Debbie's Odometer and Light

From Debbie:

You asked people to send you pictures of their scoot accessories. I put a light on mine so if if is dark when I come out of someplace, I can see and that people can see me easier. I had from the beginning wanted to put a speedometer/odometer on it but didn't know it could be calibrated to fit the small tires. However, Daniel (from London) emailed me a video of his. I took the scoot to a bike shop and had them install it because I didn't figure I would be able to get the calibration setting right. I am running out of room on my handlebar, I would like to replace the bell with a better one. I also have been considering trying to add a mirror. Happy scooting!!

Rhonda at the Mall

I just got a call from Rhonda to check my email. She's at the mall and telling me that she still has room on her scoot so she guesses she needs to keep shopping. I think I'm most jealous of the William Sonoma bag!

She's got those bags hooked to her scoot with a Mighty Buggy Hook.

Getting a work-out on the Scoot

 

From Lynn Ellen:

I decided to go home on the cheap this time, as the San Francisco airport is 25 miles from home and it was the middle of the day and everyone I could think of was either at work or out of town so there were no rides. I could have spent $37 for a shuttle to my home, but instead I spent $8.65 for a ride on our main rapid transit system: BART.

First, I had to take a BART-like train to the BART terminal at the airport. No seats on these things, but I pulled up to a pole and held on. I should say that I had on a large day pack on my back, my carry-on suitcase across the frame of the Scoot, making it a bit of a challenge to put my feet down and walk backwards, but it is doable, and I was towing my larger, check-on suitcase with my left hand. I had the seat backrest packed in the luggage so I could get on and off the Scoot like a motorcycle, leg over the seat.

The BART-like train was a short ride, and then we waited in line to buy BART tickets. I then got on the BART train, got off the Scoot and sat down on a seat designated for disabled people and positioned my Scoot and larger suitcase in front of me. But I had to transfer to another train, and I did this early in the game so that I could get a seat on the 2nd BART train, similarly situated. I choose to get off the Scoot when I can as I think it is safer. Even with the locking brakes, I am in the middle of aisle, I am sitting higher, and if there is a mishap on the train, the regular seat seems safer (and more comfortable to me).

I got off the BART at the stop closest to my best friend's house, where my dog was also stationed during my vacation. Let me say something about elevators, since I rode one down from the platform to the street level. Most of the time for short elevator rides, I drive in, stop, and when it is time to get out, I walk backwards til I am out. But I had the suitcase in tow, and going forwards isn't so bad, but it is hard to control the backwards angles here. I did get some help from people at various places, which made it far less frustrating, and indeed allowed me to move more smoothly than if I would have had to get off the Scoot and reposition the suitcase and Scoot in the correct direction. So it is challenging, but doable. The other thing was the gate where one inserts the BART card. The flippers that allow one through just don't stay open long enough, even though they have a wide, wheelchair accessible lane. The first time I didn't know this and the flippers crashed into my leg, causing me to yelp, and the station agent manually controlled the flippers. The second time, on the way out, I asked the agent to keep an eye on things. So there is one more thing to have to keep track of.

I was now about 1-1/4 miles away from my friend's home, so off I went, down the street, suitcase in tow. I got to smell wonderful food being cooked in some houses, and since the trip was slightly uphill, I also got to run out of battery at one point, so I had to get off and switch the wires, since I always mount both smaller lithium ion batteries to the Scoot, and then I got to have a few opportunities to sit and wait for the motor to cool off. but adding up the weight of two suitcases and a large backpack to somewhere in the neighborhood of 80+ pounds, and going gently uphill, that wasn't a bad performance for the motor, so I just sat there for about five minutes, checking my email or playing a game on my iPhone. tra la.

Now the title of this post is "getting a work-out." and this is what I think. Especially when the backrest is not installed, there is a constant effort to maintain balance while riding, and then the fun times of going over a driveway that is tipped downhill from the house to the street, necessitating a lean to the left or right depending. Leaning forward when going up a particularly steep curb cut or driveway, and always looking out for pot holes and puddles. By the time I got to my destination, I was beat, and I fell into a sweet nap with a dog on my lap (all 70 lbs. of her!). I wasn't sore the next day, but I do really think that all that getting on and off, leaning to and fro, and paying attention, does make for more than a passive sit in the sunlight. And by the way, holding on to the larger suitcase was not that challenging for the most part. I was worried my hand or my arm would get sore, but it didn't happen, gratefully.

I was really pleased with myself in the end, and I enjoyed saving the money and feeling independent.

Comments from Elizabeth:

Lynn Ellen, what I always enjoy about your adventures is how you embrace independence. That's one of the reasons I love my TravelScoot so much and you really GET it. My scoot allows me independence. Coworkers, friends, family, and even strangers offer me help with my scoot all the time, but I take great pleasure in being able to handle it alone. (Okay, okay, I DO love it on the weekends when Alan handles it for me, but I still know I can do it alone.) I can lift it alone, I can fold it up alone, I can go places with it by myself. What a fantastic feeling to be able to do that AND to be able to move fast while I'm doing it. I've been a very large person my whole life and I've never moved as fast as I can now. It's intoxicating.

