All posts filed under: Scooter Scene

Viva Lam-bretta!

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I feel thoroughly spoiled after my trip to Las Vegas. It was my first time visiting this truly bonkers bizarre city and, to be completely honest I had fully expected to chalk it up to experience and cross it off my ‘to do’ list. Instead, we already have plans to return next year! On the advice of friends we booked into the five-star Wynn. I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting but nothing can really prepare you for the Wynn (or Vegas generally for that matter!). As soon as we stepped inside we were bombarded with a sensory overload; an indoor garden, complete with trees and floral sculptures. And, that was just the entrance! In fact the hotel is, quite literally festooned with floral sculptures by the artist Preston Bailey, including a large air balloon sculpture and working carousel. After travelling for a day, and being awake for almost 24 hours we checked into a room, with a footprint greater than our own home and decided to head straight out to take a look around. The first thing that hits you when …

Icons & Influencers: Serena Chamberlain

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When was the last time you joined a gang? Ok, maybe not a gang but a club or team? A well established one? It’s a bit daunting isn’t it? You hope you’re going to be welcomed on arrival; you torment yourself with the thought What if no one speaks to me? and ask yourself Why, exactly am I doing this? Well, Serena is the main reason my first scooter meet was the best possible experience it could’ve been. Last year, having just gained my motorbike license and, finally being able to ride my scooter (Beryl’s engine is too big for a CBT), George and I went on our first scooter meet. One sunny Sunday afternoon we headed north and rode a whole 4.3 miles up the road to Sturdy’s Castle in Kidlington. This wasn’t just my first scooter meet, it was my first time riding two wheels on a proper road, with other road users and everything! My first rookie mistake: I dressed to impress rather than appropriately and for safety; I haven’t made that mistake again! By the …

Choke On My Two-Stroke (this Female Scooterist shifts gear)

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As every new scooterists knows there are some key milestones in the scooting experience and I enjoyed a major one this weekend.  I don’t want to be a drama queen about the whole experience but I do think it’s far more difficult to learn something new the older you are, particularly something physical and riding a scooter is fairly physical; handlebar gears are counterintuitive to everything I have ever known in adulthood. It’s also harder on the ego! By mid-life you’re probably an expert in almost everything you do so, suddenly being a beginner/novice takes some psychological effort on my part. I do so love being the expert …and, I do so hate being the newbie. Also, and I may have mentioned this before, I’ve discovered a phobia of travelling on two wheels; preferring instead, the protection of a big metal shell with ABS and lovely big old airbags! Anyway, I digress: This weekend was a major milestone in my scooting experience. We joined the ride-out to Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire and, firstly I couldn’t help …

Beryl’s New Clothes

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I am so delighted with Beryl’s new vinyl that I am unashamedly giving her her own Lookbook feature. Beryl the Yellow Peril, to give her her full name, was already a good-looking Li Series 2, with a Series 1 headset and horncast but, the addition of the new vinyl set has made her a bit of a show stopper …but, of course I am biased. BEFORE… It has been a bit of a journey getting here. I had originally planned to have her upholstered in yellow leather hide but, ended up falling out with the upholsterer (the same company that previously upholstered and recovered Lammy; George’s Li Series 2). My request to bring the whole lot in under £400 was enthusiastically agreed; Oh my god *laughs* of course it will come in well under that price; only to receive a text, some time later that said “the hide has arrived!!! £650 all in!”. We fell out, when the owner tried to argue that £650 was nowhere near 60% more than £400 and, even if it was (it is), …

Celebrate Everything

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Reward and recognition are important values but, how often do we celebrate our own successes?  ‘Celebrate Everything’ has been an important motto of mine for some time now.  I forget what triggered it, maybe when I was in the midst of my Coaching & Mentoring Post Grad at Oxford Brookes: “How are you going to celebrate that?” sounds like a typical coaching question.  Whilst the moment itself isn’t memorable it was hugely significant because, the moment you decide to celebrate your own success you change the game.  It is transformational. In my real-world job (not Coaching & Mentoring, that’s an extra-curricular activity) I work very closely with colleagues based in the US.  In fact my boss and team are based there and the global nature of my role means I have first-hand experience of how diverse the two cultures are and, how they influence each other – for those of you witnessing the American invasion into our language and culture I assure you it works both ways!  One of the ways in which we differ …

Too Far South: Mods Adrift on the Isle of Wight

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We’re suffering from Bank Holiday Blues in the Mod Closet this week.  Having planned, talked about and counted down the months, weeks, days and sleeps to the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally – and, by planned I mean bought me a scooter; customised two scooters and endured nine motorcycle tests between us (one of us had to take the Mod1 twice) – we’re feeling a little deflated now that it’s all over. You may be questioning why a couple of Mods didn’t attend the Brighton Mod weekender. Brighton was our original plan but when we struggled to find a hotel with suitable parking we decided on the Isle of Wight instead.  In the weeks leading up to the Mod-milestone weekend we began to wonder if we’d made a terrible mistake. I appreciate that this may not sound like the biggest decision in one’s life but I do struggle with simple decisions.  Major decisions like, the sale of my house (yes), where to live (back in Oxford), where to get married (New York); should we invoke …

Overdressed and Out West: Weston Super Mare Scooter Rally 2014

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QUESTION: What’s the difference between a Scooter Rally and a Mod Weekender?  Answer: At a Mod Weekender no one looks you up and down and asks “What the bloody hell have you come for, a wedding?” You might be able to tell that this was my first, full-blown Scooter Rally and, while I was expecting a certain amount of casual (it’s largely a camping venue and temperatures soared to the high twenties) I wasn’t expecting a sea of three-quarter length camouflage and band t-shirts.  Boy those scooterists are a sensible bunch!  And, boy was I naïve.  They are sensible, it seems until it comes to throwing themselves around town on their scooters in shorts and t-shirts!  I’m also a newly qualified scooter girl (if that isn’t obvious) who is still reeling from hanging on to a 600cc machine around the streets of Banbury for my motorcycle license and, as such I’m reluctant to let go of the armour plating.  I did try a lighter look for my four-mile mini-ride to Sturdy’s Castle in June and …

Moda Mod Event and Double Diamond Scooter Rally

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This Rebel Mod is feeling exhausted after a jam-packed weekend. George and I headed over to the Double Diamond Scooter Club rally on Friday night.  It was a bit quiet (early doors) but we did manage to catch the first band on; The Haze, a young band from Princes Risborough before heading back before the weather hit. The challenge of being the first band on the first night of a two night festival is the limited audience, many of whom were still enjoying camp life away from the performance area. However, even with a man down their performance was spot on; the maturity of the performance belying their young age. I can’t help thinking they won’t be the opening act for long! We had planned to scoot over for the day on Saturday but the weather had us beating a retreat and we opted for a quiet one in town (Oxford) instead; the benefit being I could enjoy a couple of (large) glasses of wine.  The photos and posts on social media would indicate that …