Flood Run

Last Saturday was the spring Flood Run, a motorcycle run along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border that takes place twice a year and benefits Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare where I work.  I did most of the run back in the fall of 2012, but between weather and other events I hadn't really been able to participate since.  Thankfully we had some nice weather on Saturday, if a little nippy to start.

The run starts at the Beach Bar in Lake St. Croix Beach, so I headed there first to buy my wristband and meet up with some of my co-workers.  No sooner do I arrive than this guy comes up to me saying, "We've been looking for you!"

Now, keep in mind this event draws in the hardcore biker crowd.  I mean the Harley-riding, black leather kind of crowd.  Look at the photo on the right.  Does that sound like me?  No, not a bit.

So this guy, Pat, proceeds to explain how he saw me back in 2012.  At first he thought it was a bit, but then he kept seeing me further down the run, and whenever he would tell someone about me I would show up.  So there he is on Saturday telling some other people about this guy from 2012 and who do you think rolls in?  Yep.  Never let it be said I don't have great timing.  Pat had been looking for me since 2012 and was thrilled to finally meet me in person.  A few others (including Brian Zepp, one of the DJs from KQRS) came up as well, so of course we had to grab some photos.

Amy, Brian Z., me, another Brian, Darlis, Becky, and Dr, Atomic

I'd no idea I'd made such an impression.  I really appreciated the warm welcome, and it's always fun to meet some new folks.  And we had a great ride on Saturday.  The weather was in the 40s to start, but it warmed up nicely as the day went on.  By the time I made it down to Winona, the end of the run, the sun was shining and the temperature had reached the 70s.  In 2012 I didn't quite make it all the way to the end, so I determined that this year I would.

Dr. Atomic in Winona, the southern end of the run

And it sounds like I was spotted more than once along the way (scroll down and look for a familiar bike!).  So thanks to everyone at the Flood Run for helping make it a great event, not to mention supporting Gillette's mission.

Heading back north with a brief stop in Maiden Rock, WI

First Tire Change

So here we are, deep in the non-scootering months. But, with yesterday's warm weather (nearly 40 degrees F, downright tropical), I decided to do a little maintenance on the Symba. The Symba has tubed tires, similar to a bicycle, and awhile back I had picked up some Kenda Tuff Tubes so as to be ready for any flat tires. The advantage to tubed tires is that you don't have to replace the whole tire in case of a flat, but the disadvantage is that tubes go flat more easily than a tubeless tire. The Kenda tubes are thicker than the stock tubes, so hopefully the new tubes will make a flat less likely.

I have yet to actually have a flat, so I decided that this winter I would install the Kenda tubes and gain some practice changing tubes when I'm not trying to get back on the road as soon as possible. So, taking advantage of the brief warm spell, I started yesterday with the front wheel. The front wheel is easier to remove, as removing the rear wheel requires first removing the exhaust.

The front wheel off the axle

Taking off the wheel wasn't too difficult, and I then took the wheel inside for the tube change. It took a little work to get one side of the tire off the rim, but I soon figured out it was easiest to hold the tire down with one knee and then pry the tire up with a tire iron. At that point I could pull out the old tube. Nothing wrong with it, so I'll keep it on hand as a spare. I inflated the new tube a little - everything I read online said this makes it easier to put the tube in without pinching it. It certainly did, and then I just had to push the edge of the tire back over the rim. With the tire on the floor I was able to do this by hand, without using the tire irons (preferable because that reduces the chances of puncturing the tube). Then the wheel went back on, good to go. The rear wheel will have to wait for another stretch of warmer weather, as today we're back below zero.

My goal with the Symba has been to learn how to do as much as the maintenance myself as I can. Most things are easy to get to on the Symba, which makes it a great do-it-yourself bike. So now I've added tubes changes to my repertoire. I hope to never have to deal with a flat tire on the side of the road, but at least now I'm familiar with the procedure, with some help from this step-by-step guide on the ADVRider forum.

