The wind in my face
puts a sting in my cheek
and takes my breath away.
A chickadee sings its song
from a branch high above.
The world glides by
as the wheels of my scooter
zing across the pavement,
hiccuping over the occasional twig.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Friday, January 6, 2017
Winter Scootering
Winter scootering is not only possible but quite enjoyable. The air is crisp. There is a stillness/quietness to the world that calms the soul. And when the sun comes out, it puts a smile on your face.
All that said, my scooter doesn't do well in snow and ice. Brookfield plows their sidewalks and bike paths, usually within 24 hours. Milwaukee County does not plow their bike paths. And so I am a little bit more limited in my route, but I still have enough options. Even once they are plowed, melting snow and then freezing temperatures can cause icy patches in low areas and so sometimes I have to get off my scooter and carefully walk across the ice. It helps significantly to have good boots on. A number of years back, I purchased a warm pair of Rockport boots with great support and great traction that I love.
Another considering for winter scootering is staying warm. I have a warm winter jacket, warm boots as I mentioned, a scarf, hat, gloves, and mittens. (I have Raynaud's and so my hands are especially susceptible to the cold. Therefore, I wear fleece lined wool mittens with hand warmers inside, on top of gloves to keep my hands warm enough.) With all of that, I stay plenty warm.
The final consideration for winter scootering is light. The days are shorter and some of my routes, especially the bike path are pitch black in the darkness. So I found that there was usually enough light to use the bike path in the mornings but on the way home, I would stick to sidewalks long busy streets where there were plenty of lights. Even with sticking to well lit routes, a good headlight and a red flashing light for my backpack were a necessity. They helped me see better in darker areas and when I had to resort to streets in my neighborhood, they helped drivers see me. (Although don't assume that drivers are paying attention. On more than one occasion, I had to step off my scooter into the road to avoid a car hitting me. For this reason, on city streets, I scooter against traffic.)
All that said, my scooter doesn't do well in snow and ice. Brookfield plows their sidewalks and bike paths, usually within 24 hours. Milwaukee County does not plow their bike paths. And so I am a little bit more limited in my route, but I still have enough options. Even once they are plowed, melting snow and then freezing temperatures can cause icy patches in low areas and so sometimes I have to get off my scooter and carefully walk across the ice. It helps significantly to have good boots on. A number of years back, I purchased a warm pair of Rockport boots with great support and great traction that I love.
Another considering for winter scootering is staying warm. I have a warm winter jacket, warm boots as I mentioned, a scarf, hat, gloves, and mittens. (I have Raynaud's and so my hands are especially susceptible to the cold. Therefore, I wear fleece lined wool mittens with hand warmers inside, on top of gloves to keep my hands warm enough.) With all of that, I stay plenty warm.
The final consideration for winter scootering is light. The days are shorter and some of my routes, especially the bike path are pitch black in the darkness. So I found that there was usually enough light to use the bike path in the mornings but on the way home, I would stick to sidewalks long busy streets where there were plenty of lights. Even with sticking to well lit routes, a good headlight and a red flashing light for my backpack were a necessity. They helped me see better in darker areas and when I had to resort to streets in my neighborhood, they helped drivers see me. (Although don't assume that drivers are paying attention. On more than one occasion, I had to step off my scooter into the road to avoid a car hitting me. For this reason, on city streets, I scooter against traffic.)
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