Skeeter and the Wine Country

Pacific Northwest Wine Country

The Northeast deservedly promotes its beautiful Fall colors, but the Pacific Northwest is no slouch in the beauty department either.  Fortunately, we have an abundance of evergreen that keeps the landscape from becoming stark after the leaves drop.  The Portland area is close to the valleys of the Oregon wine industry.  It's lovely year round, but harvest time in particular, has become a worthwhile outing.  A favorite bicycling destination, Earl, Jason and friends go frequently.  After my diagnosis, I found myself missing the wine country adventures enjoyed by cyclists (whine, whine, wine).  Like so many things, Skeeter provided an opportunity to bring that back in my life—with some adjustments.

Our friends picked us up for a wine country day trip.  Fortunately, Skeeter is small enough to fit in most cars/SUVs, so we don't need to rent a truck.  Granted, frequent loading is required, but it doesn't seem too onerous*—at least, to me.  Some places do take a village and some strong pushers.  We went from winery to winery, drank wines at the good tasting rooms (with bathrooms), and in general, enjoyed the day and the company.  Pollyanna Alert!  The Oregon wine country is lovely, scenic, and very reminiscent of the wine country in France.

While cycling this summer, Earl joined a wine club.  Oregon is known for its pinot noirs and since he was married to a chardonnay fan, he opted for a mixed case.  The winery sponsored a musical event as members picked up their orders.  So, on a brisk, clear Fall day, we drove out to the winery.  Once we arrived, Earl unloaded and assembled Skeeter.  The advertised "entertainment" turned out to be a guitar-playing, James Taylor wannabe.  Earl and I ate the appetizers, tasted some wines, picked up our case, hit the restrooms, and left.  No major mishaps, beyond my getting briefly stuck in the restroom, but I was used to that.  I was never one for Sunday drives, but the scenery was beautiful!  I've become a convert.

Not every venue is a smart move and often requires more forethought (big surprise).  I've learned the hard way, that Skeeter and I don't do well on sloped hillsides, crowded outdoor parties and deep dirt/sand/gravel.  While feet may be all-terrain and bicycles can be walked and parked, scooter wheels have their limits.
A hillside picnic with a view of the Willamette valley is very tempting, given that Skeeter's brakes can handle even steep declines.  It's the steep incline that's the hitch.  The question arises: I may be able to scoot down, but can I get back up without a lot of pushing?

A hill, a party, deep soil–hmm

An outdoor party is fun and festive.  If a surface can support a table and chairs, it can also support the manueverings of a mobility scooter.  I was prepared to handle crowds of people, but failed to notice the linen tablecloths artfully pooling on the ground.  Question: What's the fastest way to clear off a banquet table?  Answer: Scoot too close to a ground-grazing tablecloth.  Not pretty...  
So how do I continuously get into these dilemmas?  My life alternates between "Tam, you're so adventurous" and "Tam, what were you thinking?"


The lesson: You don't know until you try.  Venture out if something calls to you, but use your head and take the village.

*Previous post—The Travel Scooter