visit to the Air and Space museum next door made up for it though. We then went to the National Art museum, and while I hunted up some impressionist paintings, my wife sat in the lobby with our son, resting her tired feet.

Today, we went to the National Zoo. That was really quite neat. I have never seen a live Panda before and was surprised by how small they actually are. They really aren't much different in size from a black bear. By the time we made the circuit of the zoo, we were so exhausted we decided to head home and try to see the rest of the nation's capitol some other day.

I was surprised by how few motor cycles and scooters there were in D.C.. I didn't see any in Baltimore and only four scooters in D.C. (aside from the other tourists on Segways, which don't count because they are just geeky). With as "Eco-friendly" as our national leaders want to appear, I saw more SUV's and trucks in D.C. this weekend than I do around here in Lancaster County. Of the scooters I saw, three were Vespas, and I think one was a Chinese Honda knock-off. Now that I look at the picture I took, I can't make out the name. Here's the two pics I got anyway.

Scootin around the county

Yesterday I attended a viewing for a recently departed friend. I went there via scooter even with the threat of rain. It was rather enjoyable, despite the few sprinkles, with the exception of the motorists who seem to be convinced that anyone on a scooter needs passing, whether or not they are exceeding the speed limit.

Since taking up scooting three months ago, I have found that my biggest annoyance is motorists who will blast past me, when I am going at or above the speed limit. There's a reason the word "limit" is there. I realize my scooter does not have great acceleration; however, there are plenty of small cars out there that do not accellerate very well either. I don't see them getting passed in the middle of an intersection.

Such a thing happened to me this morning. I was on rt.23, at the light by Lancaster Labs, when some dufus pulls around me while I was accelerating. They seem to be flaunting their big budgets with their oversized v8's. Well, when they are complaining of $5.00 a gallon gas, I'll just chuckle and scoot on by.

The route is mapped and I have come to the conclusion that I am truly insane. I think it will work though. I still have a month left to rethink it. I will admit, I am just a little nervous. The route takes me up through the catskills on rt. 209...for 53 MILES! Now, I love small towns so that will make that stretch worth it. That 53 miles will probably take me about an hour and a half to traverse.

Well, it is time for me to get some sleep. I have a funeral to attend tomorrow, some more shopping to do, and some scooting in between...as long as it does not rain.

Mapping a route

Well, I have started to map a route for my upcoming trip to Massachusetts. The route looks promising, except for a stretch along 222 (not 22 as previously written) just north of Allentown. It looks like the only 4 lane I will be unable to avoid. I'm using Google maps and Google earth in conjunction to double check my route, and so far it looks pretty promising.

I'm looking forward to this trip. It should be liesurely and relaxing. I figure it will take me at least one full day, or possibly a day and a morning. I know I will need to stop every hour or two to rest my rear, and I will need to keep myself hydrated, but I want to prove to myself that I can do it. I also want to really enjoy the trip and not feel rushed.

I generally get between 95-100 mpg riding by myself, but with added weight from my backpack and my gear, I expect to get between 85-90 mpg (which is what I get when my 65 lb son rides with me). For this reason, I will take an extra one or two gallon gas can along with me. I figure, the trip is a bit over 300 miles, and while I am sure to see gas stations between here and there, what happens if I get stuck in the middle of nowhere because I've run out of gas and haven't seen a station in the last 100 miles.

My only other major concern is, what if I get a flat? But again, I'm willing to take the risk for the experience alone, if for no better reason.

Rain rain go away!

And don't come back tomorrow either!

I received a call at 5:45 this morning from a co-worker wondering why I was not at work when I had not originally been scheduled to be there. I started out the door thinking I would follow my normal routine of scooting to work, only to find a downpour on my doorstep (incidentally, the rain was falling on everything else outside too). So this morning I was relegated to driving to work in my beat up 2002 Cavalier. Note that my Chevy would not be quite so beat up if people would get out of the practice of hitting it...while it is parked.

So, I got to work and stumbled through my morning routine, hoping that at some point I might actually wake up. Understand that I work in a group home for persons with developmental disabilities and I am one of the staff who give them their medications. It's not necessarily recommended that one be asleep during the administration of medications to another person.

After the men had gone their merry ways and departed to their day programs, I went home for a brief nap, then went back to work again in my car as the rain had not had the good grace to stop and had, in fact, grown more intense.

Having found my second wind I went through the process of filling the home's larders, something I am responsible for semi-weekly, and replenishing other supplies.

I must say though, the highlight of my day was sitting outside the home with a client waiting for his family to pick him up for a meal at a local restaurant. We sat and watched the clouds (now that the storms had passed), and enjoyed the beautiful array of colors, not to mention the sound of the birds singing in the trees. I would point to a specific cloud formation and he would say "oooh!" or "Oh wow!"

So often I get caught up in the busy hubbub of life. The childlike exclamations of enjoyment of the colors of clouds from a man with "lower than average intellect" were a potent reminder that sometimes we should slow down and enjoy the simple things.

Wheels, Wheels, Wheels 2008

See Scootlancaster for information on this.

Also, I would like to organize a scooter only ride at this event. If anyone would like to get involved, I am all ears.

New Beginning

I've always been told I was a bit eccentric. I've now proved it to myself. While conversing with my best friend/pastor, I've come to the conclusion that I want to try a road trip on my 50cc scooter. Mind you, it's only going to be from Lancaster County, PA to Hamden County, MA, but it should be an interesting ride just the same.

So far, I've run into a few obstacles.

#1. How do I find a route from here to there that avoids highways? My Yamaha Vino maxes out at 40 mph and cruises at around 34 mph.

#2. What if it rains? The tires on my scooter are not great, and while I have a new set of whitewalls with better tread waiting at the Yamaha dealer, I'm not 100% certain I can afford the cost of having them put on the vehicle.

#3. How do I survive 10 hours on a scooter without becoming completely saddle sore.

Well, my hope is, with a little luck, some help from Google maps, a pup tent, and some stops along the way, I'll survive and enjoy the journey.

Isn't that what life is really about; enjoying the journey?