Good turnout for our first meeting of 2012!

On behalf of Dorcie, I collected dues for the season from Joel, Coll, Sheila, Rob, Rochelle, Orin, Bill, Judy — if I missed anyone, please let me know!

Orin revealed the Logo for Hamster Run VII and in true form he has captured the Vegas theme. The design will be posted on our Web site for viewing (click on the ‘Hamster Run’ tab above. —Ed.). We will do a pre-run of T-shirts in the Spring — this will be a HOT T-Shirt to have! An announcement will be sent out soon for pre-orders, stay tuned.

To fit the Vegas theme we are looking for ideas for games for the rally weekend, please forward yours to me so we can get the ball rolling. A Poker Run is already in the works.

We discussed having another winter scooter maintenance class taught by Jason; we will put together a modern Vespa 150cc+ class in February at Fullers’ Garage, date TBA. Jason has tires if you need some, and now’s the time for a tuneup!

Our next meeting will be February 25th.

Tom Smith – Founding member / secretary

Do you like pie? Quiche? Pizza? Do you like riding your scooter?

You’re in luck!

Pi(e) Run happens March 17, 2012, immediately following the Bellingham St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Make a day of it… ride with the group in the parade, then head out for pie, and other things. Details can be found on the Pi(e) Run Facebook page. Invite your scooter-riding friends. Invite yourself! See you there.

Did you know there’s a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Bellingham? It’s true… and this year there are gonna be scooters in it!

Everyone who rides a scooter—vintage, modern, 2-stroke, 4-stroke, electric, whatever—is invited to be part of the group. Membership in a scooter club is NOT required… neither is insurance, and Washington State law specifically waives the requirement to wear a helmet in a parade. Wear your most festive green and come on down!

Stay tuned! Details about meetup times and locations will be posted here once we know them!

Bowling in the New Year!

Orin, Tom S, Todd F, and Dorcie met up at the Sehome Village Starbucks for the SOB ride of the New Year. The weather was a wonderful spring like day for the first day of the year!

Todd led the group on one of the club’s favorite routes up over Yew St. to North Shore to Agate Bay and Y Road.

The group stopped for a warm up (it is winter after all) at The Fork at Agate Bay, a great little bistro restaurant in the sticks.

The group of four then split into two groups as Todd and Dorcie headed home and Orin and Tom S headed to bowling in hopes of meeting up with other scooterists.

Tom S and Orin represented the SOBs at the bowling alley for two games, honing up on their skills for 2012.

Great day for a ride and a great afternoon for bowling.  Too bad there weren’t other scooterists there to partake.  Still lots of “new” in the new year for everyone to get out and ride!

Not visible in the photo: Sheila's antlers were wrapped in flashing lights

Once again, the crew gathered at Jana & Skyler’s for the annual Holiday Party. Thankfully, there were only about five Starbucks scooter mugs in the gift exchange. The club will be helping a needy family this holiday season, a collection among the attendees netting $160, which the club treasury will match. Have a happy holiday season, everyone!

On July 30, (The Saturday of Hamster Run —Ed.) Bellingham Police received reports of three shots fired near the waterfront, followed by the roar of a Vespa scooter driving away. Police spoke to a gang of riders on scooters. (emphasis ours) Police concluded the shots were really backfire.

Have you ever heard the sound a Vespa makes described as a “roar”? After all, Enrico Piaggio famously said “it sounds like a wasp.” And wasps, as far as we know, don’t roar.

During the slow race on the top level of the Parkade, a CoBPD bicycle officer did pay us a brief visit, but left without writing any tickets or collaring any of the participants.

At least CW didn’t refer to peoples’ scooters as MOPEDS…

Saturday was sunny and warm as scooterists gathered at Zuanich Point Park to get their rally packs and nosh on coffee and donuts. There was a light breeze blowing in off Bellingham Bay.

As you can see, a great day for a riding.

Dorcie counted 66 bikes in the parking lot as the call to head out was given. There were lots of folks from Seattle and B.C. in the group.

Tom led the group down Chuckanut Drive and through the valley before turning back toward Lake Samish and the end point in Fairhaven. Lunch was available from the hotdog stand at 12th & Harris, and from the many other restaurants in Bellingham’s historic district.

After lunch, Todd took the group on a long tour of eastern Whatcom and Skagit counties. If you rode a 2-stroke, you probably noticed it was a bit livelier, thanks to the extra oxygen from the lush greenery of the forests and farmlands.

We did have to stop when a group member on a Honda Reflex slipped in some gravel (at a speed estimated by one rider to be about 10 mph). He was not hurt, and after taking a break to catch his breath rejoined the group, which waited at the appropriately named Rally Lane.

The ride ended at Jeff & Mary’s private park, where rally participants feasted on alder-grilled salmon and other delicious accompaniments. The club was particularly fortunate when it came to raffle prizes, generous donations from Vespa Lynnwood accompanied by other prizes, including a new Vespa GT/GTS/LX windscreen donated by someone who bought it and never used it.

Scooter games followed dinner and the raffle, a gymkhana first, followed by the scooter ring toss pictured above. Todd dropped his Stella demonstrating the gymkhana course; Doc (who was resplendent in his Captain Morgan pirate outfit) took a particularly nasty fall crossing the finish line, but came out of it with no more serious injury than a black eye. Kelly from Seattle made a point of reminding other contestants that in neither case were the riders wearing helmets or other protective gear, and strongly suggested people gear up, as she was. They did.

It wasn’t supposed to rain Sunday morning, but it did. Breakfast and coffee were served at Jeff & Mary’s while the movie Pump Up the Volume was showing on the big screen. The out-of-towners were keen to get on the road, so the short ride originally scheduled was scrubbed. But everyone kept talking about the great time they had, and a couple of first-timers said they’d be back next year. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone again.