Ramble Plan Lima: DeGidio’s via Vespa!
Weather: 82°F (28°C) With thunderstorms on the horizon.
Road Conditions: Clean and dry, but not for long…
Finally I have a motorbike that looks good in black and white!
Today turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. How often can you say that, especially on a Monday?
I awoke this morning primed for bad news from the weather man. A big storm system was brewing to our southwest, with thunderstorms and large hail, and it was moving in on us at an alarming rate. All through the long night, I listened to the wind howl between the vinyl siding on Ton-Up Manor. I imagined dark clouds gathering, massing for their invasion at sunrise. As I tossed and turned in bed, I began to mentally prepare myself for driving the pickup truck to work, through The Tunnel of Hate on I-94.
But then, an incredible thing happened! As I sipped my coffee at 5:05 in the a.m., I listened to the noble members of the Windsock and Crystal Ball Guild tell me that any storm activity would hold off until late afternoon. Chances were good that Rose and I could enjoy a dry ride to work, and a hail-free ride home. I don’t mind plain old rain, but hail is a real problem on a metal-bodied scooter.
So, with clear sailing ahead, I suited up in my Aerostich and headed out to the garage. Rose started eagerly, as if anxious to begin our first commute together. I know I certainly was. The parkways are empty at this time of morning, yet the sun is close enough to rising that we get that luminous blue glow everywhere, and the headlight is almost superfluous.
We had a smooth ride in, and before I knew it, I was punching the clock, to begin my busy workday. Rose sat out there in the parking lot, smiling at me every time I walked past the window. If she had hands, she would have been crooking a finger at me in a “come hither” gesture, tempting me to cast off the yoke of wage slavery for the day, to come out and play on the roads with her.
But I was engaged in the Serious Business of making the owners of my company even richer than they already are, so there was none of that nonsense in my immediate future. Existential Gravity was in full effect on this volatile Monday, and it was a real struggle to stick around and serve my time. But serve it I did, and I felt no guilt at all as I flew out the door right on the stroke of three-thirty. Free at last!
Rose abides in a privileged spot, outside DeGidio’s Italian Restaurant.
Ramble Plan Lima is really just a modified Alpha, in that we follow that same tried-and-true River Parkway route until we get to our turn-off for the High Bridge. Then, instead of turning right, we turn left, and head back to 425 West 7th Street, where DeGidio’s Restaurant and Bar has been located since 1933.
Click on the link, and it will tell youse all about how Joe “Kid Bullets” DeGidio parlayed a successful bootlegging career into a thriving restaurant business that has survived into the family’s third generation. I love stories like that, and I was so happy to finally get there when they weren’t crowded. Arriving on an iconic Italian scooter made it even more special.
Rose and I got the parking spot closest to the door. Did I tell you that today turned out exactly the way I wanted it to?
After taking the photo up above there, I went inside and found a perfect booth, with decent lighting for photographs, near the door. A younger fellow named Paul appeared immediately, and after we became acquainted, he guessed my order: The Sloppy Hot Dago. This is the delicacy that Arizona Lucky recommended when he turned me on to this place awhile back. When I asked Paul how he knew, he told me, “I know your type.”
Hmmm… I wonder what that means? Well, the rest of the day was going so well, I decided to take it as a compliment.
I was still looking at the very interesting menu when my Dago arrived on the arm of a very attractive waitress. The service was lightning-quick at this early hour, and the half-pound of fresh Italian sausage was smothered between two slices of bread and lots of marinara and melted cheese. Well, see for yourself…
A Dago to Die For! DeGidio’s Sloppy Hot Dago.
This sandwich was spicy enough to please my hardcore palate, and distinctly Italian in character. The sausage was hearty, and I appreciated the pepperoncini on the side. I decided to cut this masterpiece in half, so that I could enjoy it again at lunch tomorrow. My coworkers will be jealous when I pull the leftovers out of the microwave.
The To-Go box fit comfortably under Rose’s saddle, along with my rain gear, camera, and a thick, 600-page copy of LeCarre’s “The Honourable Schoolboy”. I mounted up, and we rode back across the river, stopping on the High Bridge to take the black & white photo you see at the top of the page.
It’s supposed to rain again tomorrow morning. How do you like my chances of having two perfect days in a row?
May 14th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
That scooter does look good in black and white. How are you doing keeping Rose contained within the break-in requriements? The throttle is seductive on the GTS and the fuel injection just makes it go.
I think that scooter sitting outside your employer’s building looks so good that they should compensate you for the attraction! They would agree with that right?
The sandwich looks good, especially right now. I could go to bed or I could run into town for something similar. Damn….
May 14th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Just like your day, the post was excellent. The black and white could almost pass for a vintage photo, and the Dago is right up my appetite alley.
Funny how bringing a Vespa into your life makes things just a little bit sweeter. Here’s to nice weather for Tuesday.
Have fun,
Bill
May 15th, 2007 at 2:20 am
time to start thinking accessories- scooterswest has front racks, windshields and the all-important rear mudflap. money is all it takes….and it took me ( a scooter unknown) four months to get the color-coordinated vintage red topbox from Vespa USA.
