Cleveland Connections

FormerStella · Post by **FormerStella** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:59 am

Hey, how many of us are from the Cleveland/Northeast Ohio area anyway? I have seen a few posts from Tremont, Avon, Akron, etc. I'm in Wadsworth and I'm on the suburban west side a bit and have yet to see another Buddy on the road. Maybe we should have a "Buddy Rally."

Also. . . anyone joined Pride of Cleveland Scooter Club?

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:10 pm

Well we are out here! I have a cream buddy and live in Ohio City/downtown area-which is sweet scootering btw. my husband has a black. My friend has an orange, lives on the w. side if Cleveland. another friend just got a Cream she lives on the eastside. on this board, "hootersonscooters" who I do not know personally, said she and her friend got a cream and a black, and she lives in Tremont. I am sure to see them as we go there all the time-next hood over and great scooter at sidewalk cafe enviroment. When I was in POC last week with a friend the whole second shipment had sold (exept a few oranges) . My friend with the orange as well as my husband and I are out everyday (unless I have a far suburb appt-boo!) commuting, going to appointments, eating what have you. I have not been to any of the rides yet, still a little chicken outside of my comfort zone-plus I have a built in club with spouse and friend. Some time I will want to go on one of the rides though, esp. through the parks. Anyway, welcome! (plus where exactly is Wadsworth? I have not lived in the area for a long time. I have heard of it, but do not know where it is)

angieyou3 · Post by **angieyou3** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:08 pm

Hey. I live in the akron/fairlawn area and would love to get together some type of group to ride with. I ride around all the time on my buddy now that I am used to it, and have yet to even see another scooter on the road, regardless of the brand. I joined the POC yahoo group, and try to keep up with what they are doing, but sometimes it is not feasible for me to get my scooter up to the cleveland area without traveling on highways.

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:06 pm

Although not on a Buddy, we are here in Avon (25 miles west of downtown, in Lorain County.) I'm on my Vespa LX150, and Deb is on her Honda Metropolitan.

I'm occasionally on POC's Yahoo group, and I'll drop by the store on occasion. Also on the Vespa Club Cleveland forum. Last weekend was a ride through the metroparks and out through Akron that people from POC and VCoC were on.

Not much interesting out this way... I rarely even see a scooter.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:33 pm

I see a handful of scoots around here. Including a Vespa owner who pulled up next to me downtown and admitted Buddy was cute. I have seen one guy a couple times on his black buddy downtown and in Ohio City. And of course working and living near the scooter shop is a gift- lots of sightings!

FormerStella · Post by **FormerStella** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:51 pm

Peabody - Wadsworth is about 50ish miles south of Cleveland, right between I-71 and I-77. It's a small little burg, about 18,000 people and growing (we even have a Wal-Mart now

).

Angie - Wadsworth is pretty close to Akron, I go to UA. I'm on a break from school for the fall semester, but I can't wait until there's good weather after January so I can commute to and from school. If you'd like to get together and ride sometime, let me know! I'd love to go on a ride with my husband, too, who rides a motorcycle, but since we have kids, a babysitter is necessary for that.

Anyway, it's good to know that there's a bunch of us out there!

BlackInkSpot · Post by **BlackInkSpot** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:00 pm

Lots of you northern ohio folks - I'm down in the Southwest corner!

If you have a buddy rally, can I still come there in spirit?

angieyou3 · Post by **angieyou3** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:01 pm

FormerStella. I go to UA too! Unfortunately, I work there as well. If you have ever needed Financial Aid, you have probably seen me or talked to me on the phone. Hopefully you aren't one of the people that I have pissed off!

I'd love to get together for a ride. I will be commuting as well this fall on the buddy to UA. I park in the simmons hall deck. P.S. a motorcycle permit is only $8.....as compared to the $110 that they charge per semester for a car.

FormerStella · Post by **FormerStella** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:54 pm

Eww! Financial Aid! How can you stand it?

Anyway, thanks for the tip about the motorcycle permit. Do you just park Buddy in a space or do you lock it to something? It's not the downtown Akron thing, but the smart-ass frat boy thing that makes me worry about it being stolen.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:18 am

Hi N.E ohians- is anyone taking the BMV beginner safety course? I registered shorty after I got my Buddy at the first class avail near me was mid oct! Anyway I am really hoping I can bring my Buddy, I want to learn everything on my own bike, rather than be anxious and distracted about learning a different bike. I heard you can bring your own, so maybe I will confirm this. I am glad you can take the test there. My coworker and husband have taken the test at the BMV and found it very stressful- and they are much cooler headed than me. I am sure my test taking anxiety would get the best of me

angieyou3 · Post by **angieyou3** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:29 am

I tried to register for the course but they were all booked up for the rest of the season. Bunch of crap. Where are you taking yours at? Maybe i can scoot up there...

