Show notes: If you have been following my blog you know I have had a few interruptions in my regular routine. I’ll try to catch up and there is allot to catchup on.

First, Amerivespa is now open for registration. If you haven’t been over to the sight click on over and you can find more details on the event which is being held in Chattanooga Tennessee. I am still not sure if I am going to make it. I am suppose to be in Denver on that weekend for a wedding, Marcel’s boss’ daughter, so it’s kind of a big deal. I may have to settle for only one or two days and make the rally a stop over.

Another significant event is happening this weekend up in New York city. It is the NYC Scooter Block party. I got an invitation by email, but with everything else going on I just could swing getting up there. The videos that have been produced from past parties make it look like on of the years greatest rallies. Maybe someone can give me a report on how it went.

As I have been catching up on my reading I saw that Don Burnside (DB from the mini podcast) is still listening to SCTRCST, but more interesting, he is a big music fan and recommended The Roadhouse podcast. It reminded me of the kind of roots blues and that I grew up loving, so I am suggesting you check it out.

I have gotten a few emails from listeners who are talking about getting back into riding after laying off for a number of years. Doug in Sacramento wrote asking about where to go for model comparisons and at first I wasn’t sure what to say because many of us in scooting have pretty bias opinions. I thought for a while and decide to tell him to do as much local in store research as possible and ride a number of different bikes. I have said at other times, before you by that beautiful chrome filled 50cc make sure it fits your riding needs. But beyond this, I do think it is good to have a few references to fall back on, especially if you are just starting. Scoot magazine reviews are always fair and honest. I heard April Whitney talk one time about how they will not review a scooter unless they can have it for several weeks, to really test it out. They also have seen allot over the years and can compare brands and models. After that I say go to some of the scooter blogs where testing is a regular part of their work. These are the ones you always hear me talking about like The ScooterScoop and 2strokebuzz. Another which has quite a few reviews is David Harrington’s Just Gotta Scoot. Along with his written reviews he frequently talks about his test rides on his podcast of the same name.

One of the more exciting pieces of news for me came out a few weeks ago from Italy when Piaggio announced it was producing a GTS 300 Super. Now my GTS 250 has plenty of power for hopping on the freeway, but I must say, the idea of having more is enticing. There were a number of bloggers who posted the announcement and a few pictures on their websites, but if you want to see the original story and numerous pictures, well over two dozen, go to the source at motoblog. It is an Italian site, but is easily translated by your Firefox browser or through Google translation. Don’t miss it. Hope we see this one in the US very soon.

For those of you looking to book some last minute travel, Vespa Week is scheduled to start in a few days in Treviso Italy. This should be one of the years biggest Vespa events with the power to draw thousands of Vespa fans from all over Europe. The event beings on May 29th and goes through June 2nd and if you have never been to this part of Italy it is beautiful and of course like most European rallies, there will be plenty of touring and racing. You can find out more about the event at the Vespa Week website.

Websites and blog

• Brian over at 2stroke buzz pulled up with a link that I also saw regarding Japanese customized scooters.
• Andy over at the classic scooter collector picked up a motor-less Lambretta LD Mk1 which has an amazing story.
• Ever wondered why anyone in their right mind would live in the Pacific Northwest of British Columbia just look at the website that Orin over at Scootin old Skool turned me on to. It is called Bobskoot’s Wet Coast Scooting.

Music for this show

This show is dedicated to Sean Costello. Sean was one of music’s most promising Blues player who died suddenly this past April, a day before his 29th birthday. I think you will agree, we have lost a gifted individual. Visit his website and find more of his music at itunes and the Podsafe Music Network

 

 Episode 60 [28:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Show notes: As usual, this has been a week of playing catch up having spent several days last week and the weekend in New York City. As I mentioned last week, it was well worth it. In addition, this truly is spring time here in Virginia and I have been out riding my scooters every chance I get.

You may have noticed on 2 Stroke Buzz and other blog sites, that Alix left Richmond this past Friday to start her three month odyssey, scooting around the US. I have mentioned Alix Bryant here several times in the past year and even got to interview her a few weeks back about this years plan for the second half of her scooter ride for peace. I have seen plenty of pictures of Alix who is a bundle of energy, but met Alix in person for the first time last Friday at Scoot Richmond. She is a thin, hyper, smiling little waif, hardly the kind of person you would think takes off to ride across the state let along across the country and back. If she cracks the scale at over 90 pounds I would be surprise, but she makes an immediate impression by talking openly about her values, what’s really important in life and taking a stand on environmental issues with no apologies.

Alix pulled out of the Scoot Richmond parking lot alone, on her loaded Genuine Buddy 125 about 2:00 pm on Friday. Make sure you go to Alix’s site and throw some support her way. You can follow her progress and contact her when she approaches your town by leaving her a message on the website. I hope to catch up with her and our other cross country friend, Matua of Vespadition in about a month and if I can, we’ll put together a live show where you can call-in and talk with them. How about that, another new venture in the Scootercast effort to master new technology.

Music for this show is from the Podsafe Music Network

• Open all nite by the The Gentleman Callers
• Dont dont dont The Gentleman Callers

 

 Episode 59 [23:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One of the great rock anthems of my youth is The Who’s My Generation. I can’t tell you how many bands I have played in where all the songs had this message. Of course we always emphasized the most alienating lyrics like “don’t try to dig what we all say” and “hope I die before I get old”. Now that I have a few years under my belt, as well as a few pounds, I understand that some of that was the usual adolescent angst, but still find myself screaming those same familiar lyrics and living a life of paradoxical intention (look it up).

It may be old news to some, but several years ago the BBC put together a documentary on the isolation and imprisonment experienced by the elderly which included the following video of the Zimmers, featuring a 90 year old lead singer. Think about it…are you ever really too old to ROCK?