Ruckus Scooter Love

Ruckus Scooter Love
Scootin' For A Slower Pace of Life...

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

ScooterLess-Ness Stinks!


It seems sometimes that nothing is right with the world, even though God is surely in his or her heaven.

Such it has been with scooterless-ness this spring.

It is the first time since 2009 that I have not ventured out on the back roads as the daffodils burst forth and the greenery starts to be-speckle the road side bushes and trees. At least not on a scooter.


And oh how I miss it!


In 2009 I was laid off along with 5 other clinicians and one RN from a rural mental health center because of Medicaid cuts at the state level. This was during the height of the "Great Recession" in Ohio and it was a really rough time. Like a panicky fool, I put my first scooter, my 2006 Ruckus, up on Craigslist and two guys from Akron bought it within days.


I remember watching their pick-up truck roll down my gravel drive, my Ruckus leaning over in the back, and tears rolling down my cheeks. I almost chased after them, crying "Stop! I can't do this!", but we needed the money just to keep surviving out there in the impoverished Appalachian woods.

And so it left my life and my spring and summer of depression set in.

One day months later I was browsing through Craigslist and saw an older Honda Elite 80 for sale about 3 hours away. And they only wanted $600! I called and asked if they'd hold it for me for a few weeks with a little deposit and they agreed. In October I borrowed a friend's old pick-up and drove the 3 hours to Lancaster, Ohio to pick it up.


It wasn't a bad scooter. A 2001 black Honda Elite 80 in pretty good shape. I put a basket on the back and rode it all over the ridges and valleys out there until it got too cold to tolerate. It was a "crumb to a hungry dog" and it gave me some solace, but funny thing is I did not take a single photo of it. Not one. At least if I did I never found it or remember posting it.

It was like that horrible person you dated after your break-up or divorce. Just not a fit, a "what the heck was I thinking?" sort of experience. I wound up selling it to a guy in the city and I bought my first Honda Elite 110 in April after I finally got a job that previous February.


But nothing was ever the same after that and I swore no matter how poor I got I would NEVER sell my scooter. I would rather be poor and ride than be poor and walk. Life without a scooter was like life without an identity. At least for me. An empty, sad, lost feeling.

A feeling that I've lived with here since February because that promise to myself got broken this past winter because I could not work outside the home due to my partner's illness.

So we pretty much lost everything all over again and I lost both my scooters, both my bikes, and my "get by" job during the Winter of 2015-2016.

But things are getting better. They really are.


She is doing great in rehab and walking and can be alone now enough for me to work again and I have one part-time job at a florist (which I love) and I am interviewing for other part-time jobs.

I have a bicycle on lay-away and I am already planning to do everything I can to get back on a scooter this summer too as soon as I can.


ANY scooter to start. Even that old black Honda Elite 80 if one pops up for under $1000.

I don't care what I am riding, just so I am riding a scooter of some kind again soon.

And after this I will NEVER be scooter-less again no matter how bad things get because let me tell you, "scooterless-ness" stinks!

There are only so many "riding years" left in this old girl and I hope to not waste any of them.




17 comments:

  1. I am glad to hear things are looking up and your partner is doing better and you have a florists job again.

    Fingers crossed a perfect scooter will pop up in your price range soon.

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    1. Thank you! I've also had 3 job interviews in the last week, so I am hopeful for economic recovery on all fronts. It is not easy getting hired today, even with jobs out there that I am fully qualified for.

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  2. Glad to hear that things are starting to look up again for you. With that attitude I expect you'll be back on two (powered) wheels before too long. Good luck.

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    1. Thank you! I have even considered going "Chinese" from a mail-order house in my weakest moments! LOL

      Trying to resist that though!

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  3. The older I get the less I appreciate the boot strap theory of life thrust upon us little people. The harshness of modern life in this country feels like a throwback to a century ago and it doesn't feel much like progress.

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    1. Yea, in this country unless there is a substantial earnings and savings combination, an illness can cost a person everything.

      We are grateful at this point to not be homeless after all this "living on the edge".

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  4. It's funny how something as simple as a machine can make all the difference. It's wonderful to be out and about on a scoot, even if just for a little bit of time.

    I'm glad to hear your partner is doing better. Having had a love one go through that myself I can tell you that it does indeed get better over time.

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  5. Thank you, yes it is something to go through for sure. I am so grateful for the progress made and the prospect of recovering some normalcy in our life.

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  6. Glad to hear that life is on the mend for you and your partner. I understand the craving of getting out and be on two wheels (motorised or not), be able to clear your head from the stuff that life is throwing at you. And I keep my fingers crossed that a new scoot will find you.

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    1. I think one will. In the meantime I have used my 2 legs more and gotten motivated to bicycle again after a "scooter induced" lay-off, so I think when I DO get another scooter I will use it in a different mode than before. Time will bring one my way soon I hope.

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  7. Deb,

    I am glad things are getting better. Its so hard to not have two wheels, for me it is my sanity and therapy. I'm glad your partner is recovering and my wishes of recovery to both of you. If I still had my yamaha vino I would ship it to you! Hang in there scooter diva.

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    1. Oh, I'd take you up on that offer! LOL
      Yea, scootin' is how I always got through. Once I get my hands on another it is not going anywhere! Thank you for the best wishes!

      Delete
  8. Deb a scooter will come your way, but it will be made of wood. Maybe its spirit will entice a real scoot to follow in its path.

    No need to worry, the ScooterBob karma will ensure that there will be zero burden, ScooterBob will pay his own way. The only cost will be writing a few posts.

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    1. I removed myself from the list, but if he wants to come on here and hang with me I will get him out to old scootin' places via the car if need be!

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  9. Finally the nice weather has returned!

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  10. Deb,

    Put yourself back on Scooterbob's list, once a 2 wheeler always a two wheeler! i am sure Bob would be very happy to have you host him!

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  11. Probably should but want to wait until I have a scooter again and can scoot out to places with him for photos.

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