“Is it electric, or is it a hybrid?” (Orin O’Neill photo)

Since I’ve been in Portland, I find something else I miss about Seattle is Bartell Drugs. Bartell’s was where I kept my prescriptions, and not only were they numerous in the Seattle area, they had lots of stuff I needed. And the one in lower Queen Anne (sorry, I won’t call it “Uptown”) was open 24/7.

In Portland, there’s only Walgreen’s and Rite-Aid, though there are lots of stand-alone mom & pop pharmacies. I suppose Bartell’s is actually not all that different from the national chains, but it is local, and it stands as a reminder of Seattle before its headlong rush to become Anywhere, USA. I fully expect one day to read of Bartell’s acquisition by, I dunno, CVS or some other chain looking for an instant presence in Seattle. I won’t like it, however.

I had to cross paths with Pablo & The Wave, but it was well in advance of the rendezvous time, so I thought I’d stop at the Walgreen’s/New Seasons Market on 33rd to kill some time. The stores share a parking lot, so I could go to one, then the other.

Walgreen’s first. Wandering the aisles, I am reminded of the major differencce between Walgreen’s and Bartell’s.

Bartell’s usually doesn’t sell stuff that makes you cringe (well, except during the Xmas season). OTOH, this item would probably sell well in the fetishized dog capital of the universe.

I had to flee Walgreen’s, lest I succumb to the urge to grab a shopping cart and fill it with dog Snuggies®, store-brand grape soda and $19.95 video MP3 players.

New Seasons Market is Portland’s functional equivalent of Seattle’s PCC. While the look and feel is similar (parking lots in both cases are filled with Priuses, Elements and Outbacks), New Seasons is a private business instead of a co-op. You can especially tell in the cereal aisle.

After all, customers of stores like this fit a rather narrow demographic.

There was a big crowd around the cooking area. Of course! They were handing out samples of Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cauliflower au gratin, cranberry sauce, green beans, and a pomegranate punch were all on offer, and the crowd was big enough to pass through a few times (and I wasn’t the only one!). So much for lunch.

I didn’t need anything, so I went to the seating area (marked by a big sign that says “Seating”) to take some weight off the foot…

The other day I had lunch with Dan Bateman, aka Irondad, the author of Musings of an Intrepid Commuter. He lives just down I-5 a ways, in Albany, Oregon. If you’re not familiar with the backstory, Dan is an instructor with Team Oregon motorcycle training, and in a previous life was a police officer.

Like me, he’s about motorized 2-wheelers as simply a transportation choice among many. You can read his post about lunch at the local Applebee’s here. I enjoyed meeting you too, Dan, and am especially glad to now be able to put a face with a name…

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File under: pictures of my feet (Orin O’Neill photos)

The sun was shining through the branches in the bedroom. Where is that other shoe, I asked no one in particular.

I had an appointment to have the sutures removed from the partial foot on Friday, but the appointment got canceled due to lack of staff. It would’ve been nice to know this before going to the VA Medical Center at oh-dark-thirty, but nobody thought to call me. “That’s been happening a lot,” said the receptionist.

I was told this meant the foot’s healed. I’ll take their word for it. I want to get on with my life. I want to go for a ride on the GTS.

There’s the other shoe, way under the bed. It goes on fairly easily, and the fit is snug enough not to require stuffing the toe. Not too snug, but enough to make those first few baby steps easy.

I grab the keys and head for the driveway. First order of business is to check tire pressures. Both tires are down, but not alarmingly so according to the tire gauge. About what you’d expect for a vehicle that has sat for a month.

Tires at 26 (front) and 29 (rear) psi, the next order of business is to fire it up. I’m more nervous about this, but I didn’t need to be; the engine starts on the first hit, and while a bit phlegmy, idles just fine.

Pushing off the center stand, I have no trouble holding the GTS up, or scuttling it backwards. Good, good, I think. The bigger issue would be the clumps of wet leaves on the pavement, gimpy foot or not.

I’m off. It’s funny, the slight unfamiliarity not unlike what I experienced on foot taking a wheeled form as I head for Halsey.

The GTS is running well enough that my plan to do laps around the block so as not to have far to push seems unnecessary. Off to the Hollywood District, I say!

Going west, the bike weaves slightly. Is that me? No, I can see trees bent significantly. It’s the wind. It’s been windy in Portland, and really windy on the coast.

I reach the confluence, and the GTS is purring like a contented kitteh. There’s three bars worth of gas in the tank, and I figure burning as much of it as possible would be a good idea. What the hell—let’s go downtown.

Broadway is rather empty all the way to the bridge. I bear left toward downtown. Downtown is also a kinda empty. Maybe things will pick up in a while, since the rain forecast earlier has given way to sunshine and blue sky.

Can’t turn left on Burnside, so I go a few blocks south, then loop onto 6th going north. Zig, zag, back on Broadway. Passing the Rose Quarter, I’m reminded of a recent newspaper article calling the area “moribund.” Huh? There are two sports arenas and a convention center, so of course there’s not going to be any activity when there are no events!

The light hasn’t come on, but I decide to stop for gas. Fresh gas is always good for an engine, though it occurs to me adding a few drops of fuel stabilizer during the cold/damp time of year (if you have one where you live) certainly couldn’t hurt, even if your bike doesn’t sit. I sure wasn’t planning to leave the GTS inactive for as long as it was. It’s warmed up and running fine, thankfully.

From there, it’s off to Starbucks. I don’t remember the last time I was able to decide on a whim to go for coffee. Or do anything else on a whim. During my convalescence, Pablo has been good about getting me out of the house at regular intervals so as to keep me sane.