Rainy Monday

It's a drizzly, grey Monday here in Saint Paul.  Not such a bad thing after all the warm, dry weather we've been having.  It does, however, thin out the crowd in the motorcycle parking.

The Zuma 125 that lives near me was still there, as was a Kymco maxiscooter, a Harley, and a Yamaha motorcycle.  I found it a pleasant, cool ride this morning, although it did hit home that fall is here, which means winter is just around the corner.

Back home

The Coffee Queen and I were out of town recently - celebrating our 10-year anniversary in Italy!!!  We went to Italy for our honeymoon and so it felt like the right time to return.  More about that anon, but considering it was our honeymoon that first planted the scooter seed it was fun to go back and see all of the scooters there as a rider.

It was a great trip, but we were glad to get back and see the Little Scoot again (who spent his time with the grandparents and didn't seem too bothered by the fact that we were gone).  I was also excited to get back onto my own scooter again, now that the good weather is finally settling in here in Minnesota.

At least it has been beautiful since we've been back.  Today, however, was cloudy with a forecast of rain most of the day (I love how meteorologists hedge their bets by predicting a 60% chance of rain all day).  But I rode anyway as I have a meeting this afternoon in another building plus an errand to run on the way home.

I am always amused on days like today when I arrive at work and the big Harley and BMW motorcycles are absent, but the scooters are there.  Today when I parked it was just me and a Yamaha Zuma (who it turns out lives close to me).  We'll see if anyone else arrived later but I think it goes to show that we scooter riders are a hardy bunch.  And it doesn't hurt that my commute is only 3 miles each way. :-)

The few, the proud, the scooters.

My Scooter Story: Part 2

50cc scooters are a gateway drug. Really.  They're a great introduction to scooters as they have some great benefits: no motorcycle endorsement needed in Minnesota, you can park at many bike racks (any public ones in Saint Paul or Minneapolis), and they're dirt cheap to insure.  What you don't get is a lot of speed.  30 mph is fine for getting around the city, but a little more power and speed can really extend your range.

Last spring (and yes, at this time of year it actually WAS spring in MN) I did a little research online on the SYM Symba.  I'd seen one once before, back when Blue Cat Motors sold SYM scooters, and thought it a pretty cool looking bike.  What's funny is I'm not sure why exactly I started looking into the Symba.  I wasn't seriously thinking of buying one.  At least I didn't think so.

Fast forward a couple of months.  The Coffee Queen, the Little Scoot, and I were at Grand Old Day in Saint Paul (one of our favorite summer traditions).  Midwest Motorcycle in Minneapolis always has a presence there and this year a familiar-looking bike caught my eye.  I walked over and sure enough, it was a red and white Symba.  I pointed it out to the Coffee Queen and said that - someday - when I bought my next scooter I thought this would be it.  She looked straight at me and said, "If you want it, you should buy it."

The Little Scoot at Grand Old Day.  He likes red too.

Well, if I had learned anything in nine years of marriage it was to take advantage of that sort of opportunity when it presents itself.*  But I did my research.  I scoured the web for information on the Symba's quality and reliability, I researched the alternatives, and made a trip to Go Moto to take one for a spin.  I was a little concerned about learning the semi-manual transmission (the Symba has gear shifts, but no clutch lever) as my one attempt to learn to drive a manual transmission had ended in failure.

But riding the Symba was a breeze.  Just remember to let off the throttle before you shift (otherwise it resembles a bucking bronco, and probably isn't good for the clutch either).  I went home, gave it some thought, went back, and put down a down payment on a brand-new, red and white Symba.

Since picking it up last summer I've hardly ridden the Mio at all (the Coffee Queen has now become very possessive of it as her scooter).  I love the ride, the extra power, and the ability to easily climb above 30 mph (I swear the bike doesn't even like going that slow).  It's just plain fun.  The Coffee Queen quickly dubbed it Dr. Atomic and the appropriate icon was soon procured.  Never let it be said I don't embrace my physicist training. :-)

Me and Dr. Atomic

With the new bike I promised myself I'd learn more about how to maintain it.  I've already done a couple of oil changes, adjusted the chain, and learned several other basic checks.  SYM isn't nearly as well-known in the US as other scooter brands, but as any SYM owner will tell you they make fantastic bikes, and so I don't expect to have to do much more than the basics for quite awhile.

