Spring Scoot 21

So last year due to work I had to skip Twist and Play's Spring Scoot 20. I know I missed out on wee bit of fun, so I made sure to get the time off I needed to years well ahead of schedule so I could make #21. I even spent the previous weekend re-registering my Vespa 180 and doing a boat load of maintenance on it. One of the things I discovered was that it appeared my carburetor had become warped as the slide would stay open every time I kicked over the scooter and gave it a wee bit of gas. Ugh, Paddy to the rescue with a newly used carb days before I left. Disaster avoided. Anyway, the drive up to Portand was nice (see earlier post about Crater Lake) fun as a whole and I arrived Thursday night. Friday I spent with family, but as precaution I unloaded the Rally and stored on the side porch. Later on I wanted to make sure the carb wasn't going to have any additional problems I tried firing up the scooter. On the second kick the kickstart didn't return. Ugh. After looking into it I had partially stripped the kickstart lever and without another leaver I wasn't sure if I had bent the kick start quadrant. Ugh. This meant that would have to spend the weekend bump starting my scooter everywhere I rode. Great, this weekend looking great. Ugh. Anyway I bump started teh scooter and no problems with gas flow or the carburetor. I also double checked tire pressure since the rents had a bike pump, so come 7:30ish I was good to ride from SE Portland over to Club 21 and get started with my weekend plans and after a bump start I was on my way.

The initial ride across town was fairly easy and uneventful. Pulling into Club 21's parking lot I was somewhat surprised the very large turn out, espcially as it was lightly raining and Portland was expecting even more rain. Bravo, I for one tend avoid the rain and riding, especially for really long rides, but the night's rides were set to be in town and I was fine with that. I parked and killed the engine and headed into the bar, where I immediately ran into most everyone I knew from Sacramento. After about an hour were off across east portland to another location was the rain began to fall. The ride itself took nearly no deturs so we all arrived at new bar and we all made a bee line to the bar. Much of the rest of the night was spent here, but after about 1/2 the folks headed home, a number of us headed off to Sassy's for another Portland adventure in strips clubs. While I made my way over with the main group, I didn't stay that long. While I always enjoy Portland strip clubs with other scooterists, I'm also old and by 1am I was starting to feel tired and shagged out. So I headed back to the family compound, which wasn't that far from this place.

Saturday morning the meet up was up in Kenton hood of Portland. Oddly enough the day started off with a bit of sunshine and as such the amount of scooters present was actually quite large. Breakfast was was quick, so their was oddly enough a lot of socializing sent to the streets. I for one ran into quite a number of folks I hadn't seen in years or since I left Portland for the Bay area. By noon though everyone was ready to get on the road again hitting up much of what Portland has to offer in the way of strip clubs and motorcycle businesses with the ride ending up at Yur's out in East portland for a BBQ. Unfortunately for me, I had to head back home before the BBQ so I could get my eyes/glasses taken care of (it's a long story). So I missed this part of the weekends festivities.

So after having to wait an extra hour to see my eye doctor I made it home and prep'd for the evening activities. While the day had been rather dry, by the evening it was wet again, so the ride over to west portland was wet, but fine for me. I think that the only negative thing was having my gloves soak threw and having slightly cold fingers. Although I left kind of on the late side, I was one of the first to arrive. So a little dinner was in order and drinking began. After an hour or so most of the nights riders had arrived and first of the three bands got started behind a pool table. The rest of the evening was a rather unfocues for me as I had a bit to drink. Either way I had long ride home dodging dipshits in downtown Portland.

Sunday morning was quick trip up to NE Portland for another brunch, which was quick for me. This was followed by undrunken Soupcan working the audience for the raffle, which was mildly amusing, but if it had a been a drunken Soupcan, it would have been . . . umm . . . something more? I for one was happy to spend teh rest of the morning socializing and shooting photos out front. That's just the way I roll. Anyway I'd already done the falls ride a few times on the past so I headed back home after the ride out. Lunch was with the rents and by late afternoon I had loaded the Element and was heading off to Edgefield for the next day's worth of festivities. Of course, what goes on the Edgefield stays at the Edgefield. Oddly enough this was the first year in many years someone wasn't kicked out.

Anyway, I spent the better part of the weekend taking way too many photos, you can find them at here