#30DaysofScooting: Morning Scoot

This morning was actually dry for a change, so I got out for about four miles of scooting before work. As I've mentioned previously, Issaquah has an excellent network of trails.

Many of the trees along Gilman Boulevard will bear fruit later in the year.

Today, the trees are in bloom.

The Issaquah Creek wanders through the valley on its way to Lake Sammamish.

The boardwalks along Route 900 make for bumpy scooting.

Heading west along Maple Street.

A muskrat makes his home in the pond beside the Maple Street Building.

A lot of folks rush right by these places. On foot or bike or scooter, you notice more.

This pond is behind the Trader Joe's and it is favored nesting area for a variety of birds.

The Community Garden has a really nifty gate.

I stop for tea at the Issaquah Coffee Company and then head off to work.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScooting: Just the Commute and a Short Evening Scoot

It was raining this morning and I was reading a good book, so I didn't make it out the door for a scoot before work. I did scoot back and forth to work and home for lunch and tonight I got a bit of a scoot in under the glow of the street lamps. I've got a really good little light, the just-released Planet Bike Blaze 2Watt Micro. (I haven't seen the new Blaze lights in stores yet, I got my light via my mysterious connections to the elves who make such things.) I'll do a full review of this light once I've had a chance to check out the battery life and a few other things but my initial impression is that this is a very nice light. It's smaller than the old Blaze lights. This one the size of my old Planet Bike Beamer 3, but bright as heck.

A short day of scooting today and tonight, about half a mile in all.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA

#30DaysofScooting: Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

Today is yet another wet April day and I'm beginning to feel about rain the way Samuel L. Jackson feels about snakes on a plane. I have an idea that maybe I can find a covered parking garage and scoot around there. The Man has other ideas.

I soggily scoot over to the parking area over by the library. The Man has posted a big NO SKATEBOARDING ALLOWED sign. Technically, my scooter is not a skateboard but in my years of small rebellions and run-ins with The Man, I've learned that if you find yourself arguing technicalities, you've already lost.

Deep in the mostly dry but slightly seeping garage is yet another reminder from The Man. I can tell when I'm not wanted, so I scoot over to the Salmon Hatchery.

Dammit, The Man has been here as well! And he's got it in for skateboarders, roller bladers and bicycle riders. The Man seems intent on keeping the wheeled brothers and sisters down.

I walk my scooter through the hatchery grounds and check out the optimistic solar panel. I don't think it is cranking out a whole lot of Watts today.

The Man must have gotten a bulk deal on signs, he's sure posted enough of them. Maybe I'll have better luck elsewhere.

On the path along Newport Way, I set a new personal record: Deepest Puddle Scooted Through. I make it through the puddle with one kick, my wheels parting the water like Moses. Since I'm not Moses, the waters closed in instantly and the water is more than scooter deck deep. My kicking foot stayed high and dry, the foot on the deck, not so much.

Not all the signs in Issaquah are prohibitions. There are lots of signs for our excellent multi-use trail network.

Since we get a lot of rain, we have a lot of wetlands and ponds.

Note the wet parking lot.

I check out the parking garage of the Maple Street Building. It looks nice and dry.

Nice bike parking as well.

But The Man doesn't want any of my type around here. I scoot on.

Maybe the Issaquah Transit Center will be more accommodating...

OK, The Man is into small print here but yeah he's still got it in for skateboards and their ilk.

I guess it's OK for me to scoot along the edge of the building under the overhang.

At least they have bike lockers here. I scoot on over to Tibbets Creek Park.

The creek is pretty high today. Christine and I will come back here sometime when it's sunny for a picnic.

I guess we share the road because The Man is clearly not too keen on sharing a lot of other places.

I don't know if you can read these signs, but they basically prohibit everything. As near as I can tell, they only apply to the tiny bit of green where they are posted.

