Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Team Bumpstart braved "Snow Apocalypse" and gathered for our annual Xmas do. We also briefly discussed the upcoming second issue of Bumpstart. It's looking really good! Captain 8 Ball and I traded our favorite holiday drink recipes and we snapped our staff Xmas photo. Always the fashion bug, Captain 8 Ball outshines Steve and I with his new silver parka and Modified scarf.


Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Scootin' New Year!
Team Bumpstart
xoxo

IPRC's December Zine of the Month!!!!

I just got an early Christmas present courtesy of Portland's most excellent Independent Publishing Resource Center. Bumpstart was named their December Zine of the Month! Thanks, IPRC. You rock! I'm really honored to be a part of your zine club! The IPRC will be mailing out copies of Bumpstart to their club members. Unlike other monthly clubs, like your typical Fruit of the Month clubs, IPRC's monthly deliveries won't go bad AND get better with age.

IPRC is also featured in this year's Willamette Week's 5th Annual Give! Guide. It's just one of 55 incredible non-profits featured that give year round to us Portlanders. Be sure to check out all the Give! Guide's free incentives you will get back if you donate to any of these deserving organizations. FREE COFFEE...FREE HAIRCUTS....FREE WINE....FREE GELATO, anyone????

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Happy World Pasta Day!

Hey, guess what tomorrow is. It's World Pasta Day! Yup, and here I thought it only happened on Wednesdays.

To celebrate this carbolicious day, please enjoy some foodie photos from my recent trip to Italy. The below photo may just appear to be a plate of nicely presented pasta, but when I look at it I remember dining in Verona during opera season and hearing arias lofting overhead from the nearby coliseum.
Verona was also the first place I saw an Ape putting around. I was so excited when I saw it going around the square collecting garbage. Throughout my time in Italy, I came across countless numbers of Apes. In Florence, I even saw some electric powered ones. The Italians use their Apes to transport all kinds of things from luggage to huge wine casks. And I hear in Cinque Terra a certain Aussie tourist named Jannelle got a ride in one, but I'll let her tell that story in Bumpstart. (cough, cough hint hint Janelle).
While I was visiting the scooter motherland, I met up with Scooterbella, a Vespa touring company in Tuscany.



My Vespa tour group (Photo from left to right: Melanie from Australia, Bill from Boston, Tour guides Sagra from Spain and Elizabeth, an expat from PA, and Janelle aka "Ginger" from Australia)

One of my favorite restaurants we stopped at was L Alto Chianti.


Their ravioli with truffle slices was so good.

Besides the great food, their restaurant had a roof terrace that provided spectacular views of Chianti.
I see now why so many tourists have a hard time leaving Tuscany.

Tuscan Scooter Rally

During my second week in Italy, I toured Tuscany by Vespa. At the start of our riding day, we would occasionally stop for some espresso. One morning as we pulled into town we came upon the start of a scooter rally. What great luck! The Italian scooterists enjoyed showing off their scooters to me. One of them spoke English, so I was able to communicate without the aid of my Rick Steves phrase book! There were lots of great scooters and Fiat cars in attendance, but I was really taken with this Lambretta.
It's a Lambretta 150 D in pristine condition that actually runs.
The group quickly threw back some espressos before heading to their next stop, but I managed to snap a couple photos.

Reading Frenzy

I was walking to IPRC the other night and as I passed Reading Frenzy's window, I couldn't believe my eyes. In their window display was Bumpstart!
It's right next to Mineshaft (featuring R.Crumb) and below Craig Thompson's Carnet De Voyage. My first time in a widow display and I'm in such good company!


You can also find it in the Zine Section at Powells....

Zinesters Talking 2008

A couple of weeks ago, I participated in Multnomah Library's Zinesters Talking Series. I was really honored, and a little nervous when they asked me to be one of this year's featured zinesters. I joined Kate Lopresti, creator of Constant Rider as part of their transportation themed night, which was held in the US Bank Room of the Central Library. I asked if I could ride my scooter into the reading, but they mentioned some crazy regulation against bringing in two-wheeled transportation. Oh well, I tried. (above photo) Emily-Jane Dawson, Multnomah County Librarian introducing Kate and I before our readings.

