Episode 89 - The Vespa 180ss and a Return to Denver

SHOW NOTES: Compared to last week, this week’s riding has been all about the rain. Even the Seven hills Club ride last Sunday was marked by sprinkles and a few down pours. But of course that didn’t stop the die-hard scooterists like myself who did turn out. I have an interview with musician Jason Reeves who has hooked up with Vespa for a westcoast ride and concert tour they are calling the Vespa Experiment and I have a few comments on last week’s live streaming of the PoliniUSA cup from Atwater, CA.

SHOW NOTES: The riding here in Richmond has been fantastic, warm weather reaching into the 80s. I hope to be riding to work most this coming week. I have a interview with Harold Smith. He and his friend Graham have put together an impressive live video streaming site for scooter and moped racing. They are planning to broadcast the 2009 PoliniUSA starting this coming weekend.

SHOW NOTES: I have been noticing that a lot of scooter clubs are starting to advertise their spring and summer rallies. Here in Richmond we are looking forward to the Dogwood Classic, a scooter weekend in May that usually includes lots of food and drink. Stick around, I talk more about some of the other up coming rallies and I have an interview from England with Nick Bennett, the organizer of the European pinball championship tournament.

SHOW NOTES: It’s been great riding weather here in the south and the 7 Hills Scooter Club ride this past Sunday was marked by a warm 70 degree day. I talk about that and play an interview with Jake Stept, who built an electric Vespa from scratch.

SHOW NOTES: It has been weeks since the last podcast and you may be wondering what happened. I was a little under the weather for a while, but other than that I have been vacillating back and forth thinking, "write damn it write!" I have been stock piling ideas and spent the past few weeks doing background work on a couple of shows coming up in the next month, but for the most part, it's been spring cleaning, polishing the scooters and waiting for some spring time riding weather. It finally seems to have come.

SHOW NOTES: I have all of my scooters running again. With a little help from Scoot Richmond, I finally got my favorite scoot, a pristine little red 1965 Vespa 180ss, running and took along Richmond's Riverside Drive. I also talk more about my upcoming return trip to Denver.

SHOW NOTES: I mentioned last week that I was making a quick trip out to Denver. It was a smooth trip for me, but I paused once again to reflect on how fateful life is when I woke on Friday morning and heard that a plane had crashed in New York. I talk more about that and share a few scooter stories from my short time in Denver.

SHOW NOTES: I mentioned last week that I have been pod casting for two years. Many of you wrote to say congratulation and how do you do it. It got me thinking and all I can say is that it's persistence. Maybe that is one of my better qualities. Come to think of it, maybe it also describes a necessary quality for anyone who is into scooting or at least those of us who are into vintage scooters.

SHOW NOTES: This show is a bit of a milestone marking my second full year of pod casting and blogging. To some of you that may not seem like a big deal, but for someone like me who is easily distracted, it represents a big responsibility. I owe you a great deal of thanks for encouraging me to continue. Thanks

SHOW NOTES: I really love January. It has to be one of the great months of the year for me, a time when everything at work comes together and culminates in a four week whirlwind of activity. It's something akin to the world's best double cheeseburger with a fudge Sunday chaser for dessert. I will give you a few more insights into my day job and of course throw in a few Internet scooter resources I have been checking out.