vespa-licious


i love vespa's. do you see the joy on this girl's face? it could be the statuesque man waving his goodbye in the background, but more likely she is riding away from him with reckless abandon. most likely, that pure joy is the vespa.

just look at her... her scarf taming down her windblown hair, her sunglasses worn to perfection. she is free as a bird. free from tethers and chains and the struggles of life. nothing but her, the humming engine of her machine, the cobblestone road, the wind whipping wildly around her. nothing but her, and the road, and not a worry in the world.

there is something about a vespa. something that i truly love, that i truly would love to have.

when i was in europe, every block, every city center, i was oogling vespas. they were everywhere. and i loved them all. vintage ones, new ones, old rusty barely running ones. i snapped pictures, and smiled like a goon, and was sure to check out every guy riding one.

i live in omaha. land of icy winters, and sweltering summers, and potholes. where the city spans over 120 square miles. a vespa is the least practical thing ever. but if i lived in phoenix, or somewhere in italy, and suddenly had a much larger income than i have now... i would totally buy a vespa.

http://scrappingal.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/pink-vespa.jpg
look at this pink one. darling.

but this is the guy that really has my heart...

http://2strokebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/169-vespa-GTV.jpg
vespa gtv 250. this is perfection in a scooter... marvelously vintage, and powerful, and lovely.

i could totally see myself cruising around on this... with a scarf loosely wrapped around my head, holding my perfect hair in place, and my sunglasses as big as my head keeping the bright sunshine from my early cataract-ed eyes. with a baguette and fresh cheese in a bag on my handle bar, and a book and journal strapped tightly to my seat. i would ride out to nowhere, or to the city center. i would dream and think, and clear my head for miles, and then i would park my vespa and sit and dream and think some more.

but vespas are just a pipe dream, and i am okay with that... i still have my dreams of the french countryside, or the italian city center, and my and my vespa. besides, i don't think you can fit a car seat on the back of a vespa.

Comments

  1. Me too. When our kids are grown and in college, we will drag the boys to Europe and Spring in Paris, Summer in Italy, Fall in Romania and Winter in Greece and ride all over and in between on our Vespas!

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  2. I love when you share your dreams. It inspires me to start dreaming again.
    Denise

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  3. i love vespas! there was a vespa store not far from my house in college and i often drooled as i walked by.

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  4. rach, that is the best idea ever! i am going to keep you to that one.

    denise, that is one of the nicest compliments i have ever received... to encourage others to dream, just makes my heart happy :)

    shelby, drooling often ensues around vespa stores... they just have that effect on people.

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  5. Anonymous09:56

    MS, We don't have a Vespa, but we do have a scooter. and when i was pregnant my husband wouldn't let me ride it. urg.

    I love scooters - always have. I have brilliant memories of borrowing my hall director's Spree to go to study sessions at Country Kitchen my freshman year.... it's not a Vespa, but hey, it was SOMETHING...

    sigh.

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  6. I cannot help but think of some MxPx lyrics in Do Your Feet Hurt: "Take a ride on my Vespa, I'll take you home." Makes me want to listen to them...it has been far too long. Thank you for the reunion with my first punk rock band!

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  7. Jennifer10:26

    Maybe you could move to Denver. Lots of people have Vespas here. We even see people riding with their kids on them. Not sure if that's legal or not though. It's not so cold here, so you could ride it more often.
    Think about it...

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  8. I want that poster. Where did you find it?

    Yes. We went and priced them last summer.

    I want one too.

    I am fond of red.

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  9. Anonymous13:34

    You make me smile! I love your dreams. - Mom

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  10. donna, i would be so jealous if you had a vespa. they sell that poster at allposters.com

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  11. Amanda S.18:52

    Hi my favorite blogger. I want a vespa so bad too! I always imagined myself with a purple vespa. I picture it much like you do with a flowing skirt feeling carefree and just loving life. I want to do my errands with a vespa. The only problem is aren't they kinda slow?

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  12. I'm with Donna. Bright red. It's a big dream for me.

    My Claire (currently age 14) has serious vespa plans. I just might have to borrow hers.

    Di

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