All winterized

Or at least as much as I'm going to be. The scooter has on its winter coat. I'd seen scooters all trussed up when I was in Geneva last spring and thought that it was a good idea but something that they only have in Europe. As it got colder here in DC, The Texan remembered me mentioning this and did some research. Turns out that scooter lap blankets pretty much ARE something that they only have in Europe, but Europe ships to DC. So I've got a windbreaker permanently attached to the front of my scooter that I wear as a lap blanket (imagine one of those lead aprons you wear during x-rays. kind of like that) to cut down on the wind. It does a surprisingly good job at that.

And we've got mitts permanently installed on the handlebars, again to cut down on the wind. I was a bit worried about them hampering my driving but as long as I can honk my horn, flick on the turn signals, and brake as needed, I'm all good, and it doesn't impede with that.

Dorky? Perhaps. But it still allows me to ride the scooter now that it's in the 30s in the morning, so I'm not complaining.* I don't think I'll ride in the snow, but I've already driven during downpours and as long as the ground isn't too slick (oh how I am knocking wood as I type this**), I'm good.

* Except for this morning, where I got up and drove all the way down to Fort McNair for a conference that, as it turns out, is being held tomorrow. Then the cold kind of got to me, particularly because it was so chilly that the frost had iced over on my scooter's seat. It was more me being bitter that I was up so early, period, than anything else.

** The most serious scooter-related accident I've had to date was completely unrelated to riding my scooter. I'd run to the dry-cleaners to pick up some laundry and had left my helmet on for the transaction. What? Shut up, it's such an ordeal to have to take off my sunglasses, take off my helmet, and straighten up my hair when I'm just going to have to reverse the process in two minutes. Anyways, so I walk out of the dry-cleaners, loaded down with freshly-pressed suits, and I have my helmet on. Just outside the store is a single, solitary step, which I could not see, as my helmet really cuts down on my peripheral vision. Down I went and I scraped the HELL out of my left shin and knee. The owner of the store, bless her heart, came running out to see if I was okay. I told her I was but she insisted on giving me a hug, and I let her, because DAMMIT that hurt. I came home and told the Texan that I'd fallen. As he was sucking in air in horror, I hurried to add, "Uh, I wasn't on the scooter at the time." Let me tell you, nothing makes you feel more....special, than falling down while walking around and wearing a helmet.