Simple Vespa Riding

The hot weather has vanished and I’ve been on the scooter more. Riding nowhere in particular. Just enjoying the passing landscapes. A stop along a rural road to admire the field corn, tall and lush from an abundance of sunshine and moisture.

I ride a Vespa scooter because it’s easy. And it can do practically anything. Anywhere. With few exceptions (water crossings and deep mud), most of the scooter’s limitations exist between my ears.

A recent email I received from a rider in Nova Scotia has been rattling in my head. Specifically, a short passage regarding a cross continent trip from Washington state to Nova Scotia:

“Most of that 14-day adventure (almost exclusively across America) is a blur to me. Like so much of my riding up to that point, my focus was 150 feet off of the front wheel and hitting every apex with surgical precision. In the process, I missed a great deal of beauty.”

I read about people making grand adventures; on two-wheels, on cruise ships, in cars. And I marvel at the distances traveled and the experiences consumed. But it all seems rushed.Continue Reading