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Howard

This was my fourth year participating in the Tucson-Nogales Fall Classic. It is the rally’s 24th year. I had a belt brake on the ride to Nogales last year and missed getting any decent pics or videos. This year the Iron Buddy ran great, allowing me to get some decent shots.

Enjoy the video. If you’ve never been part of “the Classic” before, I hope you come on out on 2012. To everyone else: See Ya Next Year!

Howard

12/7/11

The second week of November marked the third full year of the existence of the Sky Island Rider Scooter Club. We’ve come a long way in those 3 years since 6 or 7 of us met in Fronimos. This is my first attempt at writing a state of the club, so I’ll just kind of sum up where we are now as well as a few highlights from 2011. I’ll finish with a few goals for 2012.

MEMBERS

I am asked, fairly often, how many “members” we have. Since we don’t have membership, per se, this is a fairly difficult difficult question to answer. What I can do is say how many people “follow” us in our various different internet manifestations:

tucsonscooters – (309 members)This yahoo group originated with Las Scooterachas Scooter Club in 2004. When a few of us started riding together in 2008 it was the only local site for scooters, but traffic on it had almost ceased and it was disorganized. This group helped us organizes rides and get togethers. It became quite busy as a new group of riders started communicating there. I still send the info on all of our rides to the group even though traffic there has virtually ceased. New riders still find us through that group, so we will continue to post rides there for the foreseeable future. There are 309 members on the Yahoo group, but this group is never edited or purged.

skyislandriders.com – (140 members) When the club officially adopted a name, we decided to start a dedicated website and this is what we created. As of this writing, there are 140 members of the homepage. There are 82 of those 140 who have gone further and have registered on the forum. I have no idea how many of this 140 people are duplicate folks from the Yahoo! Group. Traffic on the forum portion of the site has almost ceased, like the Yahoo group.

Where the forum traffic is decreasing, the traffic for the home page itself is steadily increasing. The Riding SoAZ series generated a lot of traffic. We are currently averaging about 60 unique visitors/day.

Facebook – (114 members) I am not exactly sure when Paul Tumarkin started the Facebook version of the club. I think it was near the end of 2009. This is where most of the day to day traffic for the club has moved. Again, a certain amount of the 114 people here are duplicated, or even triplicated from the previous two groups, but many aren’t. However, there are also other scooter clubs and scooter oriented businesses included in the 114.

Google+ – (2 members) We started a circle here toward the end of November. I don’t know if this area will “take off” or not.

RALLIES

We have held two rallies. Our last rally (For A Few CC’s More) was held in May, 2011. Approximately 35 riders showed for at least one of the events we had over the 3 day rally. 27 local businesses supported the rally in one way or another. More importantly, we raised $545 for our charity of choice, Ben’s Bells.

Planning for 2012′s rally will be starting soon and it would be great to have more people involved. We all bring our own set of strengths to the table. What are you good at?

RIDES/EVENTS

2011 was a banner year for us in terms of the number of events in which we were involved. So far, we have been part of 18 rides or events. This does not include any of the 7 rides which occurred during the rally. It also doesn’t include the New year’s Day ride for which I was the only attendee. We have at least 3 more rides/events for this year. To give you a frame of reference, there were only 10 rides/events in 2010 and 13 in 2009.

One issue that has been “note worthy” is that ride attendance appears to be on the decline. We keep no official count but a quick review of photos from all the rides looks like we are usually having fewer scooters on our rides. Some of us have discussed the matter and can’t really think of a reason. We haven’t had people complain about the rides and say they wouldn’t be back. We have new riders at virtually every event, but, sadly, most don’t come back.

That being said, we have had some great rides. I think the Donut Tasting ride may have been the most popular. Look for some variation of that next year. El Scoot de Tucson also went very well.

CLASSES

On 8/21, we gave a class to teach people how to change their own oil. This class was well received and there appears to be plenty of interest for more classes.

PLANS for 2012

I sent out a post a while back asking for input for events for next year. I didn’t get too many responses, but the idea that generated the most input was a Scavenger Hunt. We be looking at doing one.

Another idea on the table is a Poker Run. If you’ve never done one, it’s pretty simple. You ride several places, usually at your own pace. At each location you pick up a card, or a chit. Everyone meets at the end. Prizes are awarded for the best hand, worst hand, etc. The motorcycle community has been doing these for many years.

