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As a child I always envied the girl across the street who owned the battery-powered Barbie Jeep. Wearing her plastic heart-shaped sunglasses, she’d putter up and down on the sidewalks, trying a little too hard to not notice me and the other jealous girls in neighborhood with furrowed brows and green faces. My jealousy of other people’s “toys” still lingers
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I have always loved Bryce Canyon. There’s something about turning a corner on a windy forest road and suddenly finding yourself peering down into the most amazing patterns of colorful and unique geological formations. As a teenager, I had hiked, driven, cross-country-skied, and ridden a horse through the canyon.
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There is a bandit running loose in Heber Valley. If you come across him, just do what he says. But if he says to put all your money on the table, be sure to call for the sheriff. That’s what we were told during our meal with Rocky Mountain Outfitters, a chuck wagon dinner set among the scrub oak and
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There’s an urban legend that the origin of “golf” came from the name Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. Well gentlemen, the 21st century is here and my golf skills on the course proved that the urban legend is no more.
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Forty feet underwater I closed my eyes, pulled off my mask, and continued to breathe long and deep through my regulator while the other SCUBA students watched. After 30 seconds I carefully placed the mask back on my face, blew out hard through my nose in an upward motion and cleared my mask, while giving the “I’m OK” sign to
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Snowbird, Utah – The dance floor will look a little younger this summer at Snowbird with the introduction of the new Kids Jam at the Bird events July 26 and Aug. 10. The annual Rock & Blues festival also will feature children’s concerts for the first time this year. |
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Hiking with your dog can be great exercise and a lot of fun. Here are some tips to help keep you and your animals happy and healthy while enjoying the outdoors. Be safe with your dog. Never push them for more than they are capable. A dog will try to keep up with you no matter what.
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Exploring the scooter way of life |
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Written by Joanna Cornejo
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 |
Yes, it’s true: the people zipping by on scooters on their way to work or school really are having more fun. Long-popular in Europe, scooters are finally catching on in North America. To experience first-hand what makes them so appealing, I went down to the Vespa store in Orem to go for a test drive.
Vince Morgan, an employee of Vespa Utah in Orem, taught my brothers and I the basics and let us take a couple of scooters out for a spin around the adjoining parking lots. (Morgan said that although many scooter riders are incompliant, it is required by law to have a motorcycle license to ride on the street.)
Scooters come in a variety of sizes, based on the engine size. We rode 150s, which are on the small end, with 200 and 250 being the next sizes up. Still, the 150 was surprisingly powerful. I had never operated any kind of two-wheeled motor vehicle before and was a little intimidated. But scooters are easy to drive, with no gear shifting required. Accelerating is done with your right handle, right and left hand brakes control the front and rear brakes, and a simple turn of the key and an on/off switch get the motor running.
For me, the most awkward part of the ride was the slight imbalance that comes with stopping and balancing the bike with your feet on the road, but I’m sure with practice I would master it.
Many people purchasing a scooter for the first time are looking for an inexpensive form of transportation, and a scooter is an affordable alternative to a car. To break it down, a brand new Vespa 150 like the one I rode retails for $4299. Morgan said that insurance on the scooters usually costs between 10 and 20 dollars a month. And even with gas at around $3.50 and climbing, riders can fill the two-and-a-half gallon tank for under $10, and will be able to drive well over 100 miles on that tank.
Although it might seem like Utah winters would keep a scooter garaged for much of the year, Morgan said that some people do ride them year-round, and that they make a great commuter vehicle for students or workers. He showed us how the seat of the scooter lifts up to reveal a roomy storage compartment that could carry a backpack, or even groceries.
Another bonus to riding a scooter is the parking. Morgan is a student at UVU and said that the ease of parking his scooter on campus, right up close to the buildings, is great.
But when you ask any scooter owner what they love about their wheels, it’s not the great gas mileage or the parking that they mention first: it’s the fun. Morgan rides with a group of friends every Sunday, and Vespa will be sponsoring organized rides in the near future, when the weather is more consistent.
For more information on Vespa scooters, or to find out about upcoming group rides, visit www.vespa-utah.com or stop in the showroom at 45 W. University Parkway in Orem, or 361 W. 400 South in Salt Lake City. |
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Introducing...
Welcome to the Utah Adventurer, your one-stop shop for all sorts of fun, both outdoors and in, through all four seasons. Whether you're an avid outdoor enthusiast or a beginner, you've come to the right place. The site offers a wide range of articles, photos and video, plus a community of friends who share your passion. Utah Adventurer correspondents have been dispatched statewide searching for exciting activities for everyone. Keep an eye on the site for the next few weeks. We'll be adding features such as reader-posted photos and videos, a regional events calendar and more. Your comments are welcome! E-mail me at
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