While we regularly see our scooters traversing all kinds of terrain - be it via the keen outdoor enthusiasts putting a SwiftyAIR through its paces, or the more refined urban work commute – it’s rare to see a Swifty take to the water, so to speak.
But that’s exactly what was witnessed via the social media of dedicated Swifty fan Kenny Breeze a couple of week's back. He’s the proprietor of namesake Kenny's Taxis – a bespoke, family-run service which caters to the paddling community in and around Wye Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which straddles the England/Wales border close to Gloucester.
"I actually use the Swifty more than a bike now – it’s so much less of a faff. Jump on the scooter and off you go – boom!"
Kenny’s taxi service offers a means of transporting luggage and bikes around for walkers, but primarily it’s used for moving canoes and kayaks of all different shapes and sizes down the River Wye (clicking on the hashtag #WeMoveCanoes illustrates the diverse range of customers and boats Kenny ferries around).
The Converted Swifty 'Fanatic'
Kenny, a self-proclaimed “cycling paddling and scootering fanatic” on Instagram has been a passionate Swifty convert since his wife bought a SwiftyAIR MK1 six years ago:
“Until I actually stepped on one myself, I never understood the appeal of a kick scooter, particularly those designed for adults. I was just under the impression that they were only fit for children, really. But soon as I got on the SwiftyAIR, I was instantly hooked.
We’ve got two AIRs, two ZEROs and a SwiftyONE. We have a bit of a collection going on. I’ve got three young children who all have scooters. That’s how I manage to keep up with them. I actually use the Swifty more than a bike now – it’s so much less of a faff. Jump on the scooter and off you go – boom!
Whenever we head out on our holidays, the Swiftys come with us. They’re just so versatile for when we’re out and about exploring new surroundings. I love that you can hop on and off whenever you need. If you decide to have a more leisurely stroll in the middle of your scoot that’s no problem, either. It’s not like you’re having to struggling with lifting bikes over gates or pushing across a beach. It’s so great just how low maintenance they are.”
While Kenny is undeniably keen on his two-wheeled and water-bound transport, one look at his Instagram posts and it’s clear that family and the outdoors are his two biggest priorities outside of work.
In a considered effort to help maintain the picturesque landscape around him, Kenny and his three kids have been incredibly active clean-up participants in their community. During the last three years, they have even gone as far as creating and installing a number of dog poo bag share dispensers around the surrounding area, which they also replenish regularly with new bags.
Kenny’s Swifty Scooters are an obvious help as a means of assisting him and his children during these activities, but the kids also have a (branded) cart of their own, which is adorned with the name their father has dubbed the three of them.
Not only is this a great way to keep both himself and his children fit as they hike around, refilling dog poo bag dispensers and picking up any litter, but it also instills in the little ones a strong sense of civic pride and an appreciation and respect for the beautiful surroundings in which they live – a sentiment very much championed by their father.
A Scoot and Packraft Getaway
Outside of his eventful life as a hands-on dad and running his own business, Kenny likes nothing better than using his brief, much-deserved downtime to load up the SwiftyONE with his portable inflatable boat (packraft) and take to theriver:
“The SwiftyONE’s 16-inch wheels means its great down the trails and tracks on the way to the river. I’ve got a bike harness mount on the front which wouldn’t fit any smaller scooter. I can pack a fair bit of gear on there, no problem at all.
The Swifty folds up so neatly and I like how there isn’t any sticking out, pointy bits which you really wouldn’t want touching a blow-up boat. I paddle for around six or seven miles along the Wye with the scooter on the front.
For activities like this, I tend to use the scooter more than my bike. It’s because of the ease with which is can cart what I need on it, and that ability to then fold it up and store it on the raft.”
Sounds like an idyllic existence, for sure. With all the grind and stress many of us are faced with on a daily basis, how great would it be to not only blow away the cobwebs with a energetic scoot to the river, but to then while away the hours with a pleasant amble downstream, Swifty in tow?
When it comes to his interests in life - and how he has managed to turn an environmentally conscious approach into a fun and engaging adventure for his own children to participate in – all those areas across the UK with a similar distinctive character and natural beauty could do with that special Kenny touch.
Kenny Breeze can be found on twitter (@KennysTaxis) and Instagram (@kennystaxis)