I’m not sure what it is about the mentality and/or the qualities of the population here in Nampa, Idaho that have fostered the following fun fact, but for whatever combination of reasons, Nampa folk are keen to attach a small engine to anything and everything capable of mobility.
Some of these modes of transportation can probably be spotted in and around the rest of the United States and the world. Some I’ve seen only here in this urban hub for a vastly rural populous…without mass transit…that tends to value ingenuity over athleticism…while perhaps not being able to afford something less jerry-rigged? Again, I’m not sure of the explanation. I just know what I’ve seen.
I’ll start the list with the ubiquitous “motor bike.” You gotta understand, in Nampa a motor bike is just that. It’s a bike with a motor. I’m not talking about a motorcycle. I’m talking about a Huffy with a two-stroke added to it. It’s like an RC hobbyist got bored and strapped their motor to their bike. These are everywhere in Nampa. Heaven forfend I have to pedal for more than a few strokes. That kind of exertion is for suckers and fitness freaks, clearly.
For those who can afford it, there is an entire category of not-quite-street-legal moped-type-things one can see cruising around Nampa. Almost all of these are homemade or altered to an extent. Some would fall into the category of “fat-tire mini bikes.” These run the gambit from pretty legit to total sketchiness.
Then there is the category of kid’s-toy-transformed-into-adult-transportation. These include the more obvious stuff like mini bikes and go carts. (Yes, I’ve seen someone using a go cart simply to get from A to B in a city of 90,000.) My favorite in this category has to be one I saw a few days ago near my house. A lady in her thirties was motoring down the sidewalk on a scooter. Not a moped. A modified razor scooter. The best part was that she had welded a pole with a seat to the contraption. So after she pushed off with her foot a couple of times, she used the motor to get up to speed. It took her a bit to completely stabilize her balance. Then she sat down and putzed on her way. To be fair, she was totally wearing a helmet.
Of course I’ve spotted several motorized long boards. Those hardly seem notable anymore. And I’ve even spotted an actual Segway, but that sorta seems like a different category and populous altogether. Nothing homemade or affordable about the Segway. There used to be a guy who drove around everywhere on his riding lawn mower. But I haven’t seen or heard anything about him in a while now. I’m guessing he’s passed on.
Bottom line is I suppose you get around anyway you can. No shame in that. Especially these days. If it makes your life just a bit easier, I suppose it’s worth the JB Weld and duct tape to slap a small engine on some wheels and get yourself out there. Here in Nampa, we roll the way we roll. Personally, I still prefer to walk. But if and when my legs stop working, I think I’ll get me a golf cart.
At the Desk This Week
Well, I went and got my second Covid-19 vaccination shot this past Monday. On the one hand, yay for me. On the other, it knocked me out for a day or two. I’m still catching up from a bit of down time, and I didn’t make as much progress on the Green Ones as I had hoped. It’s actually easier to do physical stuff than creative stuff when feeling ill. I’m still moving forward with my two serials for Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform, and I’m still slowly making progress on the last episode of Season 3 of The Green Ones. I’ll get it done, I promise! I finished a couple other small jobs this week, so I should have a little less demands on my focus!
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