May 15th, 2007 at 6:55 am
Steve: I hope you ran into town… But I’m surprised you even asked me that question about break-in. You must know by now that I am a law-abiding, rule-following, decent sort of fellow. How could I not operate within the break-in constraints? Perish the thought!
Bill: You know it! I’ve got a new-bike buzz right now that rivals the one I had when I bought my Ducati 900SS over a decade ago.
conchscooter: Sorry bud, I’m tapped-out. I won’t be buying any accessories for quite some time. Besides, I want to see what I can do with the scoot in its’ stock form. I already have suitable soft luggage for the rear rack. Crash bars would only mess up the sleek lines of the bodywork. Nah, I like Rose just the way she is, for now.
Ride well,
=gc=
May 15th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Gary, There must be something contagious in this virtual community. Between you and Steve Williams, I have found myself thinking about that Lambretta motorscooter I started out on 40+ years ago, and what it would be like to have another Italian scoot.
Secondly, are you going to comment soon on the new 2008 KLR 650?–DBrent
May 15th, 2007 at 9:27 am
Another great blog entry!. And yes, Rose does photograph well in black and white. She reminds me of the scooter in Roman Holiday – I guess Vespas change their body style even less often than KLRs!
I, too, braved the forecasted thunderstorms yesterday and was rewarded with a nice, but hot and sticky, ride to and from work. Today is much, much nicer.
May 15th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Gary:
I ran across Rose’s twin sister last night on my ride home – parked outside the Fed. Reserve in downtown MPLS. Waiting, patiently I bet, for a playmate…
And would you believe our daughters share the same middle name too???
Two Jarheads, two KLRs, and two daughters w/ the same middle name. Man, that is just eerie.
Sidewalk Dan out.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:28 am
D.Brent Miller: Welcome aboard! If you don’t mind, I will heretofore abbreviate your name to “DBM” in answering your comments.
You owe it to yourself to at least test-ride a Vespa, I think you will come away impressed. As for the `08 KLR, as soon as I find a dealership with a demo model, I’ll be doing a Rush Hour Road Test on it. Stay tuned…
Jim C.: The temperature is nicer today, but I wish the sun would come out. I need to get some more photos in the sunlight.
Sidewalk Dan: Now all that remains is for you to buy a scooter! As for the GTS waiting outside the FedRes… was it idling? It occurs to me that the Vespa would make a pretty decent getaway vehicle.
Ride well,
=gc=
May 15th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I sat on that baby at MotoPrimo! I kept wondering why no one had purchased one of the last vintage red GTSs in the country!
I’ve got to get to that restaurant. I work in Mpls but it sounds worth the ride for lunch.
Thanks for blogging!
May 15th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Wow, you had a good day! How did those lurking thunderstorms work out for ya? Some days I really wish I lived someplace that has weather…
Some mouthwatering photos in this post too. Is the b&w photo on the high bridge?
May 15th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Thumbs up on “The Honourable Schoolboy”. It was a long time ago, but I remember it as one of his best.
I can’t read about a Dago without recalling the New Yorker who happened into Red’s Savoy at Lafayette and E. 7th; when he saw it on the menu, he took offense at the ethnic slur. Trouble was, nobody in the whole state of Minnesota had any clue that some people might find “dago” offensive, or why. The Human Rights Department got involved, but eventually the New Yorker went back to New York. Red still has the Dago on his menu.
May 15th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Larry: Welcome aboard! The fact that Vintage Red was going away was a big motivator in my decision to purchase, rather then just doing the “Long Term Test” deal. Automatic scooters are addicting.
If you had asked me, ten years ago, whether I could ever see myself commuting on a scooter, I would have told you, “Only if I lose my legs.” – or something like that. But “The Baron in Winter” showed me what modern scooters are capable of, and testing the new generation of 250cc machines showed me that they could be very sporty as well. I’m hooked now…
AZLucky: I want to thank you for recommending DeGidio’s! I have ridden past that place more times than I can count. But the signage and black paint on the outside are so low-key that it never even registered in my vision as I negotiated heavy traffic on West 7th Street.
It will be a regular destination now. If you ever make it back up here, Lucky, I owe you a Dago.
Oh, and Yes, the b&w photo was on the High Bridge.
Buster: LeCarre (David Cornwell) is one of my favorite authors of all time. I haven’t read or seen the movie interpretation of “The Constant Gardener” yet, and I’m not sure I want to. It seems that he lost a lot of his currency after the Cold War ended. But I will work my way through everything he has written, eventually. Maybe the perspective of time and age will help me to understand his later works.
The Savoy… I’ve never eaten there. I wouldn’t dare park Rose in their lot. But Frogwing would fit right in. Maybe it’s time…
Ride well,
=gc=
May 16th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Good looking eats, good looking scooter.
I like the red, but the black and white was the right choice here.
Sounds like a great day.
Think we got your rain, it’s a rain suit Wednesday round here.
May 17th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Man, that is one great looking bike! I guess I’ll see more of it soon, eh?
Harv
ps send email in case you haven’t already got the address.
October 2nd, 2007 at 12:22 am
Nice scooter,am looking at that same model for my son. I appreciate the good review of my family’s restauarnt as well.