FormerStella · Post by **FormerStella** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:34 am

My husband took the BMV course and couldn't use his own motorcycle and even addressed my desire to take the course with my scooter with his teacher. It was, sadly, a no-go. The thing that really sucks is that I originally had a Stella (hence the name) and the clutch got to me, which is why I now have the automatic Buddy. Anyway, they won't allow riders to ride on the bike with which they're comfortable, only beat-up 250cc motorcycles and dual-use bikes. I'm thinking of trying to find a private course and shelling out the big bucks if I can.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 2:03 am

I am taking it in parma (I think the cc community college) starting 10/11 wed, and then 1/2 day sat and sun. My friend and I got the last slots, and know I heard they are full for the season, you can try checking on line for cancellations. I am really irked by not being able to use my Buddy. We asked the registrar when registering and they said it should be no problem, but it was up to the instriuctor. If they say no, (now I will need to call), I may concider canceling unless someone can tell me if I can learn to ride the cycle enough to pass the test. I am not sure if I want to bother with the stress. Maybe I will try and take the test on my own , and then if I fail suck it up and use the loaner cycle. thoughts? is the shifting cycle learnable in a couple days? at this moment I am asking my husband to take me to the course to practice sunday....

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 2:05 am

angieyou3 wrote:I tried to register for the course but they were all booked up for the rest of the season. Bunch of crap. Where are you taking yours at? Maybe i can scoot up there...

oops I should have clarified I am taking the $25 state class (or will I be?? )

AxeYrCat · Post by **AxeYrCat** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 4:21 pm

Aww... my old stompin' grounds.

I graduated from Kent a few years ago.

hootersonscooters · Post by **hootersonscooters** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 9:15 pm

Hootersonscooters are representing Tremont/Cleveland.

My friend and I are knicknamed Stick and Stack thus naming our Buddys Creme Stick and Smoke Stack. My friend Stick is thin and I'm Stack and will leave it at that.

We start classes on oct 26 at the East Tri-C campus ($25.00).

I believe I spotted peabody99 today around noon at the Detroit bridge / West 25th street light. Were you riding a creme Buddy and wearing a pink helmet riding alongside a black Buddy?

We scooted on down to the Feast of the Assumption in Little Italy. Devoured pasta and cassata cake - OINK! It's a miracle my Buddy could carry me home.

This world is getting smaller and smaller - we too are Kent State Grads. Stick graduated years before me.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 9:37 pm

Yes- you did see us! sorry we did not see you. Were you on the Bud's? we (and by we I mean the old man and the Buddy)were in Tremont on Friday for the art walk, Burning River Fest on Sat out on Whiskey island. (found an easy entrance on and off the shoreway at w.49th so there is no merging across 3 lanes of traffic going 70), and we rode the whole rocky river reservation today. We saw lots of scoots, but sadly no Buddys! We thought about taking them to the feast but ended up in the park instead. Hope to see you guys around,

hootersonscooters · Post by **hootersonscooters** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:08 pm

Sweet!! Unfortunately I wasn't on the Buddy. I didn't make it to the Art Walk but we did scoot over to the Burning River Fest on Saturday. They had us park close to the entrance alongside the mammoth Harleys. Our Buddys held their own generating lost of looks and inquires.

We tried finding a way to Whiskey w/o having to go on the Shoreway. We ended up at Battery Park. Oh well, at least we know now that there is a way.

If we don't cross paths soon, there's always the Gallery Hop in Tremont on Sept 16th & 17th. Hope to see you there!

angieyou3 · Post by **angieyou3** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:33 pm

hey peeps...where is tremont? never heard of it. sounds like you guys have lots of festivals and I would like to scooter there if possible!

AxeYrCat · Post by **AxeYrCat** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:40 pm

Tremont is SW of Cleveland proper...

Here's some info from the PD:
http://www.cleveland.com/tremontguide/

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:09 pm

Hi Angie- Tremont is one of Cleveland's greatest neighborhoods see this to: Tremonthwestdevelopment.com . the art walk is every 2nd fri evening, dozens of gallery open their doors some serving snacks and wine, plus Tremonth has great restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars. this also makes Tremont very European in character and thus very scooterable! The Burning River Fest is an enviromental festival. this year it was on Whiskey Island, just west of downtown . all locally grown restaurants, bands and beer showcased by the lake!

Little Italy is where hootersonscooters went. Like a tiny Italian town with brick streets and cafes. There is lots of great scootering up here in the city neighborhoods and the Metro parks which I bet you have a branch down there? nice smooth curvy roads with 30-35 mph speed limits. I would get some advice though on how to get here. you would have to pass through suburbs (gasp), which to me is the scariest scootering ever! roaring suvs and minivans with pill brained drivers yacking on phones running you off the road in pursuit of things. I think the Pride of Cleveland Yahoo group does rides all over the region, some stretching down south your way...some have looked really good, but I have not done one yet. With darkness coming earlier and earlier...I am bumming out. less scooteirng

WannabeAudrey · Post by **WannabeAudrey** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:18 pm

Hey folks!

Great to see there is such a supportive and active on-line, Cleveland buddy-centric presence. I'm in the process of getting my buddy, and am definitely looking for a group of folks to help me get aclimated to the scootin' world. I'm a total beginner, so am very interested in some of the safety classes etc that have been talked about. But I would also love to scoot with some folks-- safety in numbers, etc. Would anyone be into that?

I currently live in Bay, which is nice because there's not much traffic, and plenty of room to scoot.

Does anyone scoot commute to downtown in the morning? I'm thinking it sounds mighty appealing from a gas and fun standpoint, but the traffic (and assholes who make it!) are very intimidating.

Nice to cyber-meet you all!

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:29 pm

I think Bay Village is super scootable! to commute you can take lake, then across to detroit (yeah I know not the best neighborhood, but I have never had an issue and I drive that area all the time for work) over the Superior Bridge Whoppeeeee! I think Avon Steve is out your way?

MAybe the cleveland scooterers can can organize a ride on the weekend of the 9th (or other date??) through the metro park rocky river reservation (or another recommended fun ride) so I am shoutin' out to Cleveland/NE Ohio folks to see if anyone is interested--

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:49 am

just posted on the pride of cleveland site-register at pride of cleveland yahoo group.
: 2a. September 3 - Emerald Necklace Ride
Posted by: "peter.bohan"
Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:35 pm (PST)
Ever since getting the scooter people have been telling me I should
ride it around the Emerald Necklace. A few weeks ago I made it about
3/4 around, but am determined to make it all the way this time
(weather permitting). I am still charting all the stops (gas, food,
bathroom) but the current outline is as follows:

7:30am - meet up at Coventry Caribou. Gas is available at the corner
of Mayfield and Coventry, Caribou is a block away at the corner of
Euclid Heights and Coventry. There is plenty of street parking in
front of Caribou at this time of day. Grab some coffee, chat and get
ready for departure...

8am - leave Coventry, head down Mayfield through Little Italy and
University Circle and take Martin Luther King north to North
Marginal. Last time I did this I ended up taking the Shoreway for one
exit because North Marginal is cut off by the power plant; if this is
a problem for anyone I am sure there is another way around. Take
North Marginal into downtown, cross over the Detroit-Superior bridge.
Detroit to Lake; Lake to the beginning of Valley Parkway at the
intersection of Detroit and Slone. Follow Valley Parkway all the way
to the Brecksville Reservation, then take Riverview up to catch
Tinkers Creek, cut over on Dunham to Gorge Parkway, somehow
transition to Hawthorn Parkway on into the South Chagrin Reservation.
From here we will head north on Chagrin River Road to the North
Chagrin Reservation. This will be my official end of the Emerald
Necklace. From here I will loop back and take Wilson
Mills/Monticello/Mayfield back to Little Italy for a celebration
snack at Presti's.

I am guessing it will be around 3pm by the time we are back in Little
Italy, depending on how we do a lunch stop. My thought is to pack a
lunch or stop at a local deli and eat in the park somewhere. I would
also like to plan a few rest stops along the way that would allow
people to meet up closer to their homes.

If the weather is nice I am going to run the last park of this ride
in reverse, so feel free to meet me at Caribou at 8am this Sunday for
the run out to South Chagrin Reservation via the North Chagrin
Reservation and River Road.

I look forward to any suggestions. I will post an update mid next
week.

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:42 pm

Thanks Peabody, I was just getting ready to post about Peter's September 3rd ride. He's got it posted on the Rover-Cleveland forum and Vespa Club of Cleveland one, too.

If we are not out of town for the Holiday weekend, I plan on participating in the Emerald Necklace loop. Since I'm already on this side of town, I'd join in at the Rocky River end and go from there.

I'm also going to try to get my wife Deb out on her Metropolitan tomorrow, and take so residential streets over to RR Reservation behind the airport, and then ride probably north to the lake from there. She only goes about 30-35 MPH tops, and enjoys leisurely rides in the neighborhoods. She wouldn't keep up on faster group rides, so I thought I'd take her on a shorter, slower version.

BoneGirl · Post by **BoneGirl** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 4:02 am

I've told folks on other threads that I wrote to Ohio gov to request using my Buddy and I received a letter of approval as well as the school. I'm registered for the end of September.

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:54 pm

There'll be Pride of Cleveland SCers, Cleveland Rovers SCers, Vespa Club of Cleveland SCers, etc. on what looks to be a k/a ride! In his VCC posting Peter Bohan says:

"7:30am - meet up at Coventry Caribou. Gas is available at the corner of Mayfield and Coventry, Caribou is a block away at the corner of Euclid Heights and Coventry. There is plenty of street parking in front of Caribou at this time of day. Grab some coffee, chat and get ready for departure...

8am - leave Coventry, head down Mayfield through Little Italy and University Circle and take Martin Luther King north to North Marginal. Last time I did this I ended up taking the Shoreway for one exit because North Marginal is cut off by the power plant; if this is a problem for anyone I am sure there is another way around. Take North Marginal into downtown, cross over the Detroit-Superior bridge. Detroit to Lake; Lake to the beginning of Valley Parkway at the intersection of Detroit and Slone. Follow Valley Parkway all the way to the Brecksville Reservation, then take Riverview up to catch Tinkers Creek, cut over on Dunham to Gorge Parkway, somehow transition to Hawthorn Parkway on into the South Chagrin Reservation. From here we will head north on Chagrin River Road to the North Chagrin Reservation. This will be my official end of the Emerald Necklace. From here I will loop back and take Wilson Mills/Monticello/Mayfield back to Little Italy for a celebration snack at Prestiâ€™s.

I am guessing it will be around 3pm by the time we are back in Little Italy, depending on how we do a lunch stop. My thought is to pack a lunch or stop at a local deli and eat in the park somewhere. I would also like to plan a few rest stops along the way that would allow people to meet up closer to their homes."

So sayeth Peter Bohan! Y'all come!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More ride info:

"...have had requests for a meet up on the west side of the D/S bridge AND at the north entry into the park. I am thinking that we should be able to accommodate both...we could all pull over at just inside the park at the first large parking lot, (I am guessing around 9:15-ish)meet & greet, hand out maps, then take off for a nice long journey. "

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:10 pm

This is tomorrow!

See ya,
Steve

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:29 pm

I am sooo in. Did you get the lastest though? the ride may be done on monday depending on votes from POC'ers, as rain may in forecast tomorrow am. either way I plan on going. As long as I have one day to sit out the on the superior viaduct with a microbrew growler and watch the airshow and one day to scooter I am good. what more is there in life? Looking forward to meeting my fellow Cleveland scooterers- yes we toot and wave out on the road, but who are you all, really???

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 1:10 am

Yep, I saw Peter posted that soon after I bumped the thread here and on Modern Vespa. He has it as a poll on Vespa Club Cleveland, too, and Tim noted it on the Rovers page. I'm good either way, too. I'll be the bald guy with the funky seat cover meeting up at Rocky River.

I opened the CVT cover today to clean the clutch and blow out the crap. I was getting some growling from there early in the mornings when it had been setting. I double-side taped the garage door opener in the glove box to keep it from rattling around, put the rain suit in the top cover, and have the GPS batteries charging, so I'm set.

I'll post (or you can) the results after Peter posts them, as well as when and where.

See ya,
Steve

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 2:34 am

Peter says:

The votes are in, and we will hit the road Sunday 09/03.

Here is the schedule:
7:30a Meet at Coventry Caribou (corner of Euclid Heights and Coventry) please have a full tank of gas, grab some coffee, and get ready to go.
8:00a Depart â€“ Mayfield to MLK to N Marginal to Shoreway (this is a short ride at 55mph, but there is a bypass if anyone would prefer) to N Marginal, around Stadium to W3rd to Superior over D/S bridge to Detroit
8:30 West side meet-up in parking lot just west of W25 on Detroit
8:45 Depart â€“ Detroit (Ilona and Mike join in as we drive past W56th) to Lake to Sloane, cross Detroit & enter Metroparks
9:15 Meet up in Rocky River â€“ Scenic Park Marina: first right after entering the park, take next right and follow drive all the way to grey building. Bathroom/coffee/snack break here.
9:45 Depart â€“ follow Valley Parkway
11:00 Arrive at Valley Parkway/Brecksville Road â€“ turn left follow Brecksville to Royalton, turn right â€“ many options here for gas and food purchases. Fill up, stock up, get ready to ride.
11:30 Depart â€“ Chippewa Creek to Riverview Road to Canal to Tinkers Creek to Dunham to Gorge Parkway
12:15 Arrive at Egbert Picnic area â€“ lunch stop, possible scenic overlook and view of Bridal Veil Falls
1:15p Depart
2:45 Arrive at Chagrin River Road/Chardon Road â€“ end of tour, head
back to Coventry via Buttermilk Falls, SOM Center, Monticello, Mayfield

See you in the morning.

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:50 pm

(Cross-posted on various boards...)

Peter, thank you so much for putting together a spectacular ride! Despite a little weather, it was a wonderful trip through some areas I'd never been to before. Maybe because of the weather, there wasn't the usual weekend traffic in the Metropark, which was nice.

For me, joining up in Rocky River at the boathouse, then completing the tour to the east side and then riding home west again, was 127 miles, completely encircling Cleveland. Coming back on Clifton the Blue Angles flew directly overhead! That was pretty spectacular!

I've posted photos from various points along the way. These are with the old Elph pocket camera, so they are not too sharp compared to my normal photos.

http://smorris.smugmug.com/gallery/1848515

At best count, there were 13 of us at different times along the way, including the fellow who saw us and turned around to join, and then promptly dumped it in a turn. Good thing he was mostly OK, and there was a doctor in the car right behind him!

It was great to put faces to names for those of you I hadn't met before, and good to again see those I do know. We had people on the ride from Vespa Club of Cleveland, Pride of Cleveland SC, and the ModernBuddy.com and ModernVespa.com forums.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:43 pm

Steve- thanks for posting these pictures. We are loving looking at them and I hope the forum members like seeing Buddy's representin' . 127 miles?? you guys are troopers! In the end I think we had 77. Right after we left you all ran into a major downpour and it was sometime before we found shelter to pull over. We did find a shelter with a big fire place, making us wish we had firewood packed in the buddy bucket, as well as a thermos of hot toddy's. Finally we left, went up canal road -great ride, ended at The Garage, a biker bar down the street from my home...and later out on the bridge to see the blue angels. Glad every one got home safe.

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:35 pm

As best I can tell from Peter's map, here is the entire ride (the purple loop.) The start/finish is the large dot, and the direction of travel was anti-clockwise. I am the orange trace. I started in Avon, and joined in Rocky River, at the boat ramp. Then at the finish of the ride, we stopped at the Algebra coffee house in Little Italy, and then home from there following what was the beginning of the loop, then home along Lake Road.

We ran into some sprinkles after leaving the picnic grounds, and then heavier rain in Gates Mills (I think it was on Mayfield) We stopped at a gas station and stayed mostly dry, putting on rain gear. There was some rain after, but by the time we got to Little Italy, it was sunny and warm. It was nice to meet you, John (?) and Sue.

See ya in October!
Steve

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:44 pm

Steve- wow that map actually puts it into perspective. we had a great time ("john" is actually named R.D) lynlee

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:35 am

peabody99 wrote:"john" is actually named R.D

Oh, John is a doctor, huh?

(I can't begin to tell you how bad I am with names...)

schroncc · Post by **schroncc** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:14 pm

My girlfriend9pink) and I(orange) just bought our Buddy's and we are in alliance, very close to canton about 30-35 mins south of Akron. If you all ever go on a ride let us know.

smorris · Post by **smorris** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:37 pm

Welcome to Modern Buddy! You just missed a ride last weekend from Berea to Hiram. There were up to 32 of us riding together. It was great!

Here's the thread:
topic461.html

I don't think anything is planned again this year (it snowed here today!) but plenty will be going on in the spring. We should all meet somewhere over the winter a couple of times, too, for food and beverages.

Glad you found us,
Steve

Modern Buddy

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