SCTRCST Scooter Internet Radio

One of the great rock anthems of my youth is The Who’s My Generation. I can’t tell you how many bands I have played in where all the songs had this message. Of course we always emphasized the most alienating lyrics like “don’t try to dig what we all say” and “hope I die before I get old”. Now that I have a few years under my belt, as well as a few pounds, I understand that some of that was the usual adolescent angst, but still find myself screaming those same familiar lyrics and living a life of paradoxical intention (look it up).

It may be old news to some, but several years ago the BBC put together a documentary on the isolation and imprisonment experienced by the elderly which included the following video of the Zimmers, featuring a 90 year old lead singer. Think about it…are you ever really too old to ROCK?

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

 

 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

 

 Episode 55 [41:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOWNOTES: ScootRichmond did a fantastic job on the installation of the LML 150 engine in my Vespa Sprint. I have had time to take a closer look at it and the workmanship that including rewiring to a 12 volt system makes a big difference in the lights. Hopefully it will prove to be more reliable. I guess that’s another free plug for ScootRichmond, but I mean it as a plug for building a relationship with your local scooter shop. When you have an established relationship, they are more likely to go above and beyond to give you good scooter information and make sure you are happy with their work.

Before I prattle on too much about the usual scoot stuff, I want to tell you about a unique conversation with Alix from Peace Scooter on this week’s Scootercast. Alix is a person who speaks with amazing clarity and purpose. During our conversation she talked about her upcoming 20,000 mile ride for PEACE. Most people might ask the obvious, “are you some kind of fanatic?” But for Alix it is much more personal and the ride is a natural extension of her view of life. Since completing the first half of her PEACE ride last year (here is link to the CNN coverage), she has been planning and blogging about this years ride with the kind of enthusiasm a child has in anticipating a birthday. The ride will start in Washington D.C. On May 2nd and the route will circle the USA ending back in D.C. Along the way she plans to blog, post video, volunteer, mingle and generally commune with all kinds of people asking only one question, “how do you define PEACE in your life?” Over the course of the next few months I’ll try to check-in with her and get an update on the ride. Go over to the website and throw some support her way.
This is a very good interview, not because of me, but because of what Alix has to say. Although a little longer than most shows, it is worth taking the time to listen too.

Music for this show

• I Got Sunshine by Sarah Vonderhaar
• Love is in the Atmosphere by Kerry Politzer

 

 Episode 51 [41:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOWNOTES: I hope you got a chance to listen to last week’s episode. Vespa travel author Peter Moore and I spoke about traveling, scooters and the process of writing, If you missed it I highly recommend that you go back and listen. Once again, this week I have some old friends back. I spoke with both Bimbo Isidro and John Rana, Vespa bloggers from the Philippines. The conference type call was a fun opportunity to catch up with both Bimbo and John and talk about what has been happening on a totally different front in the scooting world.
I can tell from the traffic reports that we have more and more fans joining us from Europe and even south America. It seems that my recent reports and mechanical problems with my little Vietnamese resto has plucked a few heart strings. As you might expect, I have gotten the expected, “southeast Asian resto imports are crap” emails, but most of you have been quite nice about all of it.
Like many of you, I have a rather extensive web of Internet friends from around the world. I have connected with most of these people since having started my blog and podcast. The Internet makes it easy to keep in touch and I must admit, I like the idea that I can instant message or chat, without having to plan Two of the most unlikely friends I have made are half way around the world in Manila. Both are very involved in the Vespa Club of the Philippines. Many thanks to my Pinoy friends who spent time talking about their scooter scene. Get over to see their websites, Who Rides a Vespa and Vespinoy. I should also remind you that Bimbo also runs Motorcycle Philippines forum with more than 64 thousand registered members. Now those are some big numbers.

Harvey in Ottawa wrote me to suggest that I send the SCTRCST t-shirt he had won to Paula in Denver Colorado. Now that name might not mean anything to you, but those of you who live in Colorado or follow the blog world might have heard that Paula was riding her Buddy scooter when she was hit and seriously injured, just a few weeks ago. Harvey was hoping to win the Ipod and was planning on sending it to her. He had been reading about her on the Scooter Relief website. The group has raised thousands of dollars to with the help of the national scooter community, clubs, individuals and shops and have distributed these funds to all Katrina survivors and victims of scooter accidents and some facing serious illness. You can find out more about Paula and others by going over to the website.
Music from the Podsafe Music Network
Trouser Load of Love The Mod-est Lads
Music from Ariel’s Cyber PR
Started Out Right The Ugly Stick

 

 Episode 50 [39:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOWNOTES: This is episode fifty (50) and yes, the picture above is the famous Vespa travel author Peter Moore. Several weeks ago he talked with me from London. Although it seems unlikely, especially if you listen to the scooter podcast, you may have never heard of Peter. On his website you will find you have been missing one of the best literary travel experiences and you can also get a scooter fix. You have missed No Shitting in the Toilet, The Wrong Way Home and for those the Vespa fans Vroom with a View. Peter is an humorous Australian who has a great story to tell about growing up infatuated with the scooters and if you are at all like me, you will be fascinated with his how he was able to lived out his dream of riding about and around Italy for months on a Vespa.

