Milan to Taranto 2011 (and Back again), or Eat, Sleep, Scoot: Day spent at Casa Lambretta

Today started at 6am. Well, that's when I woke up. Lovely and peaceful B&B though. Can hear the birds singing as I type this.

9am we went to the garage at the back of the B&B and I rolled out my scoot. Here was the moment of truth. I had started it a few weeks ago when I was in the UK, but I never got to ride it. This was the first time....and it started first time!

Ron and I went down the road and got some petrol, and then returned most of the way to go to Casa Lambretta, where we were warmly greeted by Vittorio.

Akiko and Suzanne were already waiting for us and Vittorio gave us a personal tour of his scooter museum, the highlight obviously being the Lambretta section.

We got pictures of Akiko with Fuji's, and a very early Japanese scooter. I managed to get a picture with a Swallow Gadabout and, if you know my interest with Jaguars, you'll understand why I was so interested in the Swallow.

With the tour over, Ron and I set to work on our scoots. Mine was mostly cosmetic, but I did have to readjust the clutch as it was way too tight. I did embark on changing the headlight lens, as it was plastic. Changing the headlight meant that I junked the plastic lens, etc and swapped for glass.... then came Lunch.

Vittorio took us for lunch in his huge Caddilac convertible, and we met his son... who speaks excellent English. After lunch, we re-started with the scoots, and my "change the headlight" became, change the headlight, and the reflector and the chrome ring, and headset screws.

By the end of the day, I was finished. Ron's needed a bit more work as he had decided, just in time from the evidence, to change his clutch. So, we are back again tomorrow.

What can I say about working on a scoot in the workshop of Casa Lambretta? It's like a kid in a candy shop. You need a tool... they have it. You need a part... they have it. Wonderful!

Here's some more pics from the museum: