Nervetree

People really like scooters, mine in particular. Over the last week, I had a little old lady sit on it at Mississippi Market, then dump it. She ran inside and I never saw her. I was fiddling with the mirrors and some bar patrons from across the street came over and told me about it The chrome was scratched and some other minor damage, but it's drivable.

Last night someone came and tried to cut the 20mm braided hardened steel lock off of it. They tried a saw first, then a torch. But the cable was too much. What a pain. I called the police and a really nice officer came over. The officer complimented the lock, and said that there are a tonne of scooter thefts in the last week, and the most bike thefts in the officer had ever seen. The officer said that the police department had intelligence that scooter thefts were from protesters who are going to demonstrate at the RNC, they need quick, nimble, fast transport to avoid imperial entanglements ( My words, I can't picture a Wookie on a scooter however).

Maybe, maybe, that's the reason for the scooter thefts, the convention IS at the foot of a huge hill, and that hill would limit protesters ability to move quickly. I don't know how much credence I give the theory. I think the more likely reason is that gas is expensive.

So I bought the scooter just before Christmas, in pieces, untested, not running….

Over the last few weeks I have rebuilt it. Tuned it. De-restricted it for good speed. Its been operational for 3 days. Then it was stolen.

Bike thieves are the lowest form of scum.

So I spent the day giving flyers to all the gas station attendants within 5 miles, (16) stations, 2 laundromats, and zip plasma services (if you’ll sell your blood you might sell out your blood.)

I’m pretty sure I will get it back, they stole it nearly empty on gas so they have to fill up.

In researching this I found out that the are a I live in is 3 blocks from the highest theft area in St. Paul.