I can move through an airport by myself. While I'm there I can scoot to the bathroom by myself. I can handle my luggage by myself. I grocery shop, go to the mall, visit people at the hospital, go to museums, ride around the parking lot at work, zip in and out of Walmart in just a few minutes (instead of hours -- IF I could get a store cart). I have an incredible feeling of freedom in my life because just about anywhere I want to go, I have a way to get there. If I wanted to work on my master's degree I could do it. If I wanted to go to a trade show exhibit, I could do it. I don't have to worry about getting a close parking place and most importantly, I don't have to be in pain.

I don't know if someone who hasn't spent a lot of time on a TravelScoot could understand the "workout" aspect of it, but there is definitely a physical aspect of riding my scoot. I don't use the back either, but I twist and turn a lot and move around to stay in balance, and I push with my legs a lot. I also lift my legs often to either put them on the foot rests or take them off. Rhonda and I often scoot together, and when people stop us to ask about our scoots, one of us invariably ends up saying, "it's NOT a recliner on wheels" or "this isn't a scooter where you just push a button and go, but if you want to get from point A to point B, and do it fast, this is a great scoot to do it on."

Thanks for the great writeup of your trip from the airport home. I look forward to hearing what you do next!

Mirror on Fran R's TravelScoot

If Fran is able to send in a picture, I'll post it when I get it. If you have a TravelScoot picture and/or post you'd like to share with us, please send it to me by email, at elizabeth@ifisher.com .

From Fran R:

I must be the only person on the planet who doesn't have a camera, but my grandson will be coming over on Friday and I'll have him take a picture. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see cars coming up behind me - with the mirror I can make sure I get way over to the side of the street when that happens. I was fortunate to have 2 women in the bike shop who were willing to spend the time to find a solution that worked for me.


Not everyone may want to do this, but what she did was take the grip off the left handlebar - than disconnect the end piece that's connected to that bungee type cord which enables the handlebars to fold down. The mirror is the type that you insert into the side of the grip. This means that you can't fold down the handlebars in the normal manner. They will still fold down but would be held by the cords that run up the stem of the steering column. Hardy may disapprove of doing this - but I haven't had any occasion to fold down the handlebars so don't foresee this being a problem for me. And I imagine that you could always attach the grips more firmly to the stem with a stretchy cord to keep them more secure if you do fold them down. I kept the end piece from the grip so if necessary I could always put things back the way they were. I felt that the mirror was a necessity for me being on the street with 2 dogs alongside ---- and I will try to get you a picture on Friday or Saturday.

Krystal's Accessories

From Krystal:

Elizabeth, I thought you might get a kick out of some of my accessories. You can see my list holder (the clothes pin on the shower curtain ring), my dashboard clock (cheap Wal-Mart watch with the band cut down), bag holders (stroller hooks from Toys R Us), shades holder (black bottle holder from Mori), on board purse (flowered rock climbing chalk bag from REI), Telestik holder (cheap bottle holder from Wal-Mart – the Telestik is a telescoping magnet/sticky pad grabber). Finally, although you can’t see it too clearly, I figured a way to store my tools in the point of the V basket (Velcro of course).

Krystal's TravelScoot in her Ravi

As you can see, I don’t get much practice at folding, but I have learned that it’s best to strap Vroom Vroom down. Yep, I tend to take the corners rather fast in the Ravi also.

Note from Elizabeth: When Alan and I are driving in our van and he takes a corner fast or stops suddenly, I say "Hello Scoot" when she suddenly pokes her handlebars between the two middle seats.  Locking the brakes on the scoot before loading helps keep this from happening, but doesn't stop it entirely.

Vroom Vroom, 24 cans of Alpo, and a TrolleyBasket

I asked Krystal for a picture of Vroom Vroom loaded with 24 cans of Alpo, and here it is. It amazes me all the creative ways you guys use your TravelScoots. And speaking of creative, Krystal also bought a TrolleyBasket and added her own special bling to it. Here's what she had to say about it...

Got the Trolley (that’s the largest one) and really like it. Only thing is, I’m not really tall enough to use the long handle while riding without tipping it forward. That’s OK as I use the little handle just fine while riding. I use the long handle when taking the stuff into the trailer. The coolest thing, it fits on Nic’s dog ramp so I don’t have to lift it up the steps. And yes, I just had to bling it as it was just so plain.

Helpful links

Trolley Basket website:  http://www.trolleybasketusa.com/

Trolley Basket posts on this blog:  http://mytravelscoot.blogspot.com/search?q=trolleybasket