Riding constantly in 0-5 Celcius here, fortunately mainly inner city riding so clear roads. Bad visibility and cold hands are more of a problem than tire grip. Gets dark early (around 5pm) and quite rainy so visor is almost always dripping wet mud.

L’Insetto Scoppiettante

bill: Winter Wonderland is right. For a few moments it was like being in a snow globe. By the end of winter I won’t think of the snow the same way. Fickle, fickle, fickle…

Let me know if you manage to find a dealer who can get the ContiNavigators.

Red Rydr: Thanks for stopping by. I plan to keep taking pictures and riding.

Winterman: Slowing down is an essential ingredient. If the circumstances of the road, traffic, or ego won’t allow it riding in bad weather is a huge risk I think.

phil: Right now the roads are free of salt but as soon as the first heavy snow or ice arrives the trucks will be pouring tons of the stuff down. I treat the Vespa like I do the car without much extra attention to the salt save for the occasional hosing down of the machine. The salt chews away at things no doubt about that. For anyone wanting to maintain a pristine cosmetic sheen to their scooter they had best stay off the roads this time of year.

I guess I think of the Vespa as transportation and I use it as such. And of course for recreation and exploring as well. If I bought a $5000 car, got 5 years out of it and then sold it for $250 dollars I would be happy. I guess the same holds true of the Vespa. I’ll keep it mechancially sound and clean to a point. But I accept the inevitable entropy that comes through use.

crusty: Yeah, it creeps up sooner and sooner every year. When I was a kid we got our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. I’m not ready to humbug yet though….*grin*

heinz and frenchie: Thanks for the kind words. It is pretty around here and I’ll try and capture some of the Christmas spirit that appears in the small communities.

I keep thinking about a book but oh where would I find the time. Vespa certainly could distribute a book through their network of dealers but I fear my riding focus is far afield of their branding and marketing goals.

irondad: You and Gary can assume full responsibility for my venturing out in fool’s weather. When I eased the Vespa out into the slush I wondered to myself about that irondad fellow and the big Honda ST in this sort of mess. That always makes it easier to run my little Vespa along….*smile*

Not in the management game any longer though. I’ve moved back into the creative world. So I’m expected now to be a rebel….

sherry: I’m not sure how much actual snow riding I will do on a regular basis. I think it will be more of “as needed” sort of thing. I’ll definitely continue to ride in the cold but as for the rest you’ll just have to wait and see….

Sherry CC up in Nova Scotia. Our Thanksgiving is over…SO LET THE DECORATING BEGIN….HE HE

I think you got a taste of something you want more of!

Wild man! I tip my helmet to you.