Scooter City

Now that $4-a-gallon gasoline has graduated from a worst-case what-if to a daily reality, scooters are looking less like an affectation for the terminally hip and more like the only practical way to get around. “My truck cost $80 to fill up the tank; my scooter costs $6,” says David Westman, president of the SQREAM Scooter Club. “I ride my scooter quite a bit these days, year-round — rain or shine, but not in the snow or ice.”

Clearly, scooters are still the most fun you can have on wheels, and the second annual Colorado Chaos Scooter Rally, which starts today and runs through Sunday, is ample proof. Scooter rides, silly-themed scooter races and a scooter-judging contest — which will award prizes not just for the most beautiful scooters, but also for categories such as dirtiest scooter and best bumpersticker — are just a few highlights of the event, which benefits the Denver Firefighters’ Burn Foundation. “Really, scooters are all about having fun and having a good time,” Westman says. “You just can’t ride them without a smile on your face.”

The event kicks off at 6 p.m. tonight at Hamburger Mary’s, 700 East 17th Avenue; registration is $35. Visit www.coloradochaos.org or call 720-278-4621 for more info.
June 6-8, 2008