Rog and his Quad

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's...just Rog on his quad; quadcycle to be exact. It's different, and it's so Rog.

So he took it to the mall for a trial run "just to get a feel for it and work the kinks out before a real run." Sounds simple enough.

However, little did he know that the Mall Police (you know, those folks that walk around the mall with their shiny badges and crisp uniforms looking very serious and official)needed a bit of excitement in their lives. So when he heard the horn honking behind him and the light flashing (yep, they have a bright yellow flashing light for the top of their vehicle but unfortunately no siren so the horn has to do) he "pulled over".

"What the heck is that thing?" was the first question. After an explanation and inspection, "the card" was pulled out that explained that skateboards and rollerblades were not allowed and bicycles were not allowed on the sidewalks.
Well, since Rog was riding around the outside of the parking lot, and he wasn't on a skateboard or rollerblades, he wasn't sure what the problem was. And, she wasn't either exactly. Long story short he was "free to go", with a note to "be safe". End of story right?

Not exactly. The next day he goes back for his morning run, only to once again hear the honking horn and see the flashing light on the miniature SUV in his rear-view mirror riding slowly behind him.

"You need to get that thing out of here, whatever it is. I thought it was a go-cart at first." Other comments went something like this:

"People can't see you." (this mall po po saw him!)
"What is that thing anyway?" (another explanation)
"Do you want me to call my supervisor?" (actually, that would be a good idea, since
I had this discussion yesterday and really don't want to have it everyday!)

Security on her walkie-talkie: "I need some help out here!" You know what kind of reaction that open-ended comment drew! Yep, they came running from every direction. Who knew there were so many security people in one little mall anyway?? This is Beckley WV for heaven's sake!! The further this went the more amusing it became, and Rog handled it like he handles most everything, kindness, patience, humor (sometimes he really urks me!!). The comments went something like this:

"Is this what you called us out here for?"
"This running is too much for a fat man!"
"What the heck is that thing anyway?" (he'd heard that before!)
"I don't think it's safe"
"It's a quad, don't you know anything?" (this from the lady Rog explained yesterday
to)
"I already told him he was fine."
"I still don't think it's safe."
"Look at that thing go!"

It was finally decided he was approved to be on mall property with his "whatever it's called". So he packed it up and came home.

He's out this morning riding all over the ranch, and looking forward to hitting some bike trails and then his first lengthy trip across the Outer Banks hopefully this fall. He's been working toward this since discovering his first peddle car nearly five years ago. While in Utah he came across a bike shop that specializes in them. They start with a basic frame and custom build them, then ship to anywhere in the states.

Somehow I don't think this will be the last of these "little incidents". Not a bike, not a trike, it's a quad!