Peter is an unlikely scooter expert. As a matter of fact he does not call himself a scooter expert at all, having come to scootering only in the last few years. But make no mistake, he is a dedicated fan who owns three scooters and has taken his love of travel and mixed it up with the idea that when you travel, who you meet along the way and the experience you have with them may be more rewarding than any tourist site you may see.
On another note, Thanks again to everyone who has emailed me and encouraged me to keep punching out podcasts. Fifty episodes in this podcasting space is a milestone, by anyone’s measure. I would specifically like to thank everyone listens, but especially those of you who have phoned with questions, ideas and even criticisms. You have helped define what SCTRCST has become and will continue to be.
In February hundreds of listeners register to win the SCTRCST Ipod. I wish I could give away an Ipod to all of you, but unfortunately I only have one and that one is going to David Huskins in North Carolina. David even called the voice mail line to say thanks. As a consultation prize I am also sending SCTRCST t-shirts out to Eric, Alex, Jim and several other listeners as soon as I hear back from them. The rest of you, you are going to have to settle for another podcast, delivered shortly, in just a few more days. I will have a follow up from Scoot Richmond where they are all about the installation of the LML motor in my Vespa Sprint and I also have another treat, a conversation from the Philippines with John Rana and Bimbo Isidro from Who Rides a Vespa and Vespinoy.

Music for this show is from the Podsafe Music Network

• Friday Night by Andreas Weise
• Talk About Your Feelings by Josh Woodward

 

 Episode 47 [26:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Shownotes : I don’t know what more I can ask for, it was almost seventy degrees here today. Having worked so much in January, I had a nice afternoon of riding planned. But as you might expect, work again, interfered with recreation and I spent the afternoon at the Virginia legislature, listening to the big wigs argue about money. But then again, such is the business of the people and I did sign on to this gig.
What had really gotten me hyped up, was another beautiful Virginia weekend. It was in the sixties and just right for wrenching a bit on my scooters and spending part of Sunday riding out in the country. You may not remember, but I live in Richmond, a small city hoping to fool everyone else into thinking it is a big city. The truth is, we operate like any other small town in America. Plenty of hopes and dreams mixed up with lots of southern tradition, small town political bickering and easy access to some of the most beautiful countryside in the United States.
So yesterday morning I took off and road out old highway six, past the McMansions, horse farms and an occasional civil war plantation house. As usual my little sidecar Vespa hummed along catching glanced from all kinds of city and country folks. Probably like you I always get the thumbs up and the smiling wave, but yesterday I had something altogether new happen. I mentioned that I took off in the morning, but what I didn’t say was that I had skipped my usual bowl of Honey-nut Cheerios, oh yes they are a heart health breakfast. I took the New York times along with me planning to stop for a late morning breakfast. Now I am a rather solitary guy and when I do this I also take my Ipod and sit quietly at the local diner eating, reading and catching up on podcasts. Much to my surprise, a guy comes up and asks, “are you riding the Vespa?” When I say yes, he says that he saw me about two miles up the road, turned around and told his wife he had to talk with me. Come to find out, he too has a Vespa P200 along with a new GT and lived just down the road. But that was a first, he actually tracked me down to talk with me about my or his scoot. I was even able to give him a lead on a Vespa sidecar that has shown up here in Richmond.
In other news, I finally took the plunge and joined the Motorcycle Bloggers International (MBI) For those of you who aren’t familiar with this group, it is an association of bloggers who write about riding all kinds of two wheeled vehicles. I have watched this site for over a year and was impressed when Steve Williams at Scooter in the Sticks won last year’s “blogger of the year” award. It was then I decided I had to have him on the show. MBI has all the big guns in our blogging world as members, which is why I never thought I really belonged in that group. Maybe there is something about having survived for a full year that has given me a little more courage, but I said, sure why not and since they didn’t reject me. Make sure you go over and check out some of the other bloggers. They are a classy bunch of guys and girls. I hope I can live up to all the self imposed expectations.

Scooter Blog Post and News

• One of my heroes, too cool, Lou Reed did an ad for Honda Scooters, What was he thinking?
• Scooterplace has pictures of unusual and old scooters in their natural environment.
• Check out the upcoming German based Custom Scooter Show.
• Piaggio-Vespa is set for a comeback in India.
• Look at Honky-Tonky Dragon website, just because Ben is so damn good at posting interesting stuff.