But now I can get out of the house on my own. I never thought I’d appreciate that (at least at my age) as much as I do…

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A little rearrangement of the driveway was required for the new furnace install. (Orin O’Neill photo)

“Orin, we need you to move your scooter,” said Pablo. “Nobody else knows how.”

Not a problem. Checking on it is something I’ve been doing regularly since not being able to ride it, but moving it would at least involve hopping in the saddle and scuttling it around. And Pablo would be there to spot me.

Luckily, it takes much longer for atrophy to set in on a well-lubricated, well-sealed machine. The GTS has been sitting out in the rain for I don’t know how long, but it fired right up and everything worked the other day. Nothing was hanging up, the tires still had plenty of air, and I had no trouble backing it around to the entry path so the guys can install the new furnace. Pablo can step on the center stand lever, something I realize I’ll have to train myself to do with my right heel.

The GTS moved, I excuse myself. Pablo later tells me the revelation that part of my right foot has been amputated made the guys’ eyes get really wide.

Remember, it’s not being certain of getting it on its centerstand that keeps me out of the saddle. If there were a side stand, I’d be even further past the 12,000 mile service than I already am. I had no difficulty holding it upright with my legs (and feet).

On Friday, the sutures come out, which I get the impression means the foot is healed. I can start using it normally.

Normal. What a concept…

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Yeah, it’s plastic, but at least it looks like a Lambretta (Motoblog.it photo)

Here’s the real EICMA bombshell: a “new” Lambretta. But this one looks like a Lambretta.

Unlike, say, the rebadged Adly being sold as a Lambretta in the U.S. This one’s made by a company called Pato. Motoblog.it’s article is very short on details, but has several pictures.

It’s a very attractive modern take on the original Lambretta design, with modern, durable, reliable scooter guts. It would be a nice compliment to the La Vita, which is a faithful visual copy of a mid-60s Vespa…

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LML introduced its new 4-stroke Star (aka Genunie Stella) at EICMA Friday (Motoblog.it photo)

It’s official. LML introduced its much-anticipated 4-stroke Star at EICMA Friday. The company claims fuel consumption of 60km/liter (which according to my precise calculations translates to 142 mpg) from its fuel-injected single cylinder engine.

There is, however, a bit of confusion regarding available engine displacement. Motoblog.it reports in Italian that buyers will have a choice of 125 or 150cc engines, while English sister site Two Wheels sez there’ll be a 250.

Keep in mind LML’s local distributors tailor the Star to their local market requirements, so availability of a 250 in Italy wouldn’t necessarily mean Genuine Scooters would offer a Stella 250 in the U.S. Same deal with the colors—I don’t imagine the fanciful color schemes shown in Milan (a fashion capital, after all) would be available from dealers, unless the dealers wanted to offer them on their own.

So far, no word from Genuine about pricing or an on-sale date. Stay tuned…

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Aprilia Atlantic gets the Vespa GTS 300’s engine (Aprilia photo)

Most of what’s rolling out at EICMA won’t be available outside Europe, but a few noteworthy items have emerged.

While the Aprilia Atlantic maxi scooter is no longer available in the U.S., word comes that it will be available in Europe with Piaggio’s 278cc QUASAR engine. That’s the one that powers the Vespa GTS 300 Super. Aprilia being part of the Piaggio Group, this should come as no surprise—more widgets = lower cost per widget. And since the engine is emissions-certified federally and in California, the Atlantic could stage a comeback fairly easily if Aprilia wanted to make that happen.

Piaggio Liberty Elle is PINK! (Piaggio photo)

I miss Crystal Waters’ scoot|pink and Girlbike blogs (and will always be grateful for the traffic the latter sent my way in this journal’s early days). I know she’d be all over Piaggio’s Liberty Elle. Yeah, it’s pink, and it even comes with a matching helmet for that fashionable girl on the go! The Liberty was called the LT when it was sold in the U.S., but it has since been dropped by Piaggio USA.

Motoblog.it is First. Live. Local. will all the news from the show, though proficiency in Italian will be very helpful…

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Piaggio’s USB concept scooter was unveiled at EICMA (Motoblog.it photo)

At last, a 2-wheeled scooter concept!

Piaggio’s USB (“Urban Sport Bike”) is a styling exercise that if nothing else shows the company is preparing for the day when designs evoking the original Vespa of 1946 will no longer be viable in the marketplace.

Motoblog.it’s story (it’s in Italian) says Piaggio envisions the USB (there they go again with the computer terms) being powered by a hybrid arrangement consisting of an advanced 2-stroke gasoline engine mated with an electric motor.

Personally, I think the best thing about it is the adjustable seatback…

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Honda’s new PCX 125 plays in the scooter mainstream, worldwide (Honda photo)

You may have seen this scooter elsewhere, but Honda’s intro of its PCX 125 at EICMA is a coming out of sorts. The PCX 125, which is made in Thailand and will arrive in the U.S. sometime in 2010, advances the state of the scooter art with liquid cooling and electronic fuel injection, jumping right into the thick of the world’s biggest scooter market segment.

The 125cc segment in the U.S. is a surprisingly large one, with entries from Yamaha (Vino 125, Zuma 125) and Genuine (Buddy 125). While Honda has not announced U.S. pricing for the PCX, its competitors fall into the $3,000-$3,500 range.

Honda’s large, well-established U.S. dealer network will be a major selling point for the PCX 125 and all of its scooters. Or it should be, anyway.

More significant should be the fact that large numbers of state-o’-the-art 125cc scooters would result in far less greenhouse gas emission than the fossil-fuel generated electricity required to recharge the batteries of large numbers of marginally useful electric scooters…

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