Cross country on a Vespa

[JaimeC]

Just saw this article. Sounds like FUN! Wish I had that kind of time off...

Actor Armie Hammer and Friends Crossing U.S. on Vespas | Rider Magazine

 

[Xian Forbes]

I have a buddy who drove from San Jose Ca to the Arctic Circle through Alaska on a late 60's Vespa Rally 180. He only had a waxed cotton Belstaff jacket and whatever would fit on the bike. I always thought that taking an epic journey on a small bike would be super fun.

 

[Skutorr]

OR, a trip through the Sierras in the SPRING on a C600...H-m-m-m?
You're just across the VALLEY from Coarsegold, Christian!

 

[SteveADV]

Just saw this article. Sounds like FUN! Wish I had that kind of time off...

Actor Armie Hammer and Friends Crossing U.S. on Vespas | Rider Magazine

Never did anything like that on a PTW of any sort, but I bet it gets real old after a couple days on something that small. Geez, doing it in a car is also a pain. To complete my Debbie Downer comment, I bet most don't get past the first week.

Then again, if you have 3 weeks and an interesting itinerary, maybe it will be a blast. Looking forward to reading about it. At least one of the participants will be blogging no doubt.

 

[JaimeC]

I did a three week cross country crossing a few summers ago. Started out with my wife on the back and we kicked off our tour at the BMW MOA Rally in Bloomsburg, PA. From there we made a stop in Sandusky, OH to spend a day at Cedar Point, and then we headed off to Duluth, MN to visit the Aerostich factory. That's where everything went wrong.

When getting off the bike at the factory, my wife's heel got caught on the seat somehow, and in trying to get it free, she tumbled off the bike and broke her wrist. She was taken to the hospital where they plated her wrist and we had three unplanned days in Duluth. There was no way she could finish the ride, and no way I could even ride her home so we put her on a plane and I arranged for a friend of mine to pick her up at the airport when she arrived. I was going to head straight home after her, but she INSISTED I finish the trip as I rarely have that kind of time off and she didn't want me to (consciously or subconsciously) blame her for not being able to see it through.

After a lot of discussion, I decided to press on, though I did have to alter the route considerably. Now, instead of visiting Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and other locations south, I'd stay with my friend in Northern California for a couple of days and then head straight back home on I-80. I did take two detours on the way, stopping to see "Carhenge" in Nebraska, and spend a day at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

On the way out I visited a couple I'd met through Facebook (they live in Sheridan, WY) and rode through Yellowstone Park for the first time in my life. It was a "Griswold Visit" though. Stopped at Old Faithful to record the eruption, then rode right back out again. BEAUTIFUL park and even though I didn't stop anywhere else the views from the road were spectacular. Prior to Wyoming, I also rode through the Badlands of South Dakota and stopped for lunch at Wall Drug. This was the weekend BEFORE Sturgis, so there weren't any crowds. Saw Mt. Rushmore and spent some time at Crazy Horse mountain (the last time I'd been out that way, he didn't have a face, so they've made a lot of progress).

So, three weeks on the road, two and half weeks all by myself with some stops to visit friends. I'm actually fine on trips like that. I find my motorcycle club jacket, and even my license plate, is a fine conversation starter the farther I get from home.

Photos from that trip: http://jaime.nassauwings.org:8800/cgi-bin/PhotoAlbum.rex?2011_Grand_Tour_of_the_US

 

[JaimeC]

Addendum: If you've seen the photos, you'll note the two Burgmans parked at Wall Drug. I passed them on I-90... it was a couple on Burgmans, both packed to the GILLS. The husband's scooter was even pulling a trailer. That's when I realized you CAN go cross country on a big scooter.

 

[Skutorr]

Those guys are doing that Vespa trip HARD CORE. On 150s, not the 300s!!

 

[JaimeC]

Back in my MUCH fitter, high school days a buddy and I did a weeklong trip through New England by BICYCLE.

 

[SteveADV]

Jaime,

My iPad only shows a run of pictures at the top of the linked page which I can't enlarge. Is that the right size or is there a way to expand them?

 

[SteveADV]

Back in my MUCH fitter, high school days a buddy and I did a weeklong trip through New England by BICYCLE.

Yeah well, there's a lot of things we did better in our much fitter days

When I was 16 I rode a Honda 50 from Solon Ohio to Meadville Pa (1 1/2 hrs by car)...much of it in the rain. My helmet was an old Philadelphia Eagles leather (yes, leather) football helmet I found in my great uncle's basement. I don't remember how long it took. Interestingly, I also don't remember how many girls I picked up along the way.

 

[JaimeC]

Jaime,

My iPad only shows a run of pictures at the top of the linked page which I can't enlarge. Is that the right size or is there a way to expand them?

"Touch" one of the thumbnails at the top, and you'll get a "Preview" sized photo in the lower panel. Touch that to download the full-sized image (if you want it). The upper panel also scrolls left and right so you can see all of the photos.

 

[SteveADV]

Went waaay right and down and got it as a slide show. Looks like you had a great time; uh, well, most of the time. Sorry to hear one of our gals got hurt. Hopefully, she is fully repaired and back riding.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[JaimeC]

She's slowly recovering. She fully intends to be able to take a trip to Nova Scotia this summer, now that ferry service has been restored. We'll be doing it on the LT though, not the scooter.