Because It Has A Scooter In It

... and monkeys riding dogs always makes me laugh my fool ass off.
.

Very Spooky, Very Cool

Dood in Colorado who shares my name (first and last) wrote a kickass GPS application and server product. I'm evaluating it now, courtesy of his server (or is it my server? The name thang's got me cornfusled... heh).

So far, so excellent! Danged accurate... and his server app can use a number of different Internet mapping APIs, including Microsoft Virtual Earth (shown above in "bird's eye view"), Google Maps, Yahoo! and more.

More importantly, the mobile app only reports to the server when there's a certain distance that the unit has moved. That'll conserve power.

Accuracy: See the bullseye? The scooter is actually parked in the white striped area just a few feet to the southeast (about 10'o'clock, a few millimeters, on a 1024x768 display).

I feel that scootrak.com is fixin' to bust large.
.

Fulmer AF-655 and All-Kleer

I'm really happy with the Fulmer AF-655 helmet, and it has replaced my Icon Mainframe Halo as my main riding helmet. Keep in mind a lot of my riding is low-speed, short-range scooting on the Yamaha Vino... and while I know I could go chin-first into something, even on the Vino, the improved airflow seems worth the additional risk, to me.

I've even helped to sell a few of them over at East Side Scooters. :) One thing that's great about the AF-655 is that I can don/doff it while wearing my eyeglasses. I've demonstrated my technique (tugging slightly outward on both straps while donning/doffing) to several customers at ESS, and so far, all seem happy with their choice.

One thing that summer riding brings is bugs. Insects. Lots of them, here in mid-TN, btw. And after dark, they all make a bee-line for my faceshield... dunno about your experiences, but I bet you know what I'm talkin' about.

So, keeping the visor clean remains a challenge. However, the product pictured above is a great way to combat the bug guts and other nasties. It's called All-Kleer, by Black Lab Corp. An 8oz. bottle costs around $8-9, retail, and it lasts for quite a long while, as you only have to use it sparingly.

I can vouch for the claims -- using it regularly does make it much easier to clean the nasties off, as the finish it leaves is very slick (and improves raindrop clearance, as well). It's easy to use, too. Just put about a quarter-sized blob in the middle of one side of your shield, and with a soft cloth, rub all over the surface of the shield. Allow to dry for a few minutes, until hazy, and with a soft cloth, buff. Repeat on the other side of the shield. I prefer taking my shield completely off the helmet, but if you're careful, it's not necessary.

Use on the inside surface does offer fogging protection, for about a week or so. I find that unless I do a lot of night riding (which I don't, normally), a weekly or bi-weekly cleaning is all that's needed.
.

Me, The Vino, and Beer

Taken outside Kroger, about an hour ago.
.

Thanks, MNPD!

I was coming back from a trip to the Harpeth River State Park yesterday, when a landscaping truck (big Ford pickup hauling a trailer loaded with lawn care equipment) rolled a stop sign, and pulled out in front of me without looking. Now, the driver did this far enough ahead of me that I was able to react calmly and safely, but c'mon... this is a neighborhood.

We come to the next intersection, where the driver rolls this stop sign, too. He wasn't paying as much attention as I was, 'cause I saw the Metro police cruiser pull up to the left perpendicular of this 4-way stop, and clearly heard the officer announce over his P.A., "Stop sign!" Well, it took another half a second for the cop to whip in behind our landscaper, blue lights ablaze.

Thanks, officer. Get these fuckers to think about their driving.
.

Boo-Boo

Me gots boo-boo on my knee-bone.

I was facing the camera as I stopped at this intersection, right there behind the stop line. For some reason (the lean of the road?), I started falling downhill, to the north, and I couldn't stop it. All I could do was slow it down. No damage, other than what you see above.
.

Comment On Current Poll

I should qualify that it probably cost me about $400 or so to rent a truck and pay for its gas to get the People 250 from Tallahassee to Tri-Cities to Nashville. So, that $2350 is more like $2750.
.

Rummy

Aw, shit. There goes the neighborhood.
.

"That's My Moped!"

Oh -- almost forgot.

I put some gas in the Vino at the Pilot @ Centennial and Briley, last night. A dude approached me, asking the usual scooter questions. Then he said, "Where did you get that?"

"From a private individual."

"That's my moped, man! It was stolen not too long ago!"

"Well, okay. I've had it since April, 2007, and have a title. Go call the cops, and they'll check it out for you."

"No, man... I know that's my moped!"

"Like I said, call the cops -- 862-8600. West Precinct is just a few miles from here; they'll have a car out here in under 20 minutes. I'll wait for 'em. Look -- here's the VIN number. Write it down, call the cops..."

"Naw, man. Naw. It just looks like my moped. [pause] Man, I know that's mine."

"Here is the VIN. Follow. My. Finger. Dood. [pointing, then prying off plastic frame cover] If it's yours, that VIN number will prove it."

"Naw, man. Forget it. Forget it. I don't wanna call no cops."

"Well, that's the only way to settle it, 'cause I'm sure as hell not giving you my scooter!"

Guy turns and goes into the store. I leave without incident.
.

Light Scootin'

I rented a car Friday to hang out with my buddy, sittenpretty, and came home Monday. We shot some incredible video at Steele Creek Park, in Bristol, Tennessee, as part of an ongoing project of hers to do a YouTube series on caring for and feeding pets.

So, back in Twangtown, just me, the Vino, the People 250, and the two cats. And lots of cat hair, always.
.

The Good Part Of Scooting

You'll meet people. And, you'll tool down Church Street, and a pretty lady walking her dog will see you and say (louder than she thought), "Awesome!!!"
.

AX-E-DENT

Nothing serious -- I was not on a scooter.

My pal/landlord/El Presidente of the condo association called to ask me about a couple of hideous purple chairs that were left by an neer-do-well by the dumpster, nearest my unit. Yes; they were still there. So, as El Presidente, he was tasked with removing them from the premises. I volunteered to help him load/unload them, in exchange for a ride to ESS, to pick up my Vino. I had it in the shop to have new tires put on.

So, we load the chairs, get waived into the drop-off for the dump w/o charge (yo!), unload the chairs, and head towards inner East Nashville. We turned from E Trinity to Gallatin, and were in a bit of a traffic jam. A light changed, and then BAM! Dood behind us (OH plate EET-8200) smacks into us, pretty hard!

The truck suffered little damage -- the bumper was bent downward, slightly, but unmarred, otherwise.

My neck, however, is a little sore. We'll see how it feels, tomorrow.

Anyway... baby's got a new pair of shooz!

.

Welcome SCTRCST Visitors

... and thanks to DaveM for the link and the mention in his podcast.

Minor historical correction: I got a Kymco Agility 125 in June, 2007. I've had the People 250 since March of this year. I won it on eBay, when I guy I knew from the 'net put it up, no reserve.

Petty grammatical correction: KymCojones. :)
.

Definitely One That Got Away

Oy.

A friend alerted me to this, at the time, but I didn't know what a deal this was. This would have been GREAT for her... or I could've swapped my Vino to her, for it.
.

There Goes The Neighborhood

A brand new Vespa Grantursimo 200, right outside my balcony window? Dang.

UPDATE: Less than two weeks old, and dude's already dumped it. It has a huge dent in the starboard side cover. Dang, again. Noobs. What's this go for, about $6K?

UPDATE II: $5399 MSRP + TTL = $6,200 U.S., brand new, out the door w/free helmet. Whoo-hooooo! Man, sorry. I can get a lot of scooter x2 for $6,200.
.

Who Did What, Now?

.

Good Lard

Is it already time to put fresh lard in the People? Dang!
.