SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! ...

Well not really Sunday, but I am just reminded of those cheezy TV commercials that appear when ever some traveling motor show comes to town. And to the point of the post, one of them is.

This January, the 28th Annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Show comes to DC. Great, Fabulous, why do we scooter owners care??? Well do to the rise in popularity of our step-through motorcycles, scooter vendors will not just be sprinkled into the mix, they will have their own pavilion called appropriately The Scooter Pavilion!

--Scooter sales have skyrocketed during the past couple years as more and more people climb aboard motorized two-wheelers to escape rising gas prices. The Scooter Pavilion is an area dedicated specifically to scooter fans and the machines they love. New model releases from top brands, including Aprilia, CF Moto, Genuine, KYMCO, Piaggio, Suzuki, Vectrix, Vespa and Yamaha, are showcased in the pavilion alongside scooter accessories and information about the latest in high mileage transportation options. From larger commuter models to small displacement scooters, the Scooter Pavilion is the place to touch, sit on and experience several options to suit your scootering lifestyle. --

HERE is the Washington DC Stop Info Page

Who's a Chicken?!?!?

OK so last week we returned from our honeymoon, and it was back to business as usual. About the middle of the week I began to notice the faint but real signs of that first cold of the season, and sure enough by this past weekend I was a full blown mess. Which has led to my decision for the comfort of my nice warm truck for the past three morning commutes.

Each morning this week I have gotten up and looked outside at the dark coldness, gone through my morning routine of waking myself up and shaking off the cold symptoms with the usual array of cold products, and then having to make a decision about what to drive to work. I think to myself its probably not good for the recovery process to go out zipping along in the 35-40 degree weather at 40mph, and so each morning I have opted for the easy, heated, hot coffee toting, comfort of the truck.

And perhaps karmicly I am passed by at least one fellow scoot bundled up in their winter jacket zipping off to work and putting me to shame. I have to say there is a definite level of guilt sneaking up on me when I ask myself: am I trucking because of my cold, or using it as an excuse to stay out of the cold? I love my scooter, I love riding, but each morning this week when I stare out at the dark coldness waiting for me and a decision has to be made my love of scooting has not been able to over power my love of windows and a heater, and I am left to wonder... When my cold leaves, will my bravery return?

Ah, a man who I can relate to ...

Hey, lady in the blue van.

Yeah, you, the middle-aged gal with the messy brown hair and the scowl who kept honking behind me as we traveled north on Downing Street, between 11th and 13th avenues, on a recent Wednesday morning, around 9:15-ish.

I've got news for you:

I'm not a bike.

I'm more like a motorcycle (whose driver wouldn't have pulled over to let you pass either).

I can zip along at a pretty good clip if need be. But for my safety and yours, I abide by the rules of the road — just as you should — and try to keep to the speed limit.

Unlike you.

I also get 60 to 80 miles per gallon, unlike your fuel-guzzling monstrosity, which probably gets 18 mpg in the city, tops. (Not that I'm bragging or anything.)

So, please try to share the road with me and keep your hostility in check, will ya? Scooter riders like me are here to stay. In fact, you'll likely be seeing a lot more of us as the economy tanks.

And we're happy to share the road with you. Your disapproval, however, won't reduce our numbers. (Frankly, flipping me off as you roar past on the right, going 45 in a 30 mph zone, is kinda scary. Your vehicle outweighs mine by a ton or two.)

Have some respect and common decency. Cars and scooters have been co-existing for decades now in Europe. Consider it a cosmopolitan thing to do.

With Colorado's temperate climate, it's a sure bet that you'll be seeing more of us on the roads.

Get used to it.

~ I just enjoy the guy's point of view, but here's the full article if you like.

the power of the scooter

I'm not sure if anyone else has had this experience, but I wanted to make note of a new power my scooter has developed....

It can bring up the sun! Seriously, I get up in the morning and it's dark. I turn my scooter on, and let it idle for a few minutes now that it's colder, soon there after the sky gets a little brighter. I start my ride to work, and it gets brighter... the further I go the higher the sun gets... and when I finally park at work, the sun is up!