It was my first ever reading and I scored the US Bank Room. Wow! I was nervous, but the library staff helped put me at ease. It really was a fun night. I gave an emotional account of flying to Italy and meeting Maria Borio, owner of Cascina Castlet. I also spoke of how doing 'zines has enriched my life and taken me places I never thought I'd go.(above photo) Here I am holding a bottle of Maria's famous Barbara 'd Asti "scooter wine".

Kate did a great reading from Constant Rider. She's a really poised reader and told some great stories involving Portland's public transportation. I just finished reading about her cross-country train ride home to Wisconsin and loved it.
(above photo) Posing with our beverages of choice for the night.

The library bought some copies of Bumpstart to place in their zine collection. I'm really excited that people will be able to check out copies of my zine from the library very soon. It's great that our library system is so supportive of local independent publishers. Thanks to all the awesome library staff and everyone who showed up for the reading. You made it a memorable night!

My visit to Cascina Castlet

The highlight of my time in Italy had to be meeting Mauriccia Borio aka the "scooter wine" lady. She's the little girl in the pink dress on the Barbara 'd Asti wine label. I interviewed her in my premiere issue of Bumpstart and she graciously invited me to tour her winery, Cascina Castlet.

I was really excited to meet her and tour the winery that produces Barbara 'd Asti and many other great wines. She also makes Grappa!
When Mauriccia told me there was something outside she wanted to show me, I couldn't believe my eyes. Parked in the exact same spot it had been some 50+ plus years for the family photo was THE Vespa that graces the label of her 'scooter wine'.

We had a great visit and I can't wait for you all to read about in the next issue of Bumpstart! I was very honored and a little verklempt when she asked me to pose with the Vespa for a photo. I think I have my Christmas card photo.From left to right: Elena Borio(Mamma Borio), Mauriccia Borio (Scooter Wine Lady), me, and the family's 1951 "faro basso" Vespa featured on their Barbara 'd Asti wine label.

In Fair Verona...

...I spotted the first of many Apes..


...and Vespas I would come across in Italy.

Bumpstart Goes to Italy

Hey everybody. I just got back from my Italian holiday and am gradually getting over my jet lag. So, I can start posting a couple photos from my trip. Italy was amazing and I have lots of great stories and photos to share. The Italian hospitality is unequaled and I plan on returning very soon. My first stop was in Venice. In the above photo, Giovanni, my charming gondoleer is posing with a copy of Bumpstart! He wouldn't sing, but when he wouldn't stop talking about Vespas, I knew I picked the right gondoleer.

More photos to come....

Karen

Baby Bump

Bumpstart arrived today. She's available at Powell's Books, Reading Frenzy, and many other fine establishments. Welcome to the world.

Scootin' Animals

Here's some of my favorite sketches from this past Stumptown.

A monkey on scooter that featured retractable swinging arms. Kool!!!! I want one.


Stunt Monkey showing off.



A sketch for Captain 8 Ball.


I have lots of sketches and will post more when I get time. Back to editing.

Get Well Steve!

Steve Sellers, a mechanic at P-town Scooters was recently diagnosed with Congential Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy. He's currently in the hospital racking up some major bills and doesn't have any insurance. Steve has always been there to take care of our scooter needs, lets help ease his financial burden by donating to his fund. To donate, just click on the widget below or go to Scooter-Relief.org.

Happy Independence Day!

Hey Blog buddies. Happy Independence Day to you!
Long time no post, I know. I haven't had much free time lately, sorry. My day job has been keeping me busy, did some traveling, and I'm working on my new scooter magazine.

For those who don't know, I stepped down as editor of Kickstart recently. While I loved creating and editing the magazine for the past 2 1/2 years, I didn't want it to be a financial burden for the club. The good news is that Rick Fletcher has picked up the baton and is doing an online version of Kickstart on the OSC website. I wish him much fun and success with it!

Doing Kickstart was really a gift; it brought out an artistic side that I usually kept to myself. I'm appreciative to OSC for giving me the opportunity to express it. Steve feels the same way as I do. Like me, he also caught the bug. So Steve will be working with me to create our own scooter publication... in between his bocce games and babysitting gigs of course! We'll keep you posted when we're ready to launch it.

Happy 4th of July everybody!
Kickstart Karen

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Add One More to the Talley

From left to right: Winston(I think), Frosti, Chewie, and Steve

Congratulations are in order for Steve and Frosti Talley. Their first grandchild and future curler/scooterist, Fiona Rose arrived late last night, weighing 8lbs, 6oz, and is 21 inches long.