Music for this show is from the Podsafe Music Network

• Birds by ENRi
• From Me To You by Jeriko
• Holmes in 30 Seconds - The Six Napoleons Peeper Radio Theatre
• Be My Friend by Geoff Smith

 

 Episode 45 [27:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOWNOTES: Thanks to Ben over at Honky Tonk Dragon for his post acknowledging the mild stone, one year of podcasting and web posts. I won’t spend a lot of time this week talking about all that, but rather will save it for next week. Steve Guzman from the Scooter Scoop, sounds over the moon about his new job with Italjet. It also seems that the rush of preparing for an upcoming Indianapolis Dealer Expo next month, makes it tough to track him down for a full length interview. He has assured me that we will talk and at that point we’ll hear a whole lot more about what the LS Motorsports and Diamo. He reports that there are big plans for getting strong Diamo products out to the public and that he has been to the new warehouse to see for himself that this is not just another promise. Steve has always a wealth of information and is honest about what he considers to be good product and also things that are crap. Stay tuned.
It has been hard to keep up with all the news and emails this past week. It wouldn’t be nearly as tough if I didn’t have a job, but then again I like my job. The month of January is always a non-stop marathon for me. Here in Virginia, it the time the legislature is in session and does it’s work. You could say I am a community organizer, but what that really means is I help other people, usually the poor, the disabled, those without health care and the homeless, make themselves known to politicians and the powerful. Like most of you, I have my own escapes and one of those rejuvenating activities is scooting, but since bragging last week about our balmy weather, the weather gods have struck back with a vengeance. When ever I hear the word vengeance I can help but think of my favorite move, Pulp Fiction and Samuel L Jackson saying “and I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance” just before he kills someone.

I have done a little investigating into the problems I am having with my Vespa Sprint and will need to deliver it to Scoot Richmond for some serious repair. The kick start won’t engage and if I try to push start it, it freezes up. Of course I am not looking forward to the diagnosis, but it started me thinking about all the possible performance mods I might be able to make to it. So in the spirit of spring riding I have been careening through the on line catalogs for performance kits and dreaming of breaking the 45 mile an hour speed barrier of my little Asian girl. Yes, I did get this bike over the Internet a number of years ago, from Randal at Scootrs in Vietnam, but thats is a story for another time. (Please don’t ban me from the forums)

In an effort to dream a little spring into my life I decided to go out to the Richmond International Raceway to a motorcycle show, thinking, maybe they will have a few scooters, just for fun. The quick story is, of course there were no scoots, even at the booth that had a big vinyl sign saying Scooter Works (I wondered if that was trademark infringement). Despite some beautiful machines, most were over the top hard tail frames with ungodly amounts of horsepower stick in them. One of the most incredible ones was by Boss Hoss Cycles, a production bike the size of a large Harley with a 6 liter LS2 Corvette power plant.

I am looking forward to some under 250 cc scooting as soon as the weather warms up.

Scooter Blog Post and News

Skootin Old Skool’s post about the Stella Scooter in Seattle
Two Stroke Buzz also posts links to a dealer taking shipment of the new Stella
Highrollers Weekend rally in Vegas, another reminder it is coming up in February

Music for this show is from the Podsafe Music Network

Cadillac Woman by Freightrain Jones
Telling on Trixie with Dumb Boy
Peeper Radio with Holmes in 60 seconds
The Moots with Just Let me Know

Sorry for the delay in this week’s podcast. I haven’t been able to get back on track since the holidays, but since my liquor and drug intake has been negligible for years, I don’t have that to fall back on. Let’s just say, don’t worry, I’m all better now and have a dynamite show planned for this weekend, covering the demise of a 1990s scooter shop and how I got a hold of my restored 1967 Vespa 180ss.

In the mean time, enjoy the newly posted Youtube video which is exactly what gets me salivating about going back to Italy and visiting the Piaggio Museum (as I talked about in Episode 42)

 

 Episode 41 [40:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

SHOWNOTES: It’s been another long work week which took me to Baltimore and Washington DC, but as usual, the best part was coming home and settling back into my routine. Marcel is away in Denver this weekend, so I have spent some extra time putting together a special show. I have another interview for you, this time with a legend of the long distance ride and a active member of the Modern Vespa forum. I want to say thank you for all the email you have been sending and if I haven’t gotten back to you yet, please be patient, I will answer you. I have been getting email suggestions for show topics and this show is a direct result of one asking for some discussion about long distance riding. The suggestions was a natural, in that I have been emailing probably one of the best traveled scooterist here in the Untied states, after having met him here in Richmond at the Modern Vespa Workshop. Any of you who belong to the Modern Vespa Forum know him as Bobo. Continue Reading »