Don’t Commute … Scoot!

Every morning the radio mentions a few momentous events that occurred on this date in history. Here’s the list for March 15:

1493 – Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after 1st new world voyage

1672 – King Charles II enacts Declaration of Indulgence (I have no idea what this is, but it sounds good!)

1892 – NY State unveils automatic ballot booth (voting machine) (still in use!)

1985 – First .com domain created (symbolics.com)

2007 – Urban Village Scooters opens its doors!

Riding into work today got me thinking about the gloves I wear when I ride. I always wear gloves – partly because that’s how I learned, but also because they give me a better, more consistent feel for the controls. I have four different pairs of riding gloves, which I wear at different times for different reasons.

When the temperature is below 40 degrees (F) I wear regular ski gloves – nothing fancy, but lots of insulation. Nothing is more painful (or dangerous!) than trying to ride with frozen hands. I find that keeping my hands warm makes me willing to ride in cold conditions.

If the temperature is between 35 and 60 I wear a pair of Power Trip Dakota Gloves. These are lined with Thinsulate and have a wiper blade built into the backs of the thumbs. They aren’t as warm as my ski gloves, but they give me a better feel for the controls.

Between 60 and 80 degrees I wear my Hugger Basic Riding Gloves. Like the name suggests, these are simple, unlined gloves (with padded palms). I like them because of the waterproof treatment on the leather – they don’t color my hands when they get wet the way cheaper gloves do.

When it’s really hot (over 80) I still wear gloves, but this time they’re Hugger Summer Riding Gloves. These have nylon mesh backs which wick the sweat away and actually make my hands feel cooler than riding without gloves. Unfortunately the backs of my hands sometimes get sunburned through the mesh.

Do you wear gloves when you ride?

I just came across this article predicting $3+ gas prices this summer (and perhaps even earlier!) It also points out that higher prices may not necessarily be a bad thing. What do you think?

This has been a tough winter. We started with two feet of snow before Christmas, and things never really got better.

Until now. Today is a sunny Saturday, and the temperature is supposed to get up around 40 degrees. Time to stop hibernating!

This morning I decided to ride into work. After disconnecting the Battery Tender and a quick check I fired up my RV250 and headed out. The sun had burned the roads clear of snow and ice (but watch out for those shady spots!) Good thing I dressed warmly!

The ride was invigorating. I hadn’t realized how much I missed being able to smell the fresh air. My full-face helmet wasn’t enough to stop my cheeks from getting rosy, and my fingers were numb inside the Thinsulate, but the all that just made my heart beat stronger. It was a great ride!

I know I won’t be able to ride every day this month, but it won’t be long until I can finally put the van away and just ride my scooter!