We're Back! Mr. Grauel now has a Mrs. Grauel

After and incredible two weeks away from real life, one for our wedding in Bethany Beach and the second for our honeymoon in Jamaica, I return with a wife, a tan, and a ton of great memories!

I meant to begin posting at the beginning of this week, but the re-adjustment to real life, catching up at work, and other post-wedding duties have left me with little time or energy. I do want to make note of a thoughtful scooter related gift my mother-in-law gave me at out rehearsal dinner. In addition to a beautiful watch which I wear everyday now, and a ring to match my brother-in-law's (the other pongratz outsider), I received a novelty European Union Deutchland Scooter License Plate (it may help to know my inlaws live in Germany). I just wanted to make note of it and say it was very thoughtful and I appreciate it very much!

Are you really going to ride a scooter called....

Craig's Scooter List

I'm not really a huge fan of Vespas, but this ad even makes me think about it...

Vespa Standard '63 Beautifully restored! - $3999 (Stoney Beach)

---

Reply to: sale-844865916@craigslist.org ^[?]
Date: 2008-09-17, 6:44PM EDT

Georgious Vespa Standard 4 speed scooter. 2 stroke. Every available option:
Floor mats, front spring-loaded clip, rear spring-loaded transport carrier, full chrome, shiny black & chrome, rear seat with backrest, front and side storage compartments, under seat helmet clip.

Call 410-437-9484 or (Cell 410-952-1252).

Gas Receipt Friday (from last week)

So last week The Scooter took a grand total of $6.12
The truck would have taken 20 gallons at $3.59/gal for a total of $71.80
for a savings this week of... $65.68

and a running total of
$956.23

Driving JackAssery!

OK time for a quick driving quiz! If you are driving on a two lane road, and suddenly the lines disappear and it becomes a one lane road, and there are no signs instructing a specific action, what do you do?

Well my answer would be an alternating merging of the two lanes. Left, Right, Left, Right and so on.

This post is dedicated to the at least one Jack Ass a morning who, travels West Bound Putty Hill Ave just past the intersection with Loch Raven Blvd, instead of just politely executing a simple alternate merge, glues themselves to the bumper of the car in front of them, and would rather run a fellow human being off the road that get to work 12 feet slower.

You Suck and I Hate You!

Craig's Scooter List...

This morning while trying to alleviate some work related boredom, I decided to see if people were selling scooters on CraigsList. Of course they were, silly question. So I've decided on yet another little sub-plot for this blog... the good, bad, and the ugly of scooter listings on CraigsList.

Entry 1: SCAM!!! Nothing like a hard-sell... come here now, bring cash, tell no one! Either this scooter is stolen, or you are about to be robbed. A little advice, if the seller can't even show you an actual picture of the scooter, move on. And as with everything if it's too good to be true it probably is. I'd be willing to bet someone in Harford County is missing their scooter this morning.

50cc scooter - $750
Reply to: sale-851329506@craigslist.org ^[?]
Date: 2008-09-22, 8:13PM EDT

brand new must pick up friday only for this price cash only NO check or as-is no exchanges

4 stroke 50cc no trunk include with this price

call 410 300 0408 email email me

The colder mornings bring more accessories...

If you're like me and you ride to work in the morning, you may have noticed about a week or so ago those morning temps are slowly shifting from low 60's to high 50's. As someone who is allowed the luxury of wearing a t-shirt and shorts to work this slight change made all the difference in the world.

57 degress at 40 mph+ in shorts = CHILLY!

OK, no problem, wear heavier clothes, duh, simple... but what about my hands? The past few mornings when I get into the office there is a noteable malfunction of my fingers as I try to begin typing. I could pull out my fancy leather gloves from the back of the closet, but that just doesn't strike me right. So I go a Googling and come across a possible solution, Baltimore's own master of weather and sport specific clothing Under Armor.
Sure enough Under Armor makes an array of sports gloves, although none have the primary purpose of a riding glove, but I know their reputation, and the paragraph of description leads me to believe I may have found my fashionable answer. The ColdGear Men's Team Glove...

