An odd mixture adds up to fun on the Vespa. Wasn’t sure what the weather would be like when I crawled out of bed but a quick look out the window had me reaching for my Tourmaster riding pants. A quick shower, a walk with the dog to inspect the garden, a few dog biscuits and a fast wrestle in the livingroom was all I had to do before rolling the Vespa out and heading down the road. First stop was the ATM for some cash. Second stop was my favorite Sunoco station to fill up the tank with high octane fuel. The Vespa never fails to impress me at the pump. Paying for $5.24 of gas is so much nicer than the typical $56.00 for the Ford Ranger.
With little traffic on a Sunday morning I was heading down the valley with a long, looping ride in mind. Even though the temperature was a reasonably warm 42° Fahrenheit I still wore the Gerbing Electric Gloves. My hands have hardly uttered a complaint all winter. Stopping to make the above picture I gazed at the mountain side and the snow still draped along the ridge wondering if the mountain roads would be freeze of ice. They can get pretty bad and I remembered driving a Jeep down one shaded road once with the driver side door open so I could jump out before the thing went over the edge and into a ravine. Unexpected ice covered roads on a steep incline were too much for a Jeep without chains or studs. No reason to tempt fate with the Vespa.
With the snow mostly gone, lots of rain, and slowly warming temperatures the fields look as if they are ready to spring to life. Before leaving this morning I saw lots of green pushing up out of the ground. In a few more weeks the world will be a different place.
Riding across the valley I had the road to myself. I still pay close attention for traffic though especially when I stop to make a picture. With the helmet still on and earplugs in I really need to rely on my vision because I’m not going to hear tire noise creeping up on me. Snow was still piled along the roads in wooded areas that don’t get the wind to help with evaporation.
Ever the master of good choices I choose a dirt road to explore. Make that mud. It wound through one of the larger State Gamelands but it wasn’t much fun pushing the scooter so much. And the Pirelli tires are just worthless in mud. I managed less than a mile before my mind (and stomach) suggested I head towards an eating establishment for breakfast.
I stopped at the Pump Station for a Jump Start — eggs, bacon, and cheese on a bagel, and some orange juice. It’s nice and just sit alone and watch the world go by. At times like that I don’t have a care in the world. I couldn’t pass up a picture of the buffalo clock. There was one with a horse too I think but the buffalo caught my fancy. It’s been a few years since any of those roamed naturally here.
It was a short Sunday morning ride. Maybe 35 miles. Warm weather and months of things falling from our trees meant I needed to start raking and getting ready for the rush of new growth. It’s good honest work. As I type now just about all body parts are crying. I’m either getting old or out of shape in ways I cannot imagine. Riding just isn’t much in the way of physical exercise. Maybe if I had kept on that mud road things would be different…
As a somewhat regular reader, I am curious what you odometer says.
Bob
$7.68 for 2.135 gallons of regular in the Big Ruckus last night. And pretty much the same for my Blazer as for your Ford. Last fill-up was $56.00 back when the price was only $3.29. Ahh, the good old days.
Have fun,
Bill
Mud and Vespa don’t seem like a good mix. Maybe you should get yourself a Kawasaki KLR. You know you want one!
geez, you say “cheap fuel” and I say “free fuel” !!!
if i take my calculator I see you pay fuel around 60 eurocents per litre, and we italians pay 1.4 euros per litre!!! that’s less than half!
incredible.
then the world worries about the ozone layer… I always state that I would pay fuel twice the price I pay it now if it could dissuade stupid SUV drivers from firing up their energy crunchers to drive half a mile and buy their stupid classy magazine.
It’s nonsense, though, if you who live in the US can buy fuel for such a ridiculous price.
I’m not upset with you, Steve, don’t worry; we Vespa riders are joyful energy savers; I ride to work every day for a total of 42 kms burning half the fuel I would do with my car…
Car drivers should thank us.
oh, and maybe buy a Vespa! 😉
Diesel is up to $4.10 a gallon right now – and though historically we have gotten better gas mileage in a diesel car, the fact that the cost/gallon is so high is negating that point unfortunately. We have finally reached a point where we question whether or not we should drive to the bookstore just for the sake of driving to the bookstore to get out. It isn’t that we can’t afford gas, but the increasingly steep cost makes us want to drive much less. What is really eye opening is that not only is the cost of diesel high – but diesel is just glorified heating oil. People who heat their house with nothing but oil must be paying a fortune. I think we are going to have to start looking at getting bus passes. : /