In 2016, I started a new job which meant a new commute. My previous commute was a 12 minute walk which I enjoyed year-round, in any weather (rain, snow, cold, heat, etc.). I knew my new commute would be quite different but I was determined to find a way to avoid getting in my car and to include some time in nature each day.

Hence, this is where the scooter came into play. So after some research online, I bought a Razor A5 Lux in blue and began playing with it. Fortunately I had a few weeks in between jobs to test it out and pick out my ideal routes.

My commute then included a 1.7 mile scooter ride in the morning through my quiet neighborhood and then down a beautiful bike path full of wild life to where I catch the county bus to work. In the afternoon, I alternated between taking the county bus followed by that same 1.7 scooter ride from the morning or taking the coach bus to the park and ride followed by a 2.5 mile scooter ride on the sidewalk along a busier road. They both had their advantages and I liked the flexibility.

Now you may ask yourself, how much of the year could I really scooter in such a cold weather state? The answer is most of it. The cold didn't stop me. It never has. Snow covered trails would stop me though but fortunately my city plowed the bike paths, so they don't stay snow covered for long. And I don't scooter on wet pavement in the morning as the spray up turns the back of my dress a bit muddy. (In the evenings when I can go home, clean up and change, I don't mind the rain or wet pavement.)

In November of 2018, I moved to a new city, Birmingham, AL in a much warmer climate, where my commute is now 7 blocks. It is amazing to now have a 4 minute commute to work! Such a change from my one-way hour commute in Milwaukee!

Let me tell you how I came up with the name for this blog, "The Scooter Lady". I was downtown Milwaukee afterwork one day riding my scooter. (I don't even remember why I was hanging out downtown that day.) I stopped in the local mall and was carrying my scooter when someone yelled out, "hey there's the scooter lady!" When I told a colleague at work this story, he told me I needed to create a webpage for The Scooter Lady. So without further ado, read on for my experiences commuting by scooter.





Saturday, May 9, 2026

An expansion of my walkable life

After my post last month about reviving this blog, I had plans to reflect on the ways I love my walkable community - my experience grocery shopping, the evenings I put on my shoes and just wander into venues for drinks and dinner, the birdwatching on my commute, the live music I can listen to from my living room when I open the windows, etc.

And then the change I have been waiting for happened faster than I ever could have imagined.  I figured there would be more of a process, a warning, a chance to process before it all happened but that was not meant to be.  I have accepted a job offer in Atlanta and will soon be leaving Birmingham behind.  This is a promotion.  It's a chance for a new start.  I think the distance will push me into the next phase of healing from my divorce.  I am ready.  I am beyond excited.

I've secured an apartment in Midtown.  It backs out onto Piedmont Park and is walking distance from one of my favorite places, the Atlanta Botanical Garden.  I'll have easy access to the MARTA, grocery stores, restaurants, entertainment, etc.  This will be an expansion of my current walkable life.
at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)