SCTRCST Scooter Internet Radio

Here is a video on riding in New York, many of our friends at NY Scooter Club and also several NY scooter shops.

 

 Episode 58 [21:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Show Notes: I’m back from New York where I attended my second Podcamp. Like last year, it was a great opportunity to meet some of the podcasters that I have been listening to and get new ideas for keeping the show fresh. Marcel arrived on Friday night from Denver and we met up with some old NY friends. I thought it a bit prophetic, that on my first morning in NY, I walk out of the hotel and after grabbing a cup of coffee, I ran into a beautiful black Vespa LX 150 along with several other smaller scooters. It made me think about how scooters are becoming more and more common and maybe this scooter podcast has some relevance.
One of the things I have always tried to do with this blog and with the show is to get better connected with people around the world. I was amazed at Podcamp NYC how many people knew each other, but had never met. Many of these friendships were formed through social media, like twitter and it got me thinking, I have a twitter account, but never use it. I was enlightened to find out that twitter is not just posting something stupid like “hey I just picked my nose”. All these new media types were using it to share information, links, resources and things about their passions. You can now follow me on twitter.
I started riding my Vespa GTS to work. This past week, it was in the 70s and as I pulled away from the garage I thought, what a fantastic way to start the morning. Pulling on to the freeway was not such a thrill. On my way home I pulled into the gas station to top off the tank with $4.50 worth of gas. The fellow waiting just looked at me and shook his head. I could tell that he was thinking what I use to think when I pulled our SUV up to the pump, there goes 50 bucks.
I was impressed to find that April of Scoot Magazine had posted over at the Scoot blog, a note that included links to a number of stories about people turning to scooters as a result of the rising gas prices. It is a well done piece and includes links to other articles and news stories on the subject. Several week ago I go an email from a listener who was looking to get her first scooter. She asked all the right scooter information questions, trying to figure out what scooter might be right for her, but my only real advise was, take one of the motorcycle safety classes first. Make sure this is something you want to do.

Websites and bloggers

• Honky Tonk Dragon – congrats to Mr and Mrs Dragon, Ben announces that they are expecting their first child.
• Check the ScooterBBS for the calender. We are heading into prime time for scooter rallies.

Music for this show is by Matthew Ebel. I met Matthew at Pomcamp NYC this weekend. You can get his music at his website or from the Podsafe Music Network

 

 Episode 57 [30:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOW NOTES: As you know, I’m back from after spending a few days in Key West, sun burned yet relaxed and refreshed. Marcel and I celebrated our anniversary and I had yet another birthday. We spent most of the time sitting on the beach, sampling fresh seafood and of course scooting around the island. Last Wednesday Marcel and I met up in Miami, she came out from Denver, I flew down from Richmond, rented a convertible and headed for Key West Florida. For those of you who have never been to southern Florida it is a paradise of palm trees, sand and surf. Key West is an island that is a mile wide and three miles long and has a year round population of about 28,000. This time of the year is low season, as all the tourists have headed back north with the warmer weather. This meant it was a perfect time for us to visit, no crowds, easy to get around and scooting without the worry of hitting anyone except for all the chickens running around the island. Our rental scooter, from the Moped Hospital was a little two year old 50cc Kymco that had seen better days The speedo broke with 7500 miles on it and the variator was on it’s last legs. I did the math and decided that it must have been ridden nonstop on every road on the 3 square miles of the island. This is the first time I have taken a vacation in months and when we get back, I have Pod camp New York to look forward to. Unfortunately, the pod camp is the same weekend as the Dogwood Delirium here in Central Virginia. So, once again I will have to settle for hearing about all the over eating and drinking along with the usual general mayhem and embarrassing moments from other club members. If you happen to be in Central Virginia and weekend of April 25th consider joining the 7hills gang. Check the rally website which has all the detail as to where to go when.

On a note that includes scooter information you “cannot live without” I have an interview with Iggy Granger from England on this week’s podcast. Now you may say you don’t know Iggy, but if you read Scootering or any of the other scooter magazines, you have probably read one of his reviews. He is a prolific writer who has spent most of his life around scooters and in pursuit of the scooter lifestyle. He has a dream job as an independent scooter test and travels about England and Europe reviewing the newest scooters and organizing some of England’s biggest scooter rallies. Check out his website and his book.

Blog updates
Really only one story to report. Steve Williams of Scooter in the Sticks is closing the book on scooter blogging, but keeping his writing and photography pursuits going around other topics. Check out his blog for more information

Music for this show is from the Podsafe Music Network
Preacher by Rick Fowler

My sincere apology with the lapse in posting. I was so disconnected this past week while in Key West, I am still trying to catchup with everything that happened while I was gone. Although I missed getting a podcast out, I have been working on an interview I did a while back with Iggy Granger, author, scooter tester and an original English mod. Iggy has just published a book on the Scooter Lifestyle. It is a journey of discovery through the scooter scene in England. I will have the interview in this week’s show, along with more scooter information and talk about Key West. Check back shortly for more to come and thanks for hanging in there.

 

 Episode 56 [23:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOW NOTES: Spring continues to blossom here in Richmond and that means both warm and cold days. I feel sorry for our friends up north who by this time must be praying for spring to come. It seems like scooters are coming out of the woodwork around here and I have been able to ride several time this week without having to bundle up of worry about the weather. Despite all this, Marcel and I will be heading south this week to spend a few days in Key West Florida taking in the sun and generally lounging around. As I understand it, scooting is a way of life in Key West This is the first time I have taken a vacation in months and when we get back, I have Pod camp New York to look forward to. Unfortunately, the pod camp is the same weekend as the Dogwood Delirium here in Central Virginia. So, once again I will have to settle for hearing about all the over eating and drinking along with the usual general mayhem and embarrassing moments from other club members. If you happen to be in Central Virginia and weekend of April 25th consider joining the 7hills gang.
Most of you know that my Vespa Sprint has a new engine in it. What I haven’t talked about is how this has left me with a bunch of spare parts. I happen to be one of those people who rarely throws anything away. As I laid everything out and looked at the blown crank bearing again I notice that almost everything else was in pretty good shape. Dave the mechanic had shown me some damage on the inside of the engine case, but for the most part, everything else was OK, the clutch assembly, the cylinder head, the gear changer and a whole lot more.
It has been a long time since I have bought and sold on Ebay. For a while I was very active trading spare BMW parts, old computer components and other electronics. I think that the experience has changed a lot over the years. It use to be that buy on Ebay was like trading with your next door neighbor. Now you never know who you are dealing with and as I understand it, there are fewer auctions taking place and more fix price items than ever before. Hopefully all the Ebay scooterist will find my spares interesting and I expect the bidders will be like most of the rest of the scooter community, honest.

Scooter Blog Posts

• 2strokebuzz - “Have it your way” with Honda?
• Who Rides A Vespa - Vespa Canada launched the Vespa-head campaign
• Vespadition gets news paper article – Matua starts his trip in CA

Music for this show is from the Podsafe Music Network

• Ready to Go by Ben Cooper
• Empty streets by the The Gentleman Callers