Scooter vs. Champ
I propose swapping Champ for the Scooter.
1) My scooter is worth $1,500. After 3000 miles it will be either destroyed or worth $100. I already have too much $ into this event to lose another $1,000.
2) Scooter’s max range is 60 miles, which means we need to carry gas. Not fun or safe.
3) I dont like liability of people that have no scooter riding experience driving on country roads in the middle of the night for 150-180 miles a day with a 49cc scooter fully loaded with gas, water, gatorade, protein shakes, bananas, steaks, and spare bicycle parts.
4) Champ is a great back up when Betsy blows a gasket. We leave Betsy in a ditch and we carry on without any delay.
5) Champ is fully depreciated. By fully depreciated i mean its worth about $200 max and gets about same gas mileage as scooter.
6) I cant get my bike rack off Champ. So it will be best to carry support team bikes on Champ instead of bus.
7) Support team will want a nimble vehicle for their daily explorations. For example, the first day they will spend at a bunch of natural springs in central FL, i dont want them to have to drive Betsy (she’s clumsy, taxing, and expensive).
Scooter WILL break down. Its meant for 1-2 mile trips around town. Not 3159 miles in 3 weeks. If scooter is in bus its incredibly uncomfortable (especially with 4 people and full of our other stuff). People will have to be strapped to the roof.
9) I’m ok letting the support team (i.e. Beth) paint Champ any way she likes.
I’m willing to donate Champ to this cause, provided, however, that someone volunteers to drive it back to FL at some point. Its my only 4 wheeled transportation, i’ve had it for more than 10 years, and do not want to leave it in Cali. I’ll pay for gas.
Mark
Will it really be worth that little? Thats too bad… I was thinking the scooter would be a highlight of the trip…
Everything that you just said makes perfect logical sense.
I believe Betty has a hitch… Right? John’s bike rack will fit in a hitch. We can use his on Betty, so we wouldn’t need Champs bike rack anyway.
I agree that Betty is not easy to drive around in city locations. Its very easy and fun to drive on the highway. I LOVE the feeling of driving betty down the road. I don’t expect that we are hitting many busy cities with the exception of San Diego?…?
If Beth is to modify champ, we need her down there early next week! We need to involve Steve and Colin in these conversations pronto…
Mark, what makes you confident the scooter will break?
Comment by admin — August 22, 2007 @ 6:15 am
Betsy has ball hitch, not receiver hitch. and no, you cannot put a receiver hitch onto betsy.
scooter breaks just getting around tampa. its made of plastic. Its cheap, chinese junk. It definitely will not make it without needing repair / spare parts. Its no Vespa.
Champ can be painted anytime during the trip, no need for Beth to get down here early.
Comment by admin — August 22, 2007 @ 6:31 am
I’m a little disappointed, but just as relieved. As much fun as it seems, imagine being on that damn thing for several hours a day and wanting to “drop” it off a bridge so you can just get in the bus. I think we should definitely bring Champ along though, both for the purpose of a smaller multipurpose vehicle and for splitting up the support team when certain members inevitably get sick of each other.
Comment by Andrew — August 22, 2007 @ 8:57 am
Edit: that’s not a personal jab. I don’t even know two of the other members yet. But people will get sick of each other.
Comment by Andrew — August 22, 2007 @ 9:57 am
first of all hello to all…I’m Hilary COlin King the first and I am pretty damn excited about this trip although I have been out of the loop a little. Ummm..I wish I knew about the car earlier, I would have driven it back and still might, although I dont think I bought insurance on my plane ticket. Something I will look into. Steven is probably down to drive it back b/c he does not have any obligations until the end of October, I believe. Anyway, Its something I will look into…Otherwise, is there anything else I should do to prepare? THings I need to bring? Laptop? Steven mentioned something about needing one. Uhh yeah. My number is 5407932262 if anything is needed.
COlin
Comment by Colin — August 22, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
This is Steven. I can commit to driving the car back. I need to know where to take it back to and do you have to have it back by a certain date? I was planning on a leisurely ride back.
Comment by Priscilla — August 25, 2007 @ 1:15 pm