5.04.2010

truthful tuesday: meet lucille

say hello to lucille:


we bought lucille in february. you see, stephen and i share a car. by share i mean he drives everyday except saturday and i either ride with him to work or ride my bike when it's nice. so, in preparation of spring and summer we decided it would be fun to buy a scooter for me in order to have a better mode of transportation for cross-town adventures. (note: dallas is the least bike friendly city, with no bike lanes and only one trail) this was the perfect find for me: vintage with lots of character and a unique style.

so why is this on truthful tuesday? well here goes. in the first week that a rode to work, i laid her over right in front of my apartment. it was so embarrassing. i didn't get back on for a few weeks and that was after we took her to the shop and made sure everything was a-ok. (minus a few scratches and bruises) so then i built up my courage and started riding again. one friday i went to meet friends after work and when i was leaving, crashed in front of my friends and many (many!) strangers. as soon as everyone walked away, she ran like a champ.  i am beginning to think lucille does not like me.

now, before you're all "oh it's just a scooter, how easy!" let me just clarify that it's a challenge to drive this particular vespa and learning how to shift with my hands and brake with my foot has been the least of my issues. even stephen notes the difficulty. so there you have it. i'm afraid to get back on. i know it will get easier with practice and time, but after that last incident, i've been especially hesitant.

ok there. i feel better now! so tell me friends, what do you drive or ride? is your city bike friendly? if so, maybe i should move...haha! 

8 comments:

Unknown said...

oh my golly! i never knew a vespa could be so fiesty! Its funny, a few weeks ago Trav and I walked home from downtown, and passed by a favorite brew pub which was just lined with vespas of all shapes and colors! Must have been a vespa party :)

you know you want to move to portland!

i love my vintage baby blue centurion, but trav and i are talking about a bike tour up the olympic peninsula, then ferrying to vancouver, bc. so i am contemplating putting down some cash for a new touring bike..
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/520/520/

i hope your scrapes are healing well! good luck... i am too scared to drive our stick shift car, so i understand your fears. although yours involve physical injury whereas mine concern a crappy clutch!

Connie @ SogniESorrisi said...

I think if I didn't have my car I would feel like I was missing a limb...I guess I'm just used to it now.

Unknown said...

you crashed in front of your friends because your friends were taking pictures. it was mental. you would have rode that baby like a champ had they not been there to watch you. you can do it! i have all faith in you!

Anonymous said...

Oh no! Well first off, great choice on the name. Second, oh no! Well, the fact that you're now blogging about the incidents perhaps suggests that you've accepted them as a bit comical now, something to look back on and laugh? No? Yes? Hopefully?
And Chicago is super bike friendly, not to mention flat as a pancake... thought I don't recommend moving here, I'm not particularly a fan of the city :)

stephiejane said...

alice i would love to come visit you guys in portland so we can show stephen how awesome it is! (though i've never been, i can sense the awesomeness) second, LOVE that bike!! i still need to get the chain fixed on mine, it's still rideable but idk for how long...

gingy, thanks for the support girlie! ;)

and yes melina i'm at a point that i can laugh about it, and i have to agree that the admittance on the blog may be my first step!!

Dawn said...

"Hi, Lucille!"
SOooooo adorable. LOVE it!

E said...

I think Lucille is just trying to establish her awesomeness and control over the relationship the two of you have...like all girls. Maybe you should change the name to Henry so the two of you can get along :)

My Owl Barn said...

Oh, I miss riding on a scooter with my younger sister in India. I can't drive two wheelers but it definitely gets to places faster than a car takes.