-Total protection on the sideline featuring Under Armour's signature ColdGear® technology.

-Pro grade insulated synthetic palm and grippy UA treatment deliver dexterity and extra grip for the coldest game days.

-ColdGear® fabric with 4-way stretch keeps you warm without sacrificing mobility.

-Bottom hook and loop closure system allows for easy adjustment and on/off capability.

Well this morning was truth time. Nice chilly morning, strap the gloves on and go for my 25 minute commute. Let me preface everything by saying these are nice and well made gloves, whether they work for me or not should not be a reflection on UA as I am not using them for what they are made for.

Everything starts out fine, the gloves are working! I feel the wind but my hands are staying warm. Gradually through the ride however I do feel the cold start on my finger tips, and by the time I get to work my hands are cold. Now not nearly as cold as the would be bare, but for cold wind on a scooter for an extended period of time these gloves are a no-go. For slightly chilly days or just general use I do like their feel, flexibility, style, and grip, so I think I'll be hanging on to them.

Come on Under Armor you've got a division for every sport know to man, where's the riders line?

Side complaint! The discrepency in the day's highs and lows are too great! Who is in charge of that? It's like do I want to dress for the afternoon and freeze in the morning, or dress for the morning and sweat in the afternoon. And yes of course I realize I could change clothes at work, add and remove as needed, but I bought a scooter to simplify my life, so can someone please get on this and fix these 20 degree temperature swings, or at least shift them to a 20 degree swing that is either cold and colder or warm and warmer.

Still SO Batman!

Still on my radar is the MP3 500, and it's kept there by coming across things like Motorweek, who has been airing a segment this week featuring The Bat Scooter.

A fun little fact I did pick up was this thing can lock it's two front wheels at a dead stop... meaning as you come to a red light, bring the two front wheels back to a straight up and down position, push a button and they lock in that position, allowing the driver to keep their feet up off the road!

LOOK MOM NO FEET!

Click here for the full review on Motorweek.com

And I'm just going to shamelessly throw this out there. Piaggio, Maryland Scooter Dealers, Nice MP3 500 owners... I would love to ride this thing!

Bad Scoots! BAD!

FBI: 'Scooter Bandit' Robbed 2 BanksMan Wore Motorcycle Helmet During Crimes, Witnesses Say

POSTED: 3:11 pm PDT September 23, 2008

UPDATED: 4:09 pm PDT September 23, 2008

i

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The FBI is seeking a man dubbed the "Scooter Bandit" who is accused of robbing two area banks.The suspect was seen on surveillance tape wearing a motorcycle helmet during each of the robberies, FBI spokesman Steve Dupre said.The first robbery was on April 23 at a Washington Mutual Bank in Rancho Cordova, the second was on Aug. 22 at a Wachovia Bank in Gold River.The suspect's description varies.Witnesses from the first robbery said the man was about 5 foot 6 to 5 foot 10, about 150 to 190 pounds with a medium to heavy build. He was seen wearing a black, red and white motorcycle helmet, a dark long-sleeved sweatshirt with a hood, red gloves, relaxed-fit blue jeans and dark shoes with a white ring around the soles.Witnesses from the second robbery said the suspect was a white or Hispanic man, about 5 foot 4 to 5 foot 6, about 140 to 180 pounds with a medium build. He was wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet with a clear lens and the word "Suzuki" printed in white or silver lettering on the back of the helmet, a black long-sleeved sweatshirt with a light colored design, white cloth gloves and faded blue jeans.Dupre said a handgun was seen during the first robbery, and during the second robbery the robber made only a hand gesture to indicate he had a gun in his waistband but no weapon was seen.Anyone with information may call the Sacramento FBI office at the FBI in Sacramento at 916-481-9110.

