Piaggio-- aka Vespa -- Saturday, 11 Aprile,

While our trip is mostly an excuse for, and inspired by, celebrating Alaine's 50th year (and, as it happens, our 25 years "solid"), there was one place that I wanted to go (since we were going to be in Italy...). Most people know we own a own a Vespa--not one of the little ones that turns over 6,000 RPMs just to go 30mph as one might assume. But a larger 250cc machine that will do 70mph (on twelve inch wheels, mind you). And it gets close to 70 miles to the gallon which was bonus when gas was hitting $4 a gallon. At the end of the day it was a cheap midlife crisis.

So, being we are in Italy and all, and that Piaggio, the parent company of Vespa, has a museum not 20k from Pisa,... well, we just had to stop by.

The company Piaggio ...

designed lots of things, like trolly cars,

airplanes,

cars,

fire trucks (laugh if you want but on the very very narrow streets of Italy these things were great),

ape (Ah-pay, Italian for bee and quite common to see them on the road but not as nicely painted as this one by a local artist.),

and, of course, Vespa (Italian for wasp. That 1967 white one is going to be my next midlife crisis.).

All of which was designed, back in the 40s, the old fashioned way,

and, mostly by this man, Corradino D'Ascanio.