Day 06

I know I promised an update yesterday but I wasn't in much of a mood to blog.... so here goes.

To start, let me say that I'm home. :(

Here's a quick recap of what went wrong over the last couple of days.  As you know the clutch cable snapped.  My first reaction was "crap, that's no good."  The good news was I know how to shift without a clutch (but I wouldn't recommend it) so I was able to get it pulled over safely.

I've replaced clutch cables before on my '64, so I had a good idea on what to do (granted I've never done it on the side of the road before).  So I found a patch of gravel and got to work.  A very nice man (Jason if I remember correctly) stopped over to see what was going on and asked if I needed assistance.  We chatted for a bit and I got to work.

After about an hour I realized I was not going to be able to get the new cable down the sheath, it felt like the cable was getting caught on something.  Jason offered to run to his house and pick up some oil to see if that would help.  Another hour or so passed and we still had no luck.  Jason graciously loaded the Vespa into the back of his truck and drove me to The Chop Shop in Casper WY (about 45 miles away).

I would just like to say that Wyoming is an beautiful state with awesome people in it.

With professional help (no, not that kind of help) I was able to get the new clutch cable installed, but not very well.  We're guessing the sheath must be bent or damaged in some way that is causing the cable to crimp and birdcage.  Also, due to the age of the cables, it doesn't look like sheath has an inner nylon sleeve.  So basically, the metal of the cable is rubbing on the metal of the sheath.

While working at The Chop Shop, I was talking to the mechanics about why it might be running so sluggishly.  (see, back in CA it had quite a bit of pickup that seemed to have gotten lost along the way).  One cause could be the jet size on the carb, and I didn't have the correct one with me (apparently you need to put in a bigger main jet as you increase in altitude).

On top of that, I also took note earlier in the day there was a vibration in one of the wheels, and I have no idea what that's all about.

Since this was my first few days with this bike, I really didn't want to take another chance at breaking down someplace else.  (I got lucky this time by breaking down in a populated town with helpful people).  Oh, that was another thing I learned.  Wyoming is very, very spread out.  With 50-100 miles between towns, I didn't feel like taking that kind of risk.

Needless to say, I reluctantly rented a truck and strapped in the Vespa for the voyage home.  Now back in WI I plan on replacing the sheath for the clutch and break cables and checking into the wheel issue.  I should have it up and running within a day or two.  The carb should be fine since CA and WI are about the same height above sea level.

I also plan on recapping what I've learned from this trip and what I'll be doing differently next time.  Oh yes, there will be a next time.  Come hell or high water I'm making a Vespa cross the USA.

- Michael

Day 05 update

Vespa broken and now on a truck.   News at 11.

Day 4 update

Broke the clutch cable in Douglas Wyoming. On my way back to Casper to get it fixed. 

Day 03

Sadly the Vespa started the day strapped in the back of the truck (and is still there), however the day wasn't a total lose.  I was able to make it up to Casper WY, so the truck driving part of the trip is now over.  With the heat, and those pesky mountains behind me, I can get back on the Vespa to finish up my trek.
Since today was spent driving the truck and not the Vespa, there's not much to recap.  I did stop off at the Salt Flats, made it through Utah, and most of the way through Wyoming.  I did have plenty of chances to pull over and take some great photos of the landscapes.  Here are just a few.
I'm sure tomorrow will be more adventurous, so I hope to have more to talk about.
- Michael

Day 02

Today was a very interesting and intense day to say the least.  I started out around 6:30 AM (PST) and headed East.  I had a great ride through the mountains and into Lake Tahoe.  I made it to Lake Tahoe around 10:30 AM (PST) and filled up the tank and grabbed some food.  I then headed to Carson City, which is a nice place by the way.  I stuck to Hwy 50 into Nevada since I knew I couldn't keep up with traffic on I-80 (the speed limit out here is 75mph).
I pulled into Fallon around 1:00 PM (PST) and by that time I was burnt out (the Vespa wasn't enjoying the heat ether).  No mechanical issues to speak of, I could just tell it wasn't happy.  So, reluctantly I picked up a U-hal.  I know what you're thinking (but that's not the point!).  Yep, I get that, but I also don't want to trash the bike I just bought.  So the plan is to truck it out of Nevada and over the Rocky Mountains, once on the other side I'm dropping the truck off and ridding the rest of the way home.
I love the Vespa and I love driving it, but these things aren't built to take the heat and the stress from the mountains.  Oh well, I tried it, and to me that's what counts.
Here's a few pictures from the day.
- Michael

Day 01

Today started around 3:00 AM in WI to getup and make my flight.  Amazingly both my flights were uneventful and landed me in San Francisco early!  After clamming my bag I grabbed a taxi and got over to the scooter shop.  Barry and the entire team at San Fran Scooter Center were awesome.  Barry took the time to go over the bike with me, and walked me through some troubleshooting tips.  While I waited for the paperwork to get finalized I hung out in the shop and got my gear attached to the bike.  (Here's a pic of it loaded down before I set off).
After driving around San Fran for a bit I made my way out of town to Sacramento to hold up in a Ramada for the night.  While prepping the bike for bed I met two other bike enthusiasts were also out on a trek of their own.  I hope their trip goes well too.
Tomorrow I head for Nevada (via the mountains)...  It should be a very interesting day..
- Michael

The Route

I have planed out a rough route across the USA so I can see a few landmarks on my way back.  The markers indicate my nightly stop, so between the markers is what I must travel each day.  I would like to stop in Salt Lake City to see the Bonneville Salt Flats, visit Mount Rushmore, and swing through Rapid City.  I also plan on taking time to visit all road side attractions I come across.

