Beta testing a different seat

After Hardy Huber met with us in Baton Rouge (http://www.travelscoot.sizepositive.com/), he went back home and designed a larger, more reinforced seat. I received a test version of the new seat today. I haven't had time to try it out yet, but I know some of you are eager to know everything about the TravelScoot, so I'm posting a picture for you.

The seat on the left is the original one and the one on the right is the new one. The view you're seeing is of the bottom of the seat.

Alan and I are going to switch out the seats soon, and I'll post a review of the new seat.

I haven't had problems with the original seat, but if it makes my scoot even better, I'm all up for design options!

A larger version of the picture is available at http://www.ifisher.com/travelscoot/newseat.jpg

Foot Pedal Question

Lynn Ellen post a question in the comments section...

"Meanwhile, do you find that your feet are so close together and that makes your
legs tired? I guess you can just take a break and put your feet on the ground,
but if you are scooting around town, I'm wondering if the foot pedal could be
longer so I could make micro-adjustments to the distance between my feet."

I don't know if a longer foot pedal is a possibility, but I had the same concern before I tried the TravelScoot. I've found that it's not a problem. Even though my legs are very large, the position is much more natural than it might look. And of all the people who have tried mine (and they've been many sizes of large, short and tall) no one has had that complaint.

When I'm not in motion on my scoot, my natural inclination is to put my feet down on the ground.

Footrest Modification

I had someone ask about the modifications for taller riders, or riders who wanted their feet extended more. The seat can be put in a higher position by using spacer rings provided with the TravelScoot.

The top picture on the left is a picture of a modification Hardy can make to a scoot to extend the footrest by about two inches.

The second photo is my attempt to explain what you're seeing in the first picture.

If you have questions, please ask. If you'd like to see larger versions of the pictures, they are at:

http://www.ifisher.com/travelscoot/footrest_extension.jpg
http://www.ifisher.com/travelscoot/footrest.jpg

Big As TEXAS and my Super Scoot!

This last weekend I was at the Big As TEXAS, an annual size acceptance assembly held in Texas. (To learn more about it go to http://members.tripod.com/~bigastexas)

On Saturday I led a workshop where we gave a demonstration of the TravelScoot. The best part was letting anyone who wanted to to take a test drive. It's so fun to see the absolute delight people get out of riding it. Even better was hearing folks talking about the ways they would use their scoot. They talked about using it to go places with their spouses/partners (like on a vacation that required lots of walking), to see the Smithsonian, or even to grocery shop.

I also folded it up and passed it around the room so they could see how light it is to lift. Every person who tried was able to lift it. The picture is of me lifting it out of the back of our Honda Odyssey.

This was my first opportunity to take my TravelScoot to a hotel convention. It was easy to take into our hotel room, and very easy to take in the elevators. Bigger scooters that I've rented for conventions in the past have been a problem when it came to getting on or off an elevator. This one wasn't at all. I was also able to take it directly into the restaurants and meeting rooms and park it near where I was sitting. When we left the hotel on Sunday evening to go out to a restaurant I put it in the back of our van and took it with me. I didn't need it at the restaurant, but I had it for when we got back to the hotel.

We've nicknamed it the "Super Scoot" because it's small and mighty.

My TravelScoot, fully assembled in the back of our Odyssey

Alan and I have a Honda Odyssey and I wanted to show you all how well the TravelScoot fits in the back. What you're seeing is a picture of it in the well. This is an area intended for cargo, or the third row of seats fold down into it.

Getting Through Tight Spaces

My sister Rae and I went to a "trash and treasure" sale that was held in an old department store building. It was PACKED with what seemed like miles of tables and displays. My TravelScoot fit anywhere I could have walked. Later on we went to Shoe Station. Rae took the picture of me squeezing between a garbage can and a hanging display of shoes. It might look tight, but I made it through just fine.

A car pulled out right in front of me just as I was going down a ramp, and I'd like to report that the brakes work just fine!

When it seems like miles from the parking lot...

3 1/2 years ago my husband had two heart surgeries and was in intensive care for a month. He has fully recuperated, but the experience gave me one more reason to want some sort of scooter so in an emergency situation how far I'd need to walk wouldn't be a concern. Well, who knew the situation would arise so soon after my TravelScoot? A dear friend of ours is having her aeortic valve replaced, and last night she told me how important it was to her for me to come visit her in the hospital. The hospital she's at is huge, having been added on to many, many times, and it's a hike to get anywhere from the parking area. Now I don't have to stress over going there. My scoot made it easy for me to tell her I'd be there.

In the last week I've also used it at Albertson's to buy picnic supplies to take to my mom's nursing home, and at Fresh Market, just to pick up some groceries. I had a moment in Fresh Market where I wasn't thrilled about needing a scooter, but then I remembered how wonderful independence is! I love my TravelScoot.