Friday, June 13, 2008

Scooter City

When I was working in the elementary school the wonderful physical education teachers there would set up something they called scooter city. The scooters were four wheel platforms that the kids scooted around a "city" that had roads, stop signs, movie theaters, car washes, and even a McDonald's! As the lunch lady, sometimes I just had to join them when my shift was over. It was a LOT of exercise! But fun.

Well now I have my own scooter! And the whole city to ride it in. I'm not really able to bicycle any more because of my knees (unless the Compadre "gives me a ride" on the tandem - he pedals and my feet just move around). I was feeling bad about having to drive even for the small errands that I go on and so I bought a little 50cc scooter. It gets 110 mpg! And now that I'm getting used to it, it's fun too. I had a little bit of buyers remorse after I first bought it because I found it so scary to use, but as they say - practice, practice practice! I went around the neighborhood streets stopping and starting and turning until I felt much more comfortable. This machine is classified as a motor bicycle legally in Minnesota and so I don't have to have a motorcycle license or take classes. It can't go more than 30 miles per hour - I usually go 20-25 miles per hour. Faster than I ever bicycled!! The Compadre and I went out for a spin around the lake last night. He was on his bicycle and me on the motor bike.

I've been reading some blogs that focus on frugality, environmental issues and wise use of money and also been reading The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn (borrowed from the library of course). I've been trying to be more careful with our resources and our money (I regularly fall down when it comes to craft supplies though!). So, I needed a heavy denim jacket for riding my motor bike and I immediately thought thrift store! I rode my bike all the way to the mall area and went to Savers thrift store and found this! Taz on a chopper bike - diesel devil. Too funny! It has a leather collar and Taz is "wearing" leather. I washed it up last night and it's just like new. I paid $12.99 for it and I'm guessing that it was a very expensive jacket new.

The Compadre chuckled once during our ride last night and I asked what was so funny? He said I "looked so cute". Hmmm, what did he mean by that? This morning he explained that I reminded him of Ralph S. Mouse. When the kids were little one of our favorite books was The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary, featuring of course Ralph as the mouse. I'm thinking of naming my bike either Ralph or Mouse. The Compadre thinks it should be mouse because he calls his Scion Xa car Cricket. We're into vehicles that get good gas mileage aren't we! And it's a good thing with gas prices what they are. We filled up my bike with gas last night for $3 and put 3/4 of a gallon in it! It only holds a little over a gallon. Woo, hoo!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Good for you, Ann, and I can't wait to see you buzzing up to Double Ewe, or is that too far from home, and too much traffic???

Anonymous said...

Ann,

You are just too cute! I just love living your life with you thru your blog!

And yes, you do look darn cute in the jacket and on the bike.

Just don't start hanging out in biker bars.

Anonymous said...

I want one, I want one, I want one, too!

Miss T said...

Wow, when you said bike, I thought you meant a bike! Cute indeed!

Hey, do take a safety course even though it isn't required for scooters--it's a really good idea. (The M.E. used to teach motorcycle safety. He would tell you to do this.)

Anonymous said...

OMG - more power to you; those things scare the living heck out of me. You look sooooooooooo good, though!!