View CA2WI in a larger map

- Michael

Packing

Now this is a challenge.  There are several things I need to take into consideration that you normally don't think about when packing your luggage.  First, and most importantly I need to think about weight.  Vespa's are not known for their towing capacity, so how much stuff I bring will be key. 

Another important point is tools.  I need to be prepared for most anything, so what to bring?  Weather will also be a factor in packing.  My luggage will be exposed to the elements while I'm driving.  Technology, what and how much tech do I bring with me?  OK, let's break it down into a couple of categories to try and  make it easier.  This is what I have so far.

Tools

• Tire pump
• Wrenches (6 to 14 mm should be good)
• Socket for wheel nuts (might need a long handle for leverage)
• Magnetic cup (to hold nuts & bults on the side of the road)
• Screwdriver set
• Needle nose pliers
• Grease (a small cup should be good)
• Electrical and duck tape
• Zip ties (various sizes)

Technology

• Cell phone (GPS built in)
• Extra cell phone batteries
• Camera
• Tablet w/ keyboard
• Pocket camcorder

Personal Items

• Clothes
• Hygean items
• Emergency food
• Water
• Sunscreen / lip balm

The Bike

I have been working with my new friend Barry at Sand Fran Scooter Center to get a 1977 Vespa Rally 200 up and ready to go.  With a solid frame, new tires, and a rebuilt motor I'm feeling confident the trip should be smooth.  Of course that doesn't mean I'm not going to plan for the worst.  Along with a tool bag I plan on packing some spare parts.  Things like:

• Inner tubes
• Cable set (cluch, brakes, etc)
• Crank case oil
• 2-stroke oil (of course)

I still have to do a bit more research on this exact model to see if there are other things I should be packing also.  Here's a pic of what it looks like today.

It's Official

The plane tickets have been booked and the Vespa has been picked out.  Now that I know what model I'll be getting I can do some more detailed planning.
Michael

Safety Gear

You should always take safety into account, even when driving around town, but driving across the country is a bit different.  Luckily the great people at Cedar Creek Motorsports helped me pick out the correct gear for my trek.  So, what is the correct gear for a trip of this magnitude?  That's a great question, and honestly one I don't have the answer to.

I was thinking it would be best to prep for most weather, take into account any laws in the various states I'm going to be going through, and of course comfort.  Since not having the correct gear due to a law could land me in hot water, I thought it best to go with a HJC full face helmet.  To tackle common weather issues, and for comfort sake, I selected a tourmaster jacket and gloves (wind & rain resistant of course).  I already have riding boots so I should be set there.  I'm thinking this should be good for now, unless my research uncovers something else I might need.

- Michael

Tire Repair

One of the worst things I can think of that would happen while on the road would be a flat tire.  To over come that I went down to Emerys bike shop to look at some pumps and repair kit options.  They not only answered all my questions, they even let me try a few different pumps to make sure I got one that would work.  That's what I call customer service!

Here's what I picked up:

• Bontrager Mini foot pump
• ParkTool TB-2 Tire Boot patches
• ParkTool GP-2 Super patches

The pump is a bit larger then I wanted, but after giving it a try in the shop I knew one of the small hand pumps would not work out well.  After I pick up some more supplies I figure I'll give it a test run before leaving town.

- Michael

The Date

So the date has been picked.  Although not set in stone, I'm currently planning on leaving May 31st and making it back to WI by June 10th.  Now the planning can really start.

- Michael

Intro

This is the start of a blog / journal I will keep while driving a Vintage Vespa across the USA (well, most of the way across).  My plan is a simple one, or so I think.  I live in Wisconsin.  I plan to fly out to California to purchase a Vespa (something from the early '70s).  I will then drive it  back home. The trip should take me on a 2,200 mile journey.

I came up with this idea about a year ago and have been looking into it ever since.  I plan to leave some time in May or June depending on the weather, and that's coming up fast.  I've kicked my planning into high gear and wanted to start my blog now so I could not only share my trip, but also everything that goes into planning it.

A bit of background before we kick things off.  I've been riding Vespas for more then a decade now.  I've driven my faithful ET2 50cc over 300 miles in a single day (so I'm no stranger to long rides).  Like most seasoned riders, I too have taken a spill and laid my Vespa down.  Although I do all my own repair work, I wouldn't call myself a master mechanic, but it's safe to say I know my way around tools.  Without some of this prior knowledge I don't think I would attempt such a trek by myself.

Let the planning begin.

I hope you enjoy reading this blog, and I hope it helps you plan your next adventure.
- Michael