I’m talking to you, Winter. Show up or shut up.

October 31, 2009 — With The Mrs out of town visiting friends, the nearly 60º weather today meant I simply had to get on my Vespa while I still could. Weather lately has been gloomy at best. With the wettest October in the history of civilization, I had pretty much given up hope on doing any more riding in 2009. Weather forecasts now look like rideable weather all week long. I’m not really complaining, it’s just that I thought we were done. I’ve already started winterizing the scooters! And by winterize, I mean run stabilized fuel through both scooters until they run out of gas, then park them for the winter. Thankfully, neither bike is fully empty yet, so I was able to make it to a nearby station and fill up for a much needed ride.

My route was nothing remarkable, other than the simple fun of being out on a scooter. I wound my way up Hwy 13 through the Mendota area and into St. Paul. I crossed over the Smith Ave. bridge, which is one of the most spectacular views of the St. Paul skyline you’re going to find anywhere in the city. Taking 5th St. back up to Snelling via Montreal, I eventually wound up on Ford Parkway headed back toward Minneapolis. Presented with the Mississippi, I did something I don’t normally do. I headed upstream on the river parkway on the St. Paul side of the river. Usually I go downstream to catch Minnehaha Parkway via the Minneapolis side. I’m so glad I deviated. I wound my way through the U of M campus and eventually crossed over on Franklin on the 10th Avenue bridge just parallel to the infamous 35W bridge. Heading back toward Eagan, it was great fun to be racing nothing but the sunset. I had nowhere I needed to be, and nobody who needed my attention. Just me and my Vespa. La vita dolce!

Nathaniel Salzman