 I've learned that once you get past the basics of what you're looking for in a scooter or motorcycle (speed, price, etc.) you just have to find the one that feels right.  I looked into the Buddy 125 but just couldn't get excited about it in the way I could for the Symba.  It just fits.

* I should add that's not all I've learned about marriage in now 10 wonderful years. :-)

Where have all the motorcycles gone?

This was the view on Monday of the motorcycle parking where I work: just me and one other scooter. When I rode to work last Thursday it was just me.  In the summer there are dozens.

Spring has been slow in coming this year in Minnesota and it seems most people haven't been quick to dust off their scooter or motorcycle. (I shouldn't talk, I've only ridden into work the two times so far.) I've seen a handful on the roads so far, but mostly on the few nice days we've had.

I have to say, I'm always impressed by those who ride year round, or nearly so.  The Everyday Riding blog is written by a fellow Minnesota rider who sold his car and now rides year-round, switching to a sidecar outfit in the winter (we certainly have a lot of weather in MN where three wheels are preferable to two).  Circle Blue, a fellow Symba rider, keeps a blog called Did He Ride Today? about whether or not he rode to work (St. Louis looks to have much better weather right now!).  I don't have anything in the way of cold weather gear, but as I only have a few miles to go I can push the envelope more than I would for a longer ride. :-)

My Scooter Story: Part 1

It all began ten years ago. My wife, the Coffee Queen, and I were off to Italy for our honeymoon. Pasta, art, coffee, sea and sunshine. And of course, gelato. We discovered it our first day and had it at least once every day after.

The Coffee Queen enjoying a gelato in Pisa

We also discovered scooters. Specifically Vespas. They zipped through traffic by the dozen (no small feat on the streets of Rome) and their riders looked to be having more fun than anyone. We gazed longingly after them and wondered...

Yes, the romance of life on two wheels had captured our imagination. When we returned to the States we toyed with the idea of buying a scooter, but where? We'd no idea where one went scooter shopping and the couple of times I poked around online all I learned was how expensive a new Vespa really is.

Fast forward five years. My brother started riding a Buddy 125 and when we talked to him about it one day our two-wheeled dream was rekindled.  "What? Vespa isn't the only one that makes scooters?"

Apparently not. Genuine, SYM, Kymco, and others (all at half the price of a Vespa). A whole world of scooters we never knew existed. We soon visited Blue Cat Motors in St. Paul (at that time the SYM dealer) and learned about the different models they carried. Over dinner we discussed the benefits of a 50cc scooter: 100 mpg, we could save on parking. And then the Coffee Queen brought up the most important point of all: it's just plain fun.

Before I knew it we were back at Blue Cat and once the Coffee Queen took the SYM Mio for a spin I knew we'd be taking one home. But to be fair, I didn't need any convincing. :-)

The Coffee Queen on our SYM Mio 50

Zipping around on that little bike, suddenly even the most routine errand was so much more fun. And being limited to about 30 mph or so forced me to learn the back ways to get around. But not being stuck in a metal cage, who cared if it took a little longer to get places? (Even if I did need to pay a little more attention to the weather report.)

And so the Coffee Queen and I joined the ranks of the two-wheeled, our dream finally realized. It was about a year later, back at Blue Cat for an oil change, that I caught my first glimpse of a new bike by SYM, a Symba, and I couldn't help but linger for a moment...

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to the Roving Physicist! A new blog to share my adventures as a writer, dad, and scooter rider. (If you're looking for my old blog, Open Wardrobes, you can read the archives here.)

I currently ride a SYM Symba, a modern version of the world-famous Honda Super Cub, which my wife quickly christened Dr. Atomic.

So how did a mild-mannered author and recovering physicist become a rider on two wheels? Read on, my friends, read on.

Dr. Atomic