Recurring Scooter Thoughts

Hangman's Reel - Christie Burns + Butch Ross (mp3)
Flashlight Fight - The Go! Team (mp3)

Billy is away on vacation for nine days, but he will begin his two vacation musings with this reflection on Scooter Life.

Without question, the brain works differently on a scooter as opposed to inside the confines of an automobile. This is even more true when said individual is new to the scooting experience. Below are a collection of the Top Ten thoughts, realizations, notions, that sprout from my mind when I'm puttering around the town:

1. Bugs hitting your chest at 35 mph can leave a tiny welt. When they hit your face, it just itches.
2. People like talking to people on scooters. So far I've had at least six different cars, next to me at a stop light, ask me one question or another. Whatever innate mistrust or fear we have of strangers must be negated the pathetic harmlessness of riding a scooter. (I mean, whoever heard of someone conducting a drive-by on a scooter?)
3. Rain makes scootering more like an amusement park ride. Scarier, riskier, and more childish.
4. This thing really gets 80 mpg! This thing really gets 80 mpg!
5. I thought I'd miss A/C, but I don't. Even on 95-degree days with 100% humidity, the breeze is sufficient if you're not surrounded by metal and windows that have been simmering in the heat all day.
6. Whether you want to be, and whether you care, you are officially a member of the Sons and Daughters of Two-Wheeled Motor Vehicles. As such, you must acknowledge all of your brothers and sisters when passing them on the open road. The preferred greeting is a left hand, lowered to the waist, in a kind of ZZ Top send-off.
7. Rain also makes you blink a lot. I never knew I could blink that many times per minute.
8. Dust just doesn't taste very good. Not in any of its legion forms.
9. I'm much more attentive and alert to my surroundings and others on the road on a scooter. But that's 'cuz almost anything could kill or maim you.
10. I can scoot down to Starbucks, order a Grande Caramel Frappuccino, stick it in the little glove compartment, and it will make it all the way back to the office without spilling a drop! I can even do it with a White Chocolate Mocha without spilling more than a few drops! It's like that glove compartment was made for shuttling coffee!

"Flashlight Fight" is from The Go! Team's sophomore album, Proof of Youth. "Hangman's Reel" is from Christie Burns + Butch Ross' album Here to Play. Both are available as Amazon.com's mp3 downloads, or The Go! Team is at iTunes.