This morning, I dropped off the kids at school (which is about two blocks from our house) and then drove to home and traded my car for the Vespa. I switched on the gas, pulled the choke, and then attempted to kick start it. On the second kick, I got some life. On the third kick, Heebie started right up.

I drove him to work and then had to leave in a car pool to Atlanta for a crisis preparedness seminar. It was held at the Georgia Aquarium. As we walked through the parking garage, I saw a Vespa-like scooter parked against a wall. Sure enough, it was a Stella. I knew somewhere in the building was a kindred spirit.

On the way back to Greenville on I-85 I saw a scooter ahead of us. Something about it made me think it might be one of the new 200 retro Vespas. Then again, it didn't seem exactly right. I knew it wasn't a motorcycle. Then we pulled up beside it and I saw the Piaggio emblems. It was a Piaggio X9 Evolution 500. Having been tested at 110 mph, I don't think the driver was going to have much trouble staying with traffic.

Sure, it wasn't retro, but it was still pretty cool.

We arrived back with enough time for me to get some work done at the office and then it was time to go home. I went out to the parking lot and in two kicks I had the scooter running and ready to take me home. He did that just wonderfully.

Sometimes it is nice to have an uneventful day...