Valencia the Destroyer

Today I got my scooter--an Aprilia Scarabeo from a woman heading to South America for 3 months of hiking. (Jealous!) She's orange, and Italian. The previous owner dubbed her "Valencia" and it's sticking. She and her 50cc of unbridled power putt along the streets of San Francisco with a lawn-mower-like buzz that alerts everyone to her presence, and mine. It's great fun to have an open-air ride, and we've been having fabulously warm weather out here. I can not go back to life without scoot.

Today I'm also learning the ins and outs of mortgages. I have learned: full assumability is critical for group loans; negative amortization is evil; 30-year fixed (aka FRM) is not always the best way to go (gasp!); and upfront points are not the same thing as a mortgage origination fee. Two good websites: Mortgage Professor and HSH. This financial stuff is expensive, man. And there are hundreds of ways to get ripped off. Happily, I like our mortgage broker. He is stiff and uncommunicative. I know just how to deal with him.

Next stops to home ownership: find a financial accountant and a TIC lawyer. (In SF atty. Andrew Sirkin is king.) Apparently it can take a couple weeks longer to structure a TIC agreement than it takes to close on a house. There's a promising listing my TIC partners are going to see on Sunday. Check it out.
Tomorrow, I'm off to Eugene Ore to see Scottie May- graduate from college. There will be much celebration. COngrats to grads everywhere!

scooter withdrawal

I have found something I love almost as much as my cat: riding around SF on a scooter. My neighbor took it in for servicing yesterday, and probably won't get it back until Monday. I am in deep scooter withdrawal. How can I go to work and not pay for parking? I can't. Going downtown? Forget it. It's public trasit, baby. And when I go to my acupuncture appt this afternoon, I'll have to make sure to park in a 2-hour zone, or it's a $50 ticket. Cars are a total pain in the rear in this city.

So I'm thinking of getting a scoot of my own. Considering the $10k Vectrix, which is a big maxi-bike, and electric with a range of 50 miles. Also looking at small gas-powered ones: The Aprilia Scarabeo 150cc and the Kymco People 50. SO far nothing is perfect. A $3500 electric 150cc would be perfect.

This week I bought a Shoei helmet. I spet a lot because it is, after all, my head. And it occurred to me that all the money I've ever earned I've done with the help of that most important organ. Did you know that helmets have little valves you open? I didn't. Also a chin curtain, to keep air from blowing up at high speeds, and my neighbor Ash confided that you have to actually clean the air intake slots on occasion, when they get gunky. I have full-finger leather gloves and a highly visible (used) white leather jacket. Just a pair of sturdy boots, and I am fully equipped.

They say you can't be unhappy riding a bicycle, and it's true. It's even more true on a scoot!