Modern Vespa

This morning, I started the Black Hills Vespa Riders Club, and after a long discussion with myself, decided to join it even though I'm generally not 'a joiner' of such things, I eventually relented.

The internal debate on the merits and negatives of being in my own club did become heated at times, but in the end, I wore my resistance down to the point where It was just easier to let myself 'go with the flow' and surrender.

To add insult to injury, I found myself immediately being voted in as the club's first President, Secretary, Road Captain, Media Consultant, and dammit, yes....Trombone Player, even though I have an embarrassing lack of practical experience and skill at any of those various disciplines(?).

The good news, I suppose, is that other than the exceedingly rare Vespa GTS300 I spotted in Deadwood yesterday, I am almost certainly the only owner of a local Vespa that is willing to even be a member of the BHVRC , and that fact should lessen my club duties to a manageable level.

I suppose that I will now need to get to work on the club's logo art so that I can have some BHVRC embroidered patches made up, as well as matching stickers and perhaps other club 'swag' to sweeten my membership. Every month or so I could email myself one copy of the club's newsletter, or maybe just read the original and save an email stamp.

In the next few weeks, I will be organizing my club's first TOY FOR TOT Christmas run, and will notify local media of my intent to don a Santa hat and deliver an almost-new toy to a needy child. I'm thinking of a Red Ryder BB gun like I saw in that one movie with the kid 'Ralphie', but unlike his parents, I'll include some kind of appropriately BB resistant eye gear.

Hopefully, my BHVRC duties won't conflict with my activities with the Deadwood Dead Peckers MC club, of which I'm a charter member and have been active in for a number of years....that is, if 'active' can defined as sitting on my butt, drinking coffee, and feeding the neighborhood English Sparrows half of my morning scone while BS'ing about nothing with a couple of other bums.

We'll just have to see how it goes.

Reminds me of this: The Hertford ScooterClub Rally

Last night over cider, some members of the Twin Cities Scooter Collective were discussing a Black Hills trip next summer. You could meet up with them.

The future Black Hills Vespa Riders Club Congregates for a group photo in the western South Dakota Badlands settlement of Scenic...

.

Interesting!

Would they be riding their scooters out here or hauling them?

What Cidery?

Sociable Cider Werks

Probably trailering.

Just say the word if you need Juan O'migosh's Collection Service to visit deadbeat dues payer for a motivational visit.

Because Juan knows, silent but deadly doesn't get you paid!

Say hello to our little frienPb: free lead pipe demonstration on every job.

The reason I asked is that, if riding, I could offer the group emergency services if needed, a garage to work in, trailer....and of course, a complimentary 'pet' wasp to any and all as a souvenir of their Black Hills visit.

Of course, I'd extend the same offering to any and all Scooteristas who might visit the area, regardless of the mode chosen to get here.

If needed, remember kiddies..."When in the Black Hills...My Cheapo-But-More-Than-Adequate Harbor Freight bike lift, is YOUR Cheapo-But-More-Than-Adequate Harbor Freight bike lift".

This is all very nice but how can you justify joining any club that would have someone like you as a member?

Wasn't it Groucho Marx who made this same observation?

But, yes, I had to lower the BHVRC entry qualifications 'bar' all the way into the gutter to be able to allow myself in, and I've also placed myself 'on notice' that none of my usual and shameful shenanigans will be tolerated, red bowtie or not.

He was a wise man.

I know what Cidery I'M on.

JB, on joining this elite scooter club🛵 do you get a BHVRC T Shirt of fine quality🤣, a club rule book and membership card and what would the annual membership fee be.

Before applying for membership I think the good folk of MV.c would like to read the rules put down by the club Honorable president.

Years ago our local club had a nominated photographer, (no fancy mobiles then) who would be at all runs, piss ups, sorry club social events, charity events and the Christmas party, (note) will BHVRC be having a Christmas Party, 🎈🎁🎉🎄 this would be to put in the club memorabilia book for future members to look at and to see what a wally you made of yourself .

(We would like to see BHVRC photographs put up on this forum to see what a great time throughout the year BHVRC members are having).

Lastly do you get discounts on membership fees and merchandise if your hobby is Wasp keeping🐝.< that's a bee sorry couldn't find a wasp.

OMG! I was just going to look that one up. That was hilarious.
Tim was a great guy, really sad he gave up riding.