Grandpa Talley was a little tired when I saw him, but reported that all is well with everyone. He said Fiona was active but not fussy, just wondering what it was all about. I'm sure when Fiona is big enough, Steve will have her out on the ice curling in no time flat. Congrats Grandpa and Grandma Talley!

In between hospital runs, Steve managed to deliver our baby, Kickstart. He just got # 8 back from the printers. It looks great! Steve and I would like to thank everyone who were a part of the issue, especially Gary Cochran, James Boehne, Arden Collins, Phil Oliver, Mary Ann Schelb, and Miles TeSelle. Special thanks to P-town Scooters for their ad and constant support!

I think we all need a nap now. Have a great weekend.
Scooter Aunt Karen

Colour me Happy!

Well colour me very happy indeed, the latest issue of Classic Scooterist Scene is on the newstands! The UK scootering magazine has updated their layout and this issue's cover story is my very own Super Mod interview with Dave Gibbons. Dave even did the cover for them! It's my first time in an international publication and I couldn't ask for a better way to kick it off.

Kickin' it with Tim Sale

Tim Sale, awesome comic book illustrator and staff artist for NBC's Heroes, poses with Kickstart.

Happy Anniversary Cutters!

The PuddleCutters Moped Gang celebrated their second year of swarmin' and destroyin' with a ride this past Saturday.

Seattle's Mosquito Fleet buzzed on down to join in on the fun.

If you want to see more rad mopeds, visit my Flickr account.

Shutterbug

Recently, I was lucky enough to have professional photographer, Peter Dickson shoot some photos for me. He's a fellow Portland scooterist and very accomplished photographer, who has done ad work for Nike and many other big name companies.
I was blown away at the level of care and amount of time Peter devoted for the photos. He definitely went beyond the call of duty and I'll always appreciate it.

Scooterist in Need

Over the weekend, Josh Rogers from Scoot! was hit head-on by a Lexus during the Los Gatos' monthly ride. Josh sustained serious injuries, including a broken femur, a dislocated wrist and will have to undergo therapy for at least six months.

I was really sorry to hear about the accident and am glad he was wearing a full face helmet and protective riding gear at the time of collision or it could of been worse.

Donations towards his medical bills can be made by going to Scooter Relief.




Wishing you a speedy recovery Josh.

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday Matt O!


You'll always be Mark Trail to me!

The Italians are coming...

From the 1979 Oscar winning film, Breaking Away. I haven't seen it in so long that I completely forgot about the Vespa scene, an added bonus to a really terrific film.

Mmmm, Paczki!

Happy Fat Tuesday! Per Polish tradition, I made paczki last night.


The CAD monkeys seemed to like them.

Kickin' it with Talley

The Talleys aboard their Piaggio X9


He's the man behind the scenes quietly toiling away at Kick's layout; the Tonto to my Lone Ranger. Together, Steve Talley and I make up Team Kickstart. Steve is a pretty unassuming man and I felt it was high time I cast the spotlight on my friend.

So, Mr. Talley, I am going to ask you some questions and you can answer accordingly.

Karen: Do you have any aliases?
Steve: My wife has several for me, but I'm not publishing them.
Karen: Fare enough, Talley Man.

K: What turns you on?
S: Scooters, curling, bocce, history

K: Any turn offs?
S: Vehicles with studded tires; drivers who don't use turn signals

K: What was your first scooter?
S: Piaggio X9

K: Tell me a little known fact about yourself.
S: I rode submarines in the navy.
K: Well, anchors away! I never knew that. Here's another little know Talley tidbit: He's a semi-retired technical writer and was published in the New York Times!

K: OK, finish these sentences (When I'm on my scooter... Kickstart is... Curling and bocce are... Karen G is.... If I had a monkey...)
S: When I'm on my scooter, I'm enjoying the trip.
Kickstart is fun to work on.
Curling and bocce are non-contact sports where men and women of all ages compete equally.
Karen G is the generative force behind Kickstart.
If I had a monkey, I'd trade it for a bullmastiff.

Well, there you have it. Steve is quite the renaissance man and Kickstart wouldn't be half as fun without him!

If you'd like to find out more about curling and bocce in Portland,
click here:
Curling
Bocce