Upcoming Meltdown

The Three Mile Island Scooter Club is hosting a scooter rally they are calling Meltdown 2007. The event features an organized ride, awards, games, barbeque, and 2 live bands. I'm not sure how 50cc-friendly the event or the location are, but I'm going to check how much of my camping gear fits in my scooter, just in case.

How have I not heard of these guys before? Listen to this mission statement: "The Three Mile Island Scooter Club was founded to promote scooter riding as the best form of transportation known to modern man, and beer consumption as the best preventative measure against radiation exposure." How can I not support that? Sure, beer might not actually protect against radiation, but can we really be sure? Isn't there a chance, out of all infinite possibilities, that it does? Radiation occurs at the quantum level and, at the quantum level, all possible realities exist. Odds are that we can't risk not drinking beer! How's that for quantum theory?

The Dutchland Rollers

The Dutchland Rollers are a local roller derby team. I have been curious about them for a while; why roller derby? Why in 2007? Who are these people?. Well, I was lucky enough to win some tickets in a raffle and found out at their match on July 21st.
It seems to me that it is a off-shoot of the punk and alternative scene. Tatoos were abundant in both the crowd and on the contestants. Rude sayings flourished on T-shirts and as clever puns for the ladies’ pseudonyms. But with the exception of the language, the whole event had almost a family-friendly vibe to it. There were plenty of children there, and they were having a lot of fun.
The match itself is skated on a flat oval with old-school quad roller skates. The rules seem complicated until you see it in action. A match consists of 3 periods, each with many short “jams”. After a couple jams it is easy to pick up on the action. By the second period I found myself saying things like, “Ooooo, Torque Wench is the jammer, she’s good!” I had become a fan without realizing it.
What does this have to do with scooters? Well, there was a red Metropolitan in the parking lot… and the friends I went with brought a friend from out of town, Kelly Marshall, who took these pictures. Kelly is fearless on her Yamaha Vino 125. She’s ridden it on the Washington beltway, which makes her my new hero.

Eastern Market

I've mentioned Central Market a number of times, but if you are looking for a less touristy alternative, check out Eastern Market at 308 E. King Street. Eastern Market is part open-air, part roofed space. Have a seat at the provided tables and enjoy a cafe latte, some gelati, or Ethiopian food before taking home some great looking organic vegetables. The second Saturday of each month features local artists. Open every Saturday, 9-2, through October.

Off-Road Scootin'

If you have a Honda Ruckus or a Yamaha C3 like me, you might enjoy riding to Shenk's Ferry Wildflower Preserve. I passed through there on Saturday. I'm glad my scooter has fat tires! It's a park featuring some hilly dirt roads. The roads are meant to be driven, but I wouldn't recommend it for thin wheels. I felt like I was riding a dirt mini-bike more than a scooter.

The Pizza Scooter

Looking to have a pizza delivered? Have it delivered by scooter! Slugger's Pizzeria of 701 N. Queen St. delivers their pizzas on The Pizza Scooter as often as possible.
They serve a New York style pizza, hand made. If you are in the neighborhood between 11 and 2, try the lunch special: 2 slices and a drink for under $4. Their slices are huge... 1/6 of what seems like a 16" pie.
The baseball-themed pizzeria opened right around the same time Clipper Magazine Stadium was constructed. Their walls are decorated with baseball photographs, including one of the Lancaster Barnstormer's own beloved mascot Cylo. The Pizza Scooter even features a souvenir bat from opening night as a decoration.
As a business inspired by Barnstormers' Baseball and using a scooter as a integral part of that business, Slugger's Pizza is everything Lancaster is looking for. Give them a try.

Easy Being Green

One of the reasons I chose a scooter was to be more green. So it was fitting that I rode my scooter to The Great Green America Festival. It took place this weekend at Mt. Hope, the site of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. There were booths of people promoting green products and food, and organizations concerned with the conservation of the environment and animals. There was musical entertainment on multiple stages, and a DockDogs competition.

In addition to the booths, competitions, discussions, and entertainment, there was the usual amenities of the Mt. Hope grounds. Most of the food stands and gift shops were open. The Winery was open, and so was the Swashbuckler Brewing Company.You could carry your beverage around the grounds to enjoy the festival. I especially recommend the Capt'n Rude Stout.

My scooter enjoyed priority parking with the motorcycles, right across the courtyard from the entrance. VIP parking, adult beverages, great music, all for a good cause... what's not to love? If they do it again next year, I'd love to see more scooterists there.

The highlight for me was one of the musical acts; the Peasall Sisters. They were the singing voices for The Wharvey Gals, the young singing group for whom George Clooney was the paterfamilia in O' Brother Where Art Thou? The girls are now 14, 16, and 20 , and could give the Dixie Chicks a run for their money in a battle of the bands.

A Peek At Parking

I was downtown on Saturday morning again, and saw the areas that the City is setting aside for scooter parking in the Prince Street Garage.

This picture is from the Orange Street side, in front of the elevators. The white lines along the curved wall are spaces reserved for scooters.

This picture looks South on Prince Street. Note the new white lines on the brick pavers at the left.

They could use a few of these but definitely a good use of, as the Mayor asked, the "nooks and crannies" of an existing garage. Remember that we are being asked to sign a waiver and get a sticker in order to use this free parking. I'll be looking into that soon.

Mobile Maps

Sometimes it isn't convenient to carry a lot of stuff on your scooter. Like an atlas. But one thing that I always carry is my mobile smart phone. So I downloaded Google Mobile Maps. It's like having Google Maps in the palm of your hand, anywhere.
Go to http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html and check it out. Take the tour: there is a little java app that will simulate how it works. There are also instructions on how to download it to your phone. It will even work paired with a GPS device, if you have one. I don't, but man, that'd be sweet.
I spend a lot more time on winding back roads with the scooter than I do with the car, and this is going to really save me from getting lost.