Hmmm.... are you going? Just wondering, how are they as emotional support animals?

I hadn't gotten far enough along with this 'thing' to consider BHVRC 'Swag' yet, but I suppose that I could sucker myself out of my semi-retirement to once again apply my (so I'm told) 'Epic Skillzzz' at obviously 'lowbrow Retro Graphics' (TM.).

Well, I, for one, think that they should definitely head out here for a Black Hills romp on their scooters...just a thought though, mmmmaybe avoid the last week of July through the third week of August, unless you enjoy NOISE, CHAOS, CROWDS, AND $16 HAMBURGERS.

Oh, yeah, and I know ALL the good scooter roads around here.

They're ok I guess, but it's telling to keep it in mind that if these cute little bastards were as large as, say, a fat Dachshund or Pug, they wouldn't hesitate to sting you into a coma, then carry you off, lay an egg on/in you that when develops into a wasp larvae, would eat you alive from the inside out...kind of like that scene in the original Alien film when that 'thing' burst out of the chest of one of the spaceship's crew members at the dinner table...only much, much, slower.

They're kind of peculiar that way.

Other than that, I feel that they would make the perfect emotional/companion animal.

Ah, Black Hills Scooter Guides Inc.

I KNOW places.

Brilliant🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

When he gave up riding, Ken Wilson (Lostboater) bought that red GTS and almost everything scooter related that Tim owned.

That Vespa became Fred and now belongs to Ken's brother Scott, back in NC.

Ken gave me a fly screen and a riding jacket from the collection.

Bill

As the primary image used for the Black Hills Vespa Rider (probably should be the singular 'Rider' not plural 'Riders') Club official logo, I'm thinking about coming up with a cartoonish rodeo cowboy riding a giant wasp as a symbolic representation of a Vespa.

Oh oh!

I didn't think much of it at the time, but when the cat found a way into the Wasp-a-torium a couple weeks ago I was pretty concerned that it wouldn't
end well for either of them, and thought that I had intervened in time to save the wasps from being tormented by the cat, and kept the cat from being stung by a wasp..but instead of a multi-species conflict, it now appears that they got along a little TOO good, according to what I found in there this morning.

The sheepskin too? He'd named it and his little Lamb mascot. Always amused me.

Ken brought a few things to me as we were meeting up at the Jacaranda Hotel in Avon Park.

Items included the sheepskin.

I didn't have a need for most of them so he took them back home.

Bill

You mean something like this:

Close, but maybe a little too...tame?

Sounds cool...how do I prospect? And when do I get my matchy vest?

I lived in Rapid from 1995-1998...riding Nemo Road would be amazeballs.

During the riding months, I almost live on Nemo Road, running up and down it at least four or five times per week when heading up to Deadwood for my ritualistic coffee and BS sessions up there.

Started to tinker with some 'Black Hills Vespa Rider Club' stuff, and might use something like this character for my....whatever..club swag?

It's just a working pencil sketch to rough it out before revisions and a final refined version, then on to inking it on frosted mylar, then some computer work for lettering, maybe color, maybe not. We'll see how it goes.

Bob Copeland shaved his mustache?!

That's great pencil work JB and all in perspective, that pencil looks like a 4H graphite I've used a few of them in my time for what I do, are you or have you been a form of Illustrator in your time🤔, looks good😉👍 and like adri spotted, does Bob Copeland charge much for modelling [quote="JBacklund

Of sorts, I will admit to dabbling in the commercial art world for a few decades. Mostly silly stuff.

No. Bob sat in the studio for the likeness of the wasp rider free of charge. That's just the kind of guy we all know him to be, helpful to a fault.

As I thought, quite a few telltale signs, Just a few decades you say love it when I saw it my first thought was JBs got experience this is no beginner stuff.
What's your next talent base jumping, swimming with Sharks

I don't know if I mentioned it, but the thread title should have read 'The Black Hills Vespa RIDER Club', not 'Riders', me being the only 'confirmed' Vespa rider in the region and all that.

Some of the upcoming club events will be the first annual BHVRC 'Toy For Tot' charity ride, as well as the 'Meal On Wheel' event.

For the immediate future, this thread shall temporarily suffice as the vehicle for the club's announcements and newsletter.

Stay tuned!