Well, actually no. Not a jet plane. Not even in a car. A scooter. I will leave tomorrow probably before 8am. I have certain peeps I will be in daily contact with, but if you want to follow me on Twitter, the name to search for is 'vallindsay2'. I won't make minute-to-minute posts, although I will try for at least twice a day.
Also, I will be posting to this blog every evening, if I am afforded a wifi connection. Wish me luck even though I hope I need none. :)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Test trip last week, off to Portland!!
So I took the multitude's advice and made a test run on my scooter last week; 113 (aprox) miles north of Phoenix to Prescott, AZ. I fillef the tank and left last Friday at 9:00am on the dot.
No real problems to report. I took a seatpad because I had a nominal fear the seat was too soft. I was wrong. The seat's fine. The first leg was Highway 60 to Wickenburg. After I got past the traffic lights, I let the throttle carry me to 60 mph cruising. The buffeting wind from other vehicles wasn't horrible but was annoying. The dust devil I rode through? Different thing. It was brief but hit me hard. The first pucker on the scooter.
I filled the tank at Wickenburg to check the mileage. I calculated 78mpg. Not too shabby! I got to the other side of Wickenburg and headed north on the 89-A....
More of the same kind of riding first leg; Mostly straight highway. What 89-A turns into should be a pleasant surprise to anyone unfamiliar with it. The road starts up into mountains and turns into some of the sweetest curves any cyclist could dream of. It was a tad windy, but it didn't ruin the fun much. It has to be fantastic in the fall! At 12:00 noon I pulled into Prescott...
68 degrees and sunny. I'd be hard pressed to choose a better time to go, with Phoenix starting into the ninety-degree season. I didn't press myself on time with this trip; It took three hours almost exactly to get up there. My average fell
greatly with the mountains, but I don't plan to be in that great a hurry going up to Portland, either. Heading back I had discovered that I had a slight tail-wind coming up. Not a huge issue, but it was a lot noisier. It made me realize earplugs would be a good thing to have.
Averaging fuel use on the way back yielded 72mpg. I'm sure the headwind and some in-city driving was responsible for that. The trip read 230.6 miles and I got back into Phoenix at about 5 pm. With several scenic-lookyloo stops and fuel stops, I'm not displeased at all. I felt that i could have put another 100 miles on the scooter, too. So I believe with good weather 300 miles will be easy.
I will post this evening in regards to leaving for Portland. Ta!
No real problems to report. I took a seatpad because I had a nominal fear the seat was too soft. I was wrong. The seat's fine. The first leg was Highway 60 to Wickenburg. After I got past the traffic lights, I let the throttle carry me to 60 mph cruising. The buffeting wind from other vehicles wasn't horrible but was annoying. The dust devil I rode through? Different thing. It was brief but hit me hard. The first pucker on the scooter.
I filled the tank at Wickenburg to check the mileage. I calculated 78mpg. Not too shabby! I got to the other side of Wickenburg and headed north on the 89-A....
More of the same kind of riding first leg; Mostly straight highway. What 89-A turns into should be a pleasant surprise to anyone unfamiliar with it. The road starts up into mountains and turns into some of the sweetest curves any cyclist could dream of. It was a tad windy, but it didn't ruin the fun much. It has to be fantastic in the fall! At 12:00 noon I pulled into Prescott...
68 degrees and sunny. I'd be hard pressed to choose a better time to go, with Phoenix starting into the ninety-degree season. I didn't press myself on time with this trip; It took three hours almost exactly to get up there. My average fell
greatly with the mountains, but I don't plan to be in that great a hurry going up to Portland, either. Heading back I had discovered that I had a slight tail-wind coming up. Not a huge issue, but it was a lot noisier. It made me realize earplugs would be a good thing to have.
Averaging fuel use on the way back yielded 72mpg. I'm sure the headwind and some in-city driving was responsible for that. The trip read 230.6 miles and I got back into Phoenix at about 5 pm. With several scenic-lookyloo stops and fuel stops, I'm not displeased at all. I felt that i could have put another 100 miles on the scooter, too. So I believe with good weather 300 miles will be easy.
I will post this evening in regards to leaving for Portland. Ta!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Bringing it on...
So, I inch closer to the move to Portland. Things are being boxed, other things cleaned and organized. And above all this, crazy apprehension. Now I've done this sort of thing before, with far less money. But I admit I'm bristling with the same confidence I had then. I'm not quite sure why that is. I could guess it's the fact I could piss away my savings. Maybe it's the fact I have such awesome friends here in Phoenix and in Santa Fe.
To be honest with the crowd here, I'd probably move back to Santa Fe before moving back to Phoenix. I liked my job enough there, have the friends, it's far more liberal and, although I don't define myself as such, if society labels me I might as well be with those on the same side, eh?
But that is failure-talk. I will move to Portland, I will find work and a place to live and I will be on top of the world yet again. Here is a somber picture to show my determination...
Yes, you can see it, can't you?
Also, here's the crazy part; Everything points to me riding my new Vespa up there. I will take like 5-6 days, I think. If I cover 350 miles a day it's 4 days away. A dawdle!
To be honest with the crowd here, I'd probably move back to Santa Fe before moving back to Phoenix. I liked my job enough there, have the friends, it's far more liberal and, although I don't define myself as such, if society labels me I might as well be with those on the same side, eh?
But that is failure-talk. I will move to Portland, I will find work and a place to live and I will be on top of the world yet again. Here is a somber picture to show my determination...
Yes, you can see it, can't you?
Also, here's the crazy part; Everything points to me riding my new Vespa up there. I will take like 5-6 days, I think. If I cover 350 miles a day it's 4 days away. A dawdle!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Reason to post!!!
