Post 213-The Big 2K

I recently realized that I never posted about my new scoot. Well, last September my car decided that it's lived it's life and unless I wanted to spend another grand to fix it, it was time to part ways. At first the decision was hard, that was the car I bought new and went off to college in, but honestly, it was a piece of crap. For the past several years it was a headache, I never drove but to do errands, the a/c didn't work and well, it didn't make sense to pay for expense repairs on a vehicle that I didn't drive. Could I have taken the CTA everywhere, sure, but with the rising costs, cutting services and inconsistency of travel, I won't.
Looking back, I've wanted a scooter for years, seriously. I recall as a kid living in Arizona thinking that when I'm grown up and in college I want a scooter, I have no idea where that came from. Being a bargain shopper I did my research, inspections, logistics and cost. I found a used Buddy Genuine 50cc for sale. Only two years old and with 2000 miles, I made a low offer and was excepted. Bad Betty as I named her has been driven year round, in the rain and the heat and in winter (unless there was snow on the ground). I have accepted and learned how to drive a scooter in the city and I love it. Knock on wood, I've not had any problems. The cost of insurance and gas (80 mpg!!! woot!) is less than half of a monthly CTA pass. I've invested a little into it, oil, battery, a basket and rack, a plethera of winter gear to keep me toasty, new helmet and several hand made seat covers.
What I don't have is the constant worry that something will go wrong, that it won't start, that a repair will cost a grand. If I should need something the dealership is 5 miles up the road from me and are super nice. Everyday I see more scooters, there must be at least 10 in my one neighborhood block alone. I'm lucky I can park at the bike lock at work and while the meter maids keep writing tickets for that, I keep winning because I'm on private property. I've been wanting to go to a scooter meet-up but I can't seem to find an active one in the city. I have learned, however, that there is kind of acknowledgement between scooterists and you're supposed to double honk your horn as a sign of hello, cool. I've had no problems doing my shopping, parking near anywhere (no permit needed!) and meeting friends for different activities, heck I even got Chris to buy one (and boy did I find her a deal!) so now I have a two person crafty scooter gang.
So there reason for this post is to say, I just put on my 2000th mile!