Heads up: You need to congratulate me

I would just like to put this out there ahead of time that I'm close to hitting 5,000 miles on my scooter, only having owned it nearly two years. I'll post a picture of the odometer when I hit 5K, but I'm giving you a heads up that, FYI, in scooter land this will be a Really Big Deal -- and I hope you understand the gravity of the responsibility this puts on you to congratulate me. (Because I'm totally saving your environment. You're welcome.)

Rooting for the underdog

When my train to work zooms past

traffic jams on I-25, I try real hard
not to have a superiority complex.

When I'm not riding my scooter around town, I'm taking public transportation. Regional Transportation District (RTD) Denver tends to get a bad rap, but I'm here today to send a little love their way.

I've enjoyed using Denver's RTD system regularly for about five years now. And I've especially enjoyed it since I sold my car a couple years ago! I was just in Las Vegas, NV, last month and, not to knock that fine city, but their public transportation was horrible. It could have been a third world country: the buses were late, the schedules were off, and it took forever to get anywhere. The only thing missing was the livestock! In comparison, Denver's system is a dream. I suppose it's all relative.

This leads me to Tom. Tom is my favorite RTD Call-and-Ride driver down at the Orchard Light Rail station. He's always friendly and upbeat. This morning, I chatted with him a little more than usual and learned he's a retired rodeo bull and horse rider! They want to induct him into the Rodeo Hall of Fame, he said. But he's not wearing blue jeans for the photos, as they requested. He'll wear what he wants. And they'll like it. Tom is a character. And he's one of the reasons I really enjoy public transportation.

These folks are out there working for us -- on holidays, late at night, early in the morning, when there's two feet of snow on the ground. It's a tough job, and many aren't cut out for it. So, the next time you ride the bus, give your driver a nice hello and a warm smile. They deserve it.

(P.S. Happy 2012!!)

Let it snow, let it snow, let-- no wait, let it NOT snow!

I knew it was coming. It comes every year. Snow. I live in Denver, after all. But I'm never prepared for those long, cold, dark days when I can't ride my scooter -- they seem to last forever. But when it looks like this outside your window:

...there's just no getting around it. (And you feel like you're in prison, too, but only if you have bars on your windows like me -- LUCKY!). On the plus side (always!), Colorado snow is GORGEOUS. And the people who actually ski here love it. I'm a Colorado Native who doesn't ski. It happens.

So, yeah... fewer scooter-specific adventures right now. But I must tell you about one of the last clear evenings I was able to ride, when I met Governor Hickenlooper (go on, say his name out loud -- I dare you not to giggle!) because of my scooter. OK, I didn't meet him so much as stare after him like a mental patient when he said, "Nice scooter" to me as I was unlocking Little Chaos, and I said flippantly "thank you!" before I realized I was responding to the freakin' GOVERNOR of our fine city. His secret agent fella, or whatever they are at the governor's level, quickly ushered Hick to his car... presumably before the scooter-riding weirdo followed and drooled on him or something.

Exhibit A: Wynkoop Brewing,
serving the beer of the just. 

All right, it wasn't that bad, but I was thrilled he spoke to me... and my scooter is why he spoke to me. Scooters get governors' attention! Well, maybe just our governor, who owns a scooter. You see, our governor is super cool. Aside from promoting scooters and having overall high approval ratings, The Hick started out as owner of the Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver's first brewpub, which he opened in 1988. It has grown into one of our most successful restaurants. If you're visiting Denver and find yourself in our fabulous LoDo area, check it out -- yummy food, Colorado brews, and they do a pretty cool "backstage" tour, too.

And look! The Hick was featured in Time Magazine! That there is a shiny Aprilla scooter.

It's not a Honda, but I'll forgive him.

So, in summary: our governor is way cooler than yours. And I bet he'd beat yours up, too. Actually, probably not -- he seems to be one of those total Do-Gooders. Toldya he's cooler!

An aside: Remember, scooter owners! This winter, start your scooter's engine, if just to run it for a few seconds, so you don't have a nice, little surprise in the Spring.

Happy dead-of-winter, kids! The days are now getting longer... 

The nose knows (and the scooter takes me there)

Photo by AaronLeavy.

Mmmmm... the smell of fresh-cut grass tickles my nose as I pass by a park and, suddenly, I'm transported back to my days of playing soccer. Or rolling down grassy hills, getting gloriously dizzy. Or simply... thinking of old friends, playing together in the summers.

Then I pass Winchell's Donuts on N. Broadway, and the smell of fresh-baked donuts lingers in the air, teasing my taste buds, and my mouth starts watering. No, resist it, Scooter Lass, resist it! Save it for a rainy day.

That's another thing special to the scooter commuter -- we're in the trenches. You can't even pick up the smells we smell when your car window is open. There's something about being completely in the elements that fosters this amazing phenomenon.

It's very meditative, riding  a scooter. Yes, it's sometimes easy to get lost in thoughts of the day, but for the most part, you are in the moment, navigating traffic, enjoying your environment... smelling your smells. For me, there's just nothing like it.

Today, I wish you this same feeling of enjoying the NOW, if only for a few moments. And if you don't resist that donut... it's perfectly all right.