Rally – As mentioned earlier, we will begin planning for the 2012 rally soon. We are hoping that the 3^rd year will “be a charm.” We would really like to see participation from other scooter clubs in the region.

Another thing we are looking at trying, is a social meet-up. This may or may not include a ride. We have the first weekend of the month reserved for the ROTM. We are thinking of making the 3^rd Wednesday evening of the month a social event. We are trying to find a steady location at which to meet. We hope to start this in January.

Classes – We plan on holding another oil change class soon. Additionally, we have tenative plans for more, but different, classes. Like classes anywhere, there will be fees for these.

I am sure I am missing some things, but we have big plans for this coming year. We always appreciate input from anyone. If you have ideas on how we can do what we do and make it better, please contact me. Do you have contacts in the business word and know people who might be interested in sponsoring an event, email me.

I look forward to each and every event and ride. See you soon.

Howard

I admire my scootering friends who live in the mid-west or further north and are still riding, even in cold temps. This blog post is NOT for you. The definition of cold is a bit different for those of us who live in southern Arizona and I am writing this specifically for those who grab jackets or coats when the temperatures drop into the 60′s or below.

Temperatures in Arizona are not always warm and balmy. Just this week we have had low temps in the high 20′s. That, my friends, is cold, no matter who you are. The big difference here is that most of us not only don’t own cold weather riding gear, it is very difficult to find in stores here because there isn’t much of a demand.

TORSO

So, what is a determined scooterist to do if he/she doesn’t: a) have the money to buy cold weather gear, or b) doesn’t want to spend the money on something that they will get relatively little use out of? Well, I’m going to give some suggestions. I have been riding year round for 3 and half years now, in all kinds of weather. I am cheap by nature and haven’t wanted to spend big bucks on cold weather gear. If you are on a budget and want to ride this winter, I hope to give you some suggestions that will help.

Cool in summer. It has reflective piping and removable pads.

One thing I didn’t skimp on was a riding jacket. When I bought the scooter, I bought a helmet and a textile riding jacket. I am not going to preach to you about how important it is to wear to wear the proper safety gear. That is a personal decision. My recommendation though, is to go out and get you an actual riding jacket. Leather or textile, expensive or bargain, stylish or not, just get something that will protect you if, God forbid, you end up on the pavement when you’re riding. The jacket, however, is the foundation for my cold weather ensemble.

It's thin but effective for mild temps.

I wear this jacket year round. Because it has all of the “holes” in it, it breathes great and is great for summer. I really like the fact that it has reflective piping for better visibility. I wear just the jacket until temps dip to the low 70′s. At this point, I put in the liner that came with the jacket. I don’t know if you can tell from the pic, but it isn’t very thick. It zips in and keeps me comfortable to the mid-60′s.

Because the jacket breathes so well, I needed something to keep the colder air out of the jacket. Once temps are in the 50′s, I need more than just the liner. I went to one of my favorite places, a thrift store, and found this:

Extremely effective. This allowed me to comfortably ride in temps down to about 40 degrees.

It is a lined wind breaker. I think it cost me $7 or $8. It, unfortunately, does not have reflective tape or piping on it. I went to Harbor Freight and bought this reflective, hi-vz vest for $2.99. Please note that this jacket has a high collar. It is important to keep as much cold air out as possible This combination has gotten me through all but a handful or rides. I have found that it works for me until temps are in the 30′s.

It is most important to keep your core, i.e. you upper body, warm. If you can keep your torso from getting cold, you will be fine. Cold legs, arms and/or feet are a nuisance, but they won’t stop your ride. Cold hands are different, but I’m getting to that.

When temperatures fall into the 30′s, I add one more layer:

The hood won't fit under a helmet, but the sweatshirt lets me ride in temps into the high 20's.

Sweatshirts of all shapes sizes, colors and designs can be found in any thrift store for prices as low as $.99. I have ridden in temps down to the mid 20′s with this combo and had no ill effects.

LEGS

Everyone knows that layering is the key to staying warm. This is the way I do it. I have found that the scooter provides enough protection that my feet have never gotten cold. My legs do, however, get uncomfortable at colder temps.

Purchased at a thrift store, these ski pants even have reflective tape.