Hello from the wilderness. I have made an addition to the family and need to make proper introductions. This is Natasha...
Natasha is a 2009 Vespa GTS250ie. She's everything I could hope for in such a vehicle; Fuel injected, watercooled 250cc and capable of 78mph and about 70 mpg. And to be honest, this is everything I want out of a vehicle with an engine on it for daily movement. Screw the Prius. This is what society should be thinking about.
End of month, I venture into the bowels of Portland, OR. With a little luck and lots of hard work, I should be able to establish myself there. I might even go to school, although not quite sure what yet. I've learned Vespa mechanics make 92 bucks and hour. Hmmm....
More to come soon...
Natasha is a 2009 Vespa GTS250ie. She's everything I could hope for in such a vehicle; Fuel injected, watercooled 250cc and capable of 78mph and about 70 mpg. And to be honest, this is everything I want out of a vehicle with an engine on it for daily movement. Screw the Prius. This is what society should be thinking about.
End of month, I venture into the bowels of Portland, OR. With a little luck and lots of hard work, I should be able to establish myself there. I might even go to school, although not quite sure what yet. I've learned Vespa mechanics make 92 bucks and hour. Hmmm....
More to come soon...
Monday, January 12, 2009
More of what's to come...
So, the knee. It's getting better, but slowly. It's easy to think nothing is wrong because I'm not in pain. One month off bikes and I went out for a spin. 8 miles in, pain. Couple more months I should be fine. I don't think I will attempt touring again soon.
All that aside, life has been pretty decent. It is good to be in the vicinity of friends while in Phoenix. I've got a part-time job with the Slippery Pig so the savings don't dive quickly. In fact I should be able to add a little to the savings, making the eventual move and establishment in Portland easier. (Yes, I'm still going to Portland. It will probably be in April, I think.)
Meanwhile I think I will head out to L.A. for a few days and hang out with a friend or two. Dana will be one. Here she be with her moodle, Willa.
I wish I could say exciting things are happening, but this is not the case. I am in one piece though. Shout out and let me know if anyone's stepped on some sort of metaphorical landmine.
Ta.
All that aside, life has been pretty decent. It is good to be in the vicinity of friends while in Phoenix. I've got a part-time job with the Slippery Pig so the savings don't dive quickly. In fact I should be able to add a little to the savings, making the eventual move and establishment in Portland easier. (Yes, I'm still going to Portland. It will probably be in April, I think.)
Meanwhile I think I will head out to L.A. for a few days and hang out with a friend or two. Dana will be one. Here she be with her moodle, Willa.
I wish I could say exciting things are happening, but this is not the case. I am in one piece though. Shout out and let me know if anyone's stepped on some sort of metaphorical landmine.
Ta.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
What have you learned, Grasshopper?
Ok, I absolutely hate to say this, but it seems that although my mind, soul and much of the rest of me could do the trip I planned, my knees wouldn't let me. First day Sunday wasn't too bad, but yesterday was agony. I managed to get about 40 miles in and decided I might do irreparable damage if I continued. So I am back in Alameda at the moment.
Not that I'm through, mind you. Sure, there could have been any number of ways I might have learned about this weakness ahead of time. I was fairly aware any number of things could have stopped me. (I'll tell you about the weather change I experienced later. It wasn't enough to stop me, but it sure was foreboding!) My friend Erik who I live with in Phoenix wants to do some small tours, like up to Prescott and lakes to the north of Phx. I will learn then perhaps where I shorted or overextended myself.
Til then, probably a month from now, I will keep the blog alive with pictures...
Not that I'm through, mind you. Sure, there could have been any number of ways I might have learned about this weakness ahead of time. I was fairly aware any number of things could have stopped me. (I'll tell you about the weather change I experienced later. It wasn't enough to stop me, but it sure was foreboding!) My friend Erik who I live with in Phoenix wants to do some small tours, like up to Prescott and lakes to the north of Phx. I will learn then perhaps where I shorted or overextended myself.
Til then, probably a month from now, I will keep the blog alive with pictures...
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Alameda
The view from Treasure Island. Click on the image to go to the photostream, if you desire...
I am staying with my good friend Andy. This is what he looks like...
So a word about shipping your equipment, if that is the route you desire to take; It may not get there.
Now you can compensate for this like I did. Give yourself some time where you start to allow equipment to arrive if there are delays. But it still is annoying, giving you just enough to worry about as you sit and wait for the packages to arrive.
So two things to learn from my trip so far. 1, keep the tracking numbers for your packages. 2, get an estimate on overall shipping time to be able to compensate for any delays in it actually arriving on time. If I were on a tight schedule, I would be very anxious and annoyed right now, instead of just mildy annoyed and inconvenienced. I mean, here I am, across the Bay from San
Francisco, but Ive got to sit here and wait for boxes.
So let's relax with some pictures from a duck pond at Crab's Cove...
I am staying with my good friend Andy. This is what he looks like...
So a word about shipping your equipment, if that is the route you desire to take; It may not get there.
Now you can compensate for this like I did. Give yourself some time where you start to allow equipment to arrive if there are delays. But it still is annoying, giving you just enough to worry about as you sit and wait for the packages to arrive.
So two things to learn from my trip so far. 1, keep the tracking numbers for your packages. 2, get an estimate on overall shipping time to be able to compensate for any delays in it actually arriving on time. If I were on a tight schedule, I would be very anxious and annoyed right now, instead of just mildy annoyed and inconvenienced. I mean, here I am, across the Bay from San
Francisco, but Ive got to sit here and wait for boxes.
So let's relax with some pictures from a duck pond at Crab's Cove...
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