Copyright 2008 by KCRA.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Here comes the Bride, there goes the blogging haha!

It been about a week and a half since I've gotten a chance to sit down and write and a little longer since I've posted anything substantial, and I just wanted to let people know I'm not ignoring my blogging. With just 10 days until Heidi and I walk down the isle, my days and nights are filled with wedding preparations, and other things must take a back seat to this hectic and fun process. (insert your own "welcome to marriage" joke here).

But in all seriousness, things are fun and exciting right now, and time is just flying by! I think I will operate on a version of "if you don't have something good to say don't say anything at all"... in that vein I think I will .... see you in three weeks when we get back from Jamaica!

Still glad I ride a Scooter...

As Hurricane Ike ripped through the gulf coast, gas prices began to do their own tearing at the wallets of drivers. The storm shut down 14 Texas oil refineries forcing the price at the pump to spike to unbelievable numbers; $4.51, $5.25, even $5.49 in Georgia.

Gas Receipt Friday!

If you're saying to yourself, Hey Dave didn't post gas receipts last Friday, you are absolutely right and I apologize. For those who know me, you know that Heidi and my wedding is drawing very close and is now just a short 20 days away, and as it should, it is drawing a lot of my focus.

So over the last two weeks The Scooter took a grand total of $11.93
The truck would have taken 40 gallons at $3.48/gal for a total of $139.20
for a savings this week of... $127.27

and a running total of
$890.55

and a small side note... you may notice that last receipt on 9/11 was at $3.59 a gallon. Thats the Chevron at the corner of York and Stevenson. Buddy, who are you kidding?!?! Every other station I saw around that day was somewhere around $3.44. The only reason I got gas there was because I hadn't been paying attention to my gas gauge that day, and really had no choice.

Too Hot to Scoot...

Just a quick note and apology for the meet we were supposed to have tonight. This little freak couple of days of gross heat and humidity that seems to want to culminate today with temps feeling like around 100 is just no fun to ride in. Sorry to everyone... we'll reschedule.

Inviting all Scooters in the Towson Baltimore Area!

This Sunday Afternoon is our second meet and scoot event. Once a month we meet in front of the Charles Village Pub in Towson for some scooter talk and an open ride of the area. The ride is open to any and all scooter riders who want to grow the Maryland Scooter Community. If you'd like to join the official meetup.com group click the link to the left, but it's not required, just show up Sunday at 4pm and lets ride!

The seasons are a changing

This entry could almost be filed under driving jackassery, but it's more of a collective shift than any one person being stupid. I noticed it for the first time a week ago Wednesday, also know as the second day of school for much of the area. The traffic patterns along my route had changed, things were more crowded, there were different people doing different things, it was horrible! My nice peaceful summertime commute is changing into a get the kids to school drag race! I'm looking at you Gilman and Roland Park Landrover-Driving-Parents... the right hand driving lane of Roland Ave does not magically become a parking lot because the school's parking lot is full, and you need a place to park!

In happier news this shift has caused me, two days in a row now, to sync up with another scooter rider on my afternoon ride home. The first day we got a chance to have that 30 second red light conversation. I make note of him because he is the first person to tell me he bought his scooter online. I didn't get a chance to hear the brand, although it was a sporty looking 150cc model. He said he got it for around a grand from some company in Texas and that it came to him almost fully assembled and all he had to do was put the front tire on. So thats nice to hear that people are having good experiences with online retailers that many of us are usually skeptical of.

And lastly thanks to the motorcycle guy this morning who gave me the big wave! I was starting to loose faith in your kind.

Fatal Scooter Accident - Berlin MD

There was a fatal accident around 4:30 Sunday morning in Berlin, MD. Police say a car traveling east on Route 50 hit the driver and the passenger on a motor scooter. During the impact both John Dersch and Dennis King were thrown from the scooter. Dersch was pronounced dead on the scene and King was transported to a nearby hospital where he is said to be in serious condition. The condition of the driver of the car is unknown.