Those who Vespa eat apples...

Alright, another positive one. Trying to build up some good karma. We'll see how long that lasts.

Vespas were made purely for fun. Looking at one: you can't help but smile (or at least smirk for those of us who don't smile). Riding one: pure joy. The name even: nothing but fun to say. Go ahead... try to say Vespa in an angry way... i double dog dare you.

i recently took a two and a half our trip down the coast (and eventually the 2 1/2 hour trip back) on my Vespa px150. i can't even begin to tell you how much fun i had (no really, i can go on for days with curmudgeon grievances but fun is a little hard for me to put into words).

Experiencing travel on two wheels where you are out in the open and aware of every crack in the road, every slight change in wind direction, every change in road slope, every change of background scenery, every smell, and every species of bug that may splatter on you is an invigorating thing. Well worth any of its inherent risk.

Furthermore, the fact that anywhere you stop someone will inevitably come up to you asking "Is that a Vespa?" in an excitable mood is forcing me to somewhat improve my antisocial ways. Listening to strangers tell me about their trip to Italy or about their brother/friend/cousin who used to have a Vespa is actually quite fun. Vespas travel at a relaxed pace and that forces you to slide into a more relaxed frame of mind. Enlightenment through Vespa? Maybe.