Tag Archives: Vespa

August 1, 2009 — When I set off for the Square Peg Diner this morning, I had to check the date. Although the calendar said it was the first of August, the temperature seemed more like the first of October. The partially overcast skies with their patches of sunlight and lightly gusting winds felt all too much like autumn. It’s been a very, very mild summer in Minnesota this year. This on the heals of a particularly long, cold and wet winter. I’m fine with it though. I spent my youth in the deep south and I’ve had all the summer heat I need. All the same, my mesh riding jacket felt pretty insufficient as I headed across the river.

The contest for collecting cars and motorcycles is over. Jay Leno wins. Which yeah, if I had a bajillion dollars I’d have a two-warehouse collection of cars and bikes too. Jay does it classy though. His shop is a museum-quality display of so many rare and fantastic cars and motorcycles.

June 20, 2009 — Today The Mrs and I got together with a handful of other scooterists for a fresh installment of what was the highlight of last riding season. We met Joe — aka “Kennylibido” — at the Square Peg Diner in Minneapolis for the first of many test rides of the route for the “big ride” at Rattle My Bones this year.

June 13, 2009 — Today I rode the same road four times. I’m not complaining, it’s just the way it went down.

Even on my commute, I don’t really have need for a topcase or rear trunk. The Vespa GT comes with a rather sturdy rack mount on the rear, which is all good, but I certainly don’t need it. What’s more, that rack mount covers up the glorious sloping rear end on the GT. So I got the idea that if I swapped the underseat plastic bracket from a GTS, I could clean up the rear end and get more of …

May 9, 2009 — On a lazy and otherwise cloudy and cozy Sabbath, The Mrs and I needed to just get the heck out of the house. With a couple of hours daylight left, we shot across the Mendota bridge and up the Mississippi River Parkway. I just love the Grand Rounds.

May 7, 2009 — Today was the first day this week with a scoot-worthy weather forecast. I’d been relegated to my cage since my first day at the new job on Monday, but used the car commute to scout out the best route for the 17 miles from Eagan to Eden Prairie. Riding my scooter adds 10-15 minutes to my commute depending on traffic, but at three times the gas mileage of my MINI it’s totally worth it. That and my …

May 2, 2009 — Today’s ride made for a long trip, but a pretty short story. The Mrs and I tooled around Eagan today, essentially riding the length of Pilot Knob Rd. It was a nice, lazy cruise on great road surfaces and just a fun amount of traffic. The only thing that would have been better would be something more curvy. Long, straight cruises like that always make me want a proper motorcycle.

High points Gorgeous weather, good riding, …