By colder, I mean that I don’t generally worry about additional leg protection until temps are in the 30′s. Even then, I don’t worry about it unless I am plan on being out more than 45 minutes or so. Thrift store to the rescue again! I bought these “ski pants” for $8-10. Thrift stores around Tucson always seem to have plenty or these in stock. They are nice because they are lined and have zippered bottom so that they are easy to get off once it warms up or when you get to your destination.

HANDS

Probably the hardest body part to keep warm is your hands. Most of here ride smaller scooters. Therefor, we don’t have the luxury of electric hand-grip or powered riding suits. Our scooters just don’t generate enough extra power. We have to do it the old fashioned way.

The first 3 winters, I used the gloves I was issued when I was in the Army:

The shell and wool insert combo worked pretty darned well.

These are frequently available at Surplus stores like Millers. They have a leather “shell” with wool inserts. Wool is a great insulator. These are pretty inexpensive. I don’t know how much the shells are, but I recently paid $3.99 for a new pair of inserts.

I got these nice, Tour Master “Cold-Tex”gauntlets when a friend sold his motorcycle:

Cold weather protection plus additional armor on the tops of your hands.

I have been been wearing them this year and they are very nice. A quick Google search reveals that gloves like this will set you back $35 to $60 depending on store, sales and which model you buy. I recommend them if you’ve got the dough to get them.

Another thing that works well is keep the wind off of your hands in the first place. I don’t use them but one common item used by riders in colder climes is called “Hippo Hands.”

These can frequently be seen on snowmobiles, er, in places other than southern AZ.

I seriously doubt that anyone in Tucson carries them, but they can be purchased on-line easily enough. I’ve heard that you can wear thin, summer weight gloves in the coldest temperatures with these muffs attached to your bike. If you have craft skills, I’ve seen patterns on-line, to make them out of insulated lunch bags. As you can see by the pic, they aren’t just for scooters.

Scoot Over carries, or has carried, hand guards that will fit the Genuine Buddy.

These come in a variety of colors as well. Simple, yet effective.

Hand guards block a lot of the wind from hitting your hands in the first place, thus helping you keep your hands warmer, longer. I don’t remember how much they were at Scoot Over, but somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 plus more if you need them to install them. I don’t have these, but have considered them.

NECK

Keeping your neck warm is important too. Your carotid arteries run very close to the surface and if your neck get too cold, it can cause your core temperature to drop quite a bit. My lined windbreaker gives me quite a bit of protection but sometimes I need a bit more. If inexpensive is what you need try a scarf:

Like ski pants, they can be picked up at most any thrift store for pocket change. They work great at protecting the old carotids.

I lost it, but another thing that has worked well for me was a neck gaiter:

There are a lot of variations to neck gaiters. One of the most versatile pieces of neck ware is called the BUFF. They range in cost from about $10 to about $40. Most not only protect your neck, they can be pulled up around your ears, nose and mouth as well. This is especially handy if you don’t use a full face helmet.

MISC

There are a lot of other items that you can use to increase your comfort during cold weather. I don’t have any of these, but I do know of people who have used them:

Lap Aprons. Kind of goofy looking IMO, but extremely effective

The Lap Apron or “scooter skirt.” These are not cheap. They are, however, very good at keeping you warm. Corazzo, a well known maker of scooter and cycling accessories makes some complete with reflective piping and pockets.

Starting under $10. These come in hundreds of designs.

Then there’s the neoprene face mask. I got one of these once (although mine wasn’t nearly so stylish as the one above) but couldn’t wear it because my head is too big. These are another item that is especially useful is you don’t have a FF helmet. They simplyact as a windbreak for your face.

This entry is not intended as a complete source for cold weather riding gear. It is simply a list of some things that have worked for me. Again, I know that people who live in colder areas really require serious gear or risk serious injury. Please, ride safely and gear up. Spend as little time as possible exposed to cold temps.

Howard

Thank for for reading the posts about our trip to Phoenix for the Great Southwest Scooter Fiesta III. I took many of the pics I used in the posts and added a few more and made a You Tube video.

Enjoy,

Howard

Happy scooterin' to you, Happy scooterin' to you....

According to the archives of the official history of the Sky Island Riders, we were “born” on 11/9/2008. Today is our 3rd anniversary as a club. Congratulations to one and all. Many thanks to all who support the club with your time and with you scooters. We are nothing without you. I hope to post a “State of the Club” address soon, which will look back at the past and look forward to our plans for 2012.

Thank you everyone

Howard