#30DaysofScootering: A Morning Ride, the Commute & the Grand Total

Today is the 30th day of my #30Daysof Scootering. While I'll continue to scooter about and probably even blog about it on occasion, I won't be doing the daily posts just about scootering. Those of you who come here for bike information will be happy to know that the blog will return to it's mostly bike-related focus. But I'm not giving up scootering. It's too much fun, it's good exercise and it's a great way to get around in the world.

Today's scooter trips cover 3.2 miles.

I go to my favorite little pond over on Maple Street.

And I fill my hippy bag with a few items from Trader Joe's.

One thing I've noticed in this month of scooter riding is how nice the sidewalk cutouts are. The American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a really terrific thing. And Issaquah has a great network of multi-use paths.

I rode my scooter for a total of 125 miles over the past 30 days. On a few of the wet days, my daily total only added up to half a mile. My single longest day trip was the 18 miles I rode from Seattle to Issaquah. I have some longer trips in the works.

The NYCeWheels KickPed proved itself to be tough, reliable and fun. In the past month the only maintenance I did on the machine was to dribble a bit of TriFlow into the wheel bearings. I love the big, grippy tires on the KickPed and I never fell or slid out on the scooter although the rain-slicked roads and especially the rain-soaked tree blossoms require vigilance.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScootering: Counting My Commute

I didn't go out scootering this morning because the rain was coming down heavy enough to make staying inside seem much more fun. I did scoot off to work and things were a bit clearer mid-day when I scootered home for lunch. But by the time I got off work we'd had a bit of hail here in Issaquah and the rain had returned in earnest. I decided that for today, my commute trips would be my only scooter trips. Commuting counts, even if it only adds up to half a mile.

So, sorry, no pictures of birds, trees, art or flowers today. Today's picture shows my faithful scooter, folded up, warm and dry in my kitchen, waiting for its next adventure.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScootering: Tolstoy Speaks of Scootering

This morning I wait for a break in the weather and get out for a fairly quick scooter trip of three miles. One reaction to the scooter that I've found interesting is the view expressed by some that my chosen mode of travel is somehow unsuited for a man of my years. Today I reread some words spoken by Tolstoy when he, at age 67, was criticized for learning to ride a bicycle. His words sum up the feelings I have awheel, be those wheels attached to a bicycle or a kick scooter.

"I feel that I am entitled to my share of lightheartedness and there is nothing wrong with enjoying one's self simply, like a boy."

Smart fellow, that Tolstoy.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScootering: When Blossoms Drift Like Snowflakes

This morning, before work, I scooter over to the Farmers Market, have a lovely cup of Mexican hot chocolate and explore a bit beside the creek before the day's wind and rain move into town. My scoot home for lunch is damp and quite breezy.

By the time I roll home for the day the rain has stopped. The wind has knocked many of the blossoms from the trees.

The blossoms pile into drifts like snowflakes.

Like snowflakes, these suckers are both sticky and slippery.

It's a beautiful evening in Issaquah.

4.4 miles of scootering today.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScootering: Blue Skies and a Bit of Breakfast

It's another beautiful morning in Issaquah and I do one of my now standard three mile scooter circuits before I go to work. The spring sun is warm and the sky is clear.

The heron is keeping watch at the Maple Street pond.

I stop at Trader Joe's for a bit of breakfast.

I enjoy the banana on a picnic table in the sun near the creek.

It's a good day to roll,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScootering: Another Beautiful Day

It's another beautiful spring day and I get out for both morning and evening scooter trips.

On my morning trip I head south and stop to take yet another yard art picture.

There's a park whose name I don't know being built south of town. Gravel paths lead down to the creek.

The paths aren't scooterable, but I walk around exploring.

The Issaquah-Hobart Road is clogged with traffic in the early morning and by travelling south, I've gained some elevation. When I turn back north, I kick and coast faster than the car commuters coming into town.

In the evening, I roll north to the State Park at Lake Sammamish.

A few families are having picnics and some folks are fishing, but the trails are still mostly empty.

I go home via the big pedestrian bridge over I-90 and stop to check out the Maple Street Pond.

The heron is there.

And so is the big goose.

And my friend the solo mallard.

I scooter on toward home.

Six miles of scooter riding this morning and 5.4 miles this evening.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScootering: Seattle to Issaquah

In my job at the bike shop, I work every weekend and Wednesdays and Thursdays are my virtual weekend. I don't have to go to work today, but I do have an early morning dentist appointment in Seattle. I take the bus from Issaquah to Seattle and I bring my scooter along. On the way from the bus stop to the dentist, I actually meet another scooter commuter at a traffic light. He's on an old K2 scooter and thinks my NYCeWheels KickPed is really nice. At the dentist's office, Dr. Loshin is also very taken with my scooter. His wife, who is filling in for the receptionist today, is more skeptical. "Why would you want one of those?" she wonders. "It's good exercise." "It's super fun." Dr. Loshin both say pretty much the same things at the same time. We make vague plans for him to borrow the scooter at a future date so he can decide if he's going to order one. I should be getting a commission on these things!

It's a beautiful day and my plan is to try my longest scooter trip to date, the 18 miles east to Issaquah. If I get too tired, I can bail out and take the bus from Mercer Island or Bellevue College.

I roll down 5th Avenue and do my usual routine of stopping to take pictures of things too damn often.

The International District is one of my favorite Seattle neighborhoods. Every intersection is a four-way stop, so the cars don't build up any kind of crazy, dangerous speed. It's a good flow for walking, biking and scootering.

This dragon is in a neat little children's pocket park.

I swing by the Bikery's new location. They are closed, but they still love me.

Bikers are always welcome.

These are the hours when you can find the Bikery folks in the shop.

I'm working my way east on the Mountain to Sound Greenway Trail.

There's art embedded in the concrete.

A nice tunnel saves me from having to climb over the ridge.

Various bits of art in the tunnel.

And a history lesson.

The east end of the tunnel.

The observation deck looking out over the floating bridge.

Lots of little green signs.

There's a lane for us non-motorized folks on the north side of the bridge.

It's a clear day, so Mount Rainier is clearly visible to the south,

There are various bits of art along the trail on Mercer Island.

This is the bridge connecting Mercer Island to Bellevue.

The little bridge over the Bellevue Slough.

The route through South Bellevue is going to get better.

I'm quite pleased to find that I'm able to (slowly) scooter up every hill between Seattle and Issaquah. I wasn't sure if I'd wind up walking on some of these.

At 150th, I cross the pedestrian bridge over to the north side of I-90.

I follow the signs and the sidewalks until I rejoin the trail.

The steepest climb of the day is the spiral ramp up to the bridge that takes me across I-90 yet again.

The last miles into Issaquah are a downhill run on Newport Avenue.

Good, wide bike lane.

This little waterfall is totally fake, but pretty.

Closer into Issaquah, I ride in the separated counterflow lane.

The trip didn't feel like any kind of burden or even that much of workout. It was, however, a wonderful day to be out an about. It took me three hours and 20 minutes to ride the 18 miles from Seattle to Issaquah, but I was taking it pretty easy and stopping a lot to take pictures.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA