Maryland winters are less harsh than Vermont winters, but I’m still a wuss when it comes to cold. I’ve just ordered a Termoscud lap apron, but even if I had it already, scooting in 20F or colder weather takes some serious dedication. I used to ride my bike in temps down to -17F, but I was generating body heat while pedalling, rather than creating windchill by riding.

So, being the wuss I am, I decided to take my van to run errands (we’re expecting a storm, and it’s apparently an unspoken law in Maryland to rush the stores to buy bread, milk and toilet paper before a storm), and its battery is dead. That’s what happens when you ride your scooter all the time, and your van maybe once or twice a month. So I plugged in the solar trickle charger, and we’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, I’m taking the battery out of Ilene and putting it in storage, and I’m going to order a battery tender to recharge and maintain it. Rosa’s battery is staying in for now, since I’m hoping to get a ride in this weekend.

Whereever you are, stay warm!