Despite The Man's best efforts, I still got in about three miles of scooting. And my wet foot finally dried out.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA

#30DaysofScooting: More Damp Scooting

Today was a typical spring day in Issaquah with a good bit of rain and a few bits of sun. Between going early to deposit a check at the credit union, getting a cup of tea and muffin at Panera and scooting back and forth to work and home for lunch I logged about three miles of scooting, most of it on damp streets. I've noticed that I get very good feedback as to how slick the streets are by the feeling I get each time I kick. If my foot slides a bit on the kick stroke, I know to back off on my scooting speed. Caution is key in wet weather but the KickPed's rubber tires do quite well at gripping the road. This doesn't make the KickPed the fastest scooter on the market, but the wide rubber tires add a measure of comfort and safety that make it a very good commuter scooter. I wouldn't dare use any scooter with urethane tires in this damp climate. I tend to be a cautious fellow and I'm doubly cautious in wet conditions.

My friend Mike Kearsley stopped by the shop today and asked "what's new" so of course I had to rave about the scooter. I didn't have any great pictures for today's blog post, so Mike snapped today's scooter photo with his phone. Thanks, Mike!

I get so darn many smiles from people when they see me scooting about. Maybe the sight of a 54 year old man on a scooter is amusing or maybe my own smile is infectious. All I know is that I'm having fun scooting about. Even on the damp days.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA

#30DaysofScooting: Another Soggy Scoot and Something About Shoes

It was windy and rainy this morning. I got out for a quick scoot before work and I did my scoot commute today but it wasn't a super active scooting day. In the photo above the sculpture, known as the Zephyr, is whirling away in the wind.

Since I don't have much to report today in terms of scooter journeys, I'll fill the blog space by talking about my favorite new pair of shoes, Merrell Trail Gloves. The Trail Gloves are one of the minimalist style shoes inspired by the philosophy of less is more in the "barefoot" running movement and the best-selling book Born To Run.

The Trail Gloves have a very flexible Vibram sole and while I'm really not a runner, I got them for walking around and I'd read this article on letskickscoot.com which spoke of the virtues of a flexible shoe for scooting.

After scooting in my stiffer soled Keens and my more flexible Trail Gloves, I can report that more flexible shoe really does translate into faster, more efficient scooting. I've also found I really like the Trail Gloves as a general walking shoe.

Since the Trail Gloves are minimalist, I feel more connected to the ground when I'm walking, more connected to the scooter when I'm scooting and I can flex and push off with my toes better than I can with a stiffer shoe. Also since the Trail Gloves are just plain trimmer all around, they take up less space on the scooter deck, so I have more options in placing my feet.

I still prefer my stiffer soled Keens for bike riding, but for scooting and hiking, these days the Merrells are seeing the most miles.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA

#30DaysofScooting: Soggy Scoot to Sammamish State Park

It was damp and drizzling this morning, but as is often the case here, the rain wasn't heavy, more of a light, intermittent misting. I set out on my scooter for Sammamish State Park. The paths were damp but my tires & shoes are sufficiently grippy handle the conditions with ease.

The park has various signs explaining the history and ecology of the area.

Slugs love the soggy spring weather.

On sunny days, it's a lot more crowded here.

The birds don't mind the damp.

Obviously illiterate or scofflaw birds.

The view north.

I scoot on the paved paths and hike in the places where I can't scoot.

My pals on Twitter identified these birds as Chinese Swan Geese.

I hiked the trails to the north end of the park where they are constructing a new parking area at the boat launch.

I scooted back home along the bumpy sidewalk, happy to see the progress being made on the paving of the rail trail. It looks like they should be done soon,

About five miles of scooting this morning and a couple of miles of hiking.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA

#30DaysofScooting: Wednesday is my Saturday

I work Fridays thru Tuesdays, so Wednesday is my virtual Saturday. Today in the morning I scooted over to the Depot Museum to take part in a city planning/engineering session addressing bike and pedestrian issues in the city. There was a very good turnout of folks and we clustered into working groups around half a dozen tables with maps, identifying bottlenecks, places where things have been done right and places that need improvement and laying the groundwork for the steps we need to take to make it easier for people to get around Issaquah without driving.

Later Christine and I walked around some of the quieter streets in our neighborhood and then this afternoon I rolled out for a nice five miles scoot.

For those of you wondering how I stop the scooter, the rear steel fender flexes down when I press on it with my heel. For sane scooting speeds, it's a pretty good brake. On really steep descents. I walk the scooter rather than melt my heel from the friction of braking!

And for those of you wondering how I keep the scooter fueled, well, that's one of the many advantages of getting around town without burning gas.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah, WA USA