Modern Vespa

Full set of Harley-branded everything from your boots down to your tighty whities. So no one will think you ride some lame-ass scooter.

Ginch, what's the yellow growing in that field? Looks too small for sunflowers.

Nice countryside.

I can buy Harley branded butthuggers?! Sign me up. 🤣

It's canola. Mostly potato country in the red soil north of my town but paddocks of canola here and there all over the place. Looks impressive.

I had a chance to stretch the Stella's legs Saturday. I was out almost five hours covering more than 80 miles with lots of stops for pictures. Visited some places with a lot of memories attached that I don't see very often.

That little 150 never missed a beat at 55 all day long. I've sold her mentally a hundred times, but in hindsight I'm glad I didn't.

I'm already forming plans for a long trip next summer. Maybe Mackinaw for a long weekend.

Wow. Good stuff.

It's perfect riding weather in Western Michigan right now. I was up there (Saugatuck) for my anniversary last month and even then, the weather was pretty freakin' awesome.

Thanks!

Yeah, the weather has taken a turn for the better. It's been very hot and humid lately, but this cooler weather is a welcome change.

Maybe it just seemed cool to me because I live on the surface of the sun in Nashville.

No, we've had heat indices up around 100. It's been a hot summer. I'm a little inland from the lake.

I would much rather ride in the cooler weather than the heat.

For sure. For Lammy Weekend, it was 100F actual temp. It's like riding in an air fryer, because the air feels like it's heating you up.

The ride home was in the low 90's and that felt great as compared.

Pssshaw. You people need to add 95% humidity to those temps. Air so thick and sticky it feels like you need to spoon it in to breathe. Gulf Coast heat is oppressive, humid misery. So ready for the first cool front of the year to inch down here. Lord jesus of mercury help me.

*waves hand-fan frantically*

Hiiiii

Up here in Philly we're east of the Appalachian's so that southern humidity just rides right up the coast. I do not enjoy when you open your door to go outside and the air punches you in the stomach. It's inhumane and we don't get as hot for as long as you do down there.

I had a friend from Naples, Fl move up here to do a band. He lasted a year. He couldn't believe how the weather was worse than Florida. We have the same summers, but add in the winter where it's so cold a wet everyone feels like they have arthritis for 6 months.
I wouldn't change it though. Having seasons is awesome.

Got Bear some sun and shade today.

Hahaaa indeed. Around here those types are known as RUB's (Rich Urban Bikers) and they are most often the worst kind of humans. They also love to play horrible music at 150db as though they are a force to be reckoned with. I can imagine the little voice in their head saying "come on, somebody tell me to turn my Flock of Seagulls down so i can show you a real tough guy persona!".

I recall a moment years ago where i was picking up some barley pops at the grocery store and saw one making a big to-do at the in-house Starbucks counter, and I heard the jaggoff pull a full Karen and say "do you know who i am?!" because something was just not going his way with his half-caff-double-whip-caramel-macchiato-latte-supremo coffee drink with sprinkles on top.

Maybe i should throw some meter long leather tassels on my grips and strap a ballpeen hammer to my headset, so i can blend in with the local clubs.

Edit: No offense intended to any Seagulls fans out there!

It was a hot day in Paris, and I had a few annoying appointments in the early afternoon, so I thought I'd give myself something to look forward to by planning a chorizo run x sandals ride (probably the last of the season) right after the chores. I didn't make it on time for the butcher shop, but I had a pleasant ride and some pizza nonetheless.

Oh, and I almost ran into a hawk. The thing took off from the side of the road right as I was coming upon it, out in the middle of the fields, and it probably made the common mistake of thinking I was on a measly moped and it could easily outrun me. Joke was on him, because I was in fact riding the 221 and he was evidently surprised to see me right on his tail as he was frantically flapping his wings (pretty impressive windspan btw, which also makes for poor acceleration at takeoff), trying to avoid getting T-boned. We basically were going the same direction but he was going slower, and before he finally flew left to get out of my way, I could have reached out and touched him.

I was annoyed to miss the butcher shop, but I guess that'll just be an excuse to make another trip in the upcoming days....

Awesome pictures Frank - thank you!

It was worth it.

My wife is in Italy with her mom right now and sent me this.

It's for sale if you're in Sicily.

Yes LML sold them here in New Zealand as Belladonna (Beautiful woman).

She's been on quite the number of dates lately.

Last vintage bike night of the year.

Without the dog?

Took the Skate and Desrtoy 200 to Galvetraz

Yesterday, a short chorizo run:

And today, a Vespa club parade in Paris:

My phone died on my long ride last night…but grabbed a snap at Pleasure Pier just after sunrise this morning before the crowds arrived.

Quick scoot and a dip in the Gulf of Mexico… Not a bad way to start your Sunday.

Also….Nice to see the folks at Pic Nic Surf Shapes highlight my scoot at their event yesterday.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DdgtZx5kddF/?img_index=15&stkn=MTloYjQwN244cWRmbw==

Nice ride up into the high hills of Western Ct. Probably my favorite scoot.

"Later" finally arrived, and a cool trip it was! Rouen is a somewhat major town, about 130km from Paris, and being on the river Seine (like Paris), sits pretty low compared to the plateau it abuts, and therefore the road descending into the city from the heights of the neighboring former cliffs provides a series of nice twisty roads with hairpin curves. Unfortunately very little of the curves or the city will be shown here, as I was on a mission to get there and back on a deadline.

This is brilliant. I may start doing this myself.

If i may offer a suggestion to try out, if you switch to gaffers tape in lieu of duct tape (or gorilla tape), you will not have to ever worry about the adhesive residue or deterioration of the tape. It is what's used in the entertainment industry for rigging. It's a matte black cloth tape with awesome adhesive properties that leaves no residue and can be easily torn or cut as needed. It's more expensive, but once you give it a try, you will only use duct tape on things you never have to disassemble or look at ever again (or to save money to preserve your gaff tape supply).

I hope the record was "Road to Rouen".

Haha no, Rouen is pronounced Ruon, not Ruin

Could you stay at the Rue Inn?

Got home Friday after work and just wanted to sit on the couch. But it was such a perfect fall day that I pushed myself to at least fill up the tank for another day. Ended up heading straight east into the mountains. One of my best rides ever; fall colors, twisty roads and the scooter pulled beautifully up some really steep grades. CHT's maxed around 280F.

Vespas about to leave the house edition!

Quick Sunday late afternoon/evening pizza run:

Cappuccino and a pastry

damn that looks legit

Sorry, but as the resident pseudo-frogeater I must protest: that!s more Monrovia Donut than Paris Baguette. But it doesn't look bad tho.

Is that cinnamon on the twistie?