April 29, 2006 Austin scooter - ride report

April 29, 2006 Ride Report

"It just doesn't get any better than this," remarked an old friend
years ago as we watched Haley's comet, shivering at 2:00 a.m. atop an
abandoned oil drilling site in the middle of empty west Texas ranch
land. Indeed, it was a rare moment--three close friends; a borrowed
telescope; an amazing night sky; cold, crisp air; and heavenly silence.
No sight or sound of civilization for miles around, yet we couldn't
have felt more connected with everything, at peace, and filled with awe
and joy.

Those doesn't-get-any-better-than-this events are rare, yet my husband
Steve and I had the pleasure of experiencing another such event on
Saturday, April 29, with the Central Texas "I don't give a shift"
monthly scoot tour. Although newbies to the group on scooters with the
minimum recommended engine sizes for a long ride (a Vespa Granturismo
200L and a Piaggio BV200), we were welcomed warmly by the regular group
at Scooter's coffee shop in west Austin.

The ride began with a very technical scoot through the winding hills
and hair-pin turns of Lime Creek Road in west Austin--a fun challenge
and favorite route for two-wheeled enthusiasts. Shortly thereafter, we
were joined by two more riders, Ruth and Frank, bringing the group
count to nine. Ruth was riding her new Ninja 250--a sweet, red
motorcycle that practically screamed, "I was made for Ruth."

We then made our way through the back roads west and north of Austin,
eventually moving east to Georgetown, stopping for lunch and a glimpse
of the Red Poppy Festival. While waiting for our table at the
restaurant, Ben White of Georgetown, Texas visited us on his beautiful,
red "we're not worthy" BMW 1200RT.

OK, so I have a thing for red bikes. Yes, I'm the owner of the red
BV200 in the photos. The restaurant, Dos Salsa, is apparently a popular
place to eat, not just during the local festivals. The food was good
and conversation was lively as we grazed and laughed our way through a
two-hour lunch break.

We lost a few riders after lunch, bringing the group count down to six.
But that didn't stop us from continuing on through beautiful
countryside east of Georgetown. We eventually made our way back long
enough to stop at the Georgetown Suzuki and Yamaha dealershipâ€"a
must-visit for motorcycle enthusiasts and anyone looking for a good
deal on tires. Beautiful bikes! Nathan, seeing you on that Vulcan even
made me think of buying one--and I'm a tough sell for anything other
than a twist-and-go transmission. From there, we returned to the back
roads, flying past fields of cattle and crops, a calf on the loose,
peacocks and peahens, other motorcyclists, and all with the warmth of
the sun on our backs and a brisk wind at all sides. Steve and I are
diligently looking for windshields for the next ride. Thanks for the
ear plugs, Fred.

Then it was time for a quick stop at Salado and an irresistible graze
through the sample trays of relishes, salsas, and butters in the local
coffee shop, followed by a dose of somewhat well-intentioned (I think)
verbal abuse in the parking lot by a truck driver who wasn't fond of
motorcyclists riding anywhere near his truck. Oh, well. Can't please
everyone.

Onward to Granger Lake for our next rest stop, a beautiful view. Tamara
and Fred were brave enough to navigate the boulder-studded hillside on
their way to the shore, but Tamara managed to have a close encounter
with the ground. But if you think her scrapes look bad, you should see
what she did to the boulders!

Just before leaving, Nathan couldn't resist the urge to test-drive
Fred's scooter. Luckily, Robert was able to hop on his fast, Aprilia
Scarabeo 500 and retrieve Nathan. A group of weary riders made their
way back to Austin at nearly 7:00 p.m., close enough to empty for the
smaller scooters to require one more gas stop just before Pflugerville.
But this group leaves no one behind, so we were quickly greeted just
past the gas station for the final few miles home.

Fun, good food, new friends, beautiful scenery, and that almost
Zen-like focus that one experiences while flying through the
countryside on two wheels "yes, in the words of an old friend, it
just doesn't get any better than this." Many thanks to all our new
scooter friends who helped to make the day so special. Steve and I are
already looking forward to next month's ride.

Christine Fish

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christine fish wrote:
~my husband Steve and I had the pleasure of experiencing another such
event on Saturday, April 29, with the Central Texas "I don't give a
shift" monthly scoot tour. Although newbies to the group on scooters
with the minimum recommended engine sizes for a long ride (a Vespa
Granturismo 200L and a Piaggio BV200), we were welcomed warmly by the
regular group at Scooter's coffee shop in west Austin.


christine fish, I read all your trip report, and it was interesting I
snipped to the above, to make a comment.
So, you and your husband ''ride' real scooters, it seems. That's cool.
On that scooter venture, did you all not stop at the world famous
_Lukenback, Tx._and drank a long neck, listen to some good picking and
grinning? if not, you missed a great fun stop. We did about 6 weeks
back, riding in some of the country you mention in your report. Thanks
for posting.