Scooters

Varoom! There goes another candy-colored streamlined Vespa zooming through downtown Los Angeles — this one in a tangerine hue. Oh, and there's one in cherry red. And pastel blue. Did you see the mint-green one with the white daisy decals buzz by? Since it opened last November on the border between Little Tokyo and the Arts District, Vespa of Los Angeles has encouraged downtown residents to travel the city by scooter — and in style. The Vespa, which was originally manufactured in 1946 and means "wasp" in Italian, is an iconic European style symbol, seen all over the streets of major cities such as Paris and Milan.

Three hours into the race, it was the butt scooter that nearly did Scott Ramsay in. "Burniiing!" he hollered to his teammate Fatima Santos. "I'm cramping up! We gotta keep moving. Let's go!" As the couple rushed from a West Hollywood park toward the finish line in Pershing Square, it was obvious they would not take first or probably even 50th place in Saturday's fourth annual Great Urban Race. But no matter. For many of the 700 or so racers who signed up, it was less about the finish line than the wacky adventures on the way. A combination scavenger hunt, brain teaser, obstacle course and footrace, the event unfolded like a masquerade party with a to-do list.

Customers who walk into some California Best Buy stores for a cellphone might walk out with an electric vehicle. At least that's the thinking behind a test being conducted by the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer. In May, the Richfield, Minn., company quietly began selling electric bicycles, scooters and Segways at 21 of its West Coast stores, 12 of them in California.

Forget the axiom "no pain, no gain." Whether you're school-age or middle-aged, fitness can be fun. When you mate wheels and a unique take on forward motion, as do the four innovative products reviewed below, the good times roll for all. -- Roy M. Wallack Stepper on wheels Pumgo Scooter: Three-wheel scooter propelled with stair-stepper-like pedals. Likes: It works! Fun, unique and fairly fast, with no learning curve or balance issues.

When it comes to electric vehicles, the Tesla Roadster and Chevrolet Volt get all the love. But there are other EVs rolling around, and they're balancing on two wheels. Since 2007, when Vectrix of Middletown, R.I., first rode onto the scene with its battery-powered Maxi Scooter, a growing number of U.S. start-ups have entered the plug-in two-wheeler market. They've invested millions of dollars in vehicles, many of which are poised for production within a year.

The 28th annual International Motorcycle Show, rolling into the Long Beach Convention Center today, caters to the crowd that wants its bikes bigger, better and faster. But, in a nod to changing times, there's a new feature this year: a scooter pavilion. The three-day event is putting a focus on riders who want to commute on two wheels -- new and returning riders who couldn't care less about the flash and power that have dominated the industry for the past decade.

For a man who spent 19 years locked up for a murder he says he didn't commit, DeWayne McKinney emerged from prison a man at peace. He wasn't angry or bitter. On weekends, he spoke at churches about the faith that carried him through those lost years. He appeared at anti-death penalty conferences and told his story.

Owning a chromed or custom Harley-Davidson is "not about transportation, it's about an experience," says the company's chief executive, James L. Ziemer. That's clear to even the most average of non-motorcycling Joes, who, on any given day, are likely to see T-shirts, leathers, window decals, cigarette lighters, bandannas and other paraphernalia emblazoned with the company's trademark bar and shield. But there's one Harley-Davidson Motor Co. item that hasn't been selling as well in the U.S.

Ethan Coon was working to develop good posture and strengthen his core muscles, though from all his wiggling and giggling you would hardly know it. By the time he hit potty break, the 2-year-old and his classmates had bounced on a mini trampoline, rolled on their bellies on scooters and crawled through mazes. The children were participating in a park district class that uses preschool playtime to teach good habits in posture and movement and prevent sports-related injuries later in life.

If you're planning to visit Rome before you die, it pays to prepare for the experience. Here are 10 books and movies to help you understand what you see in the Roman Forum, at the Vatican and on the Piazza Navona. -- Susan Spano 1. "The Agony and the Ecstasy" (1961, by Irving Stone, and turned into a 1965 film starring Charlton Heston) is about the epic trials and tribulations of Michelangelo dealing with his patron Pope Julius II and painting the Sistine Chapel.