Vespa ride to Jasper National Park, Alberta

These are pictures from our latest tour to Jasper National Park. It was a fantastic trip and I can't wait to go back. Stunning scenery! 

All these pictures are taken from Highway 93

This is what a forest fire looks like when it has been only burning a couple hours.

Absolutely beautiful

The Weeping Wall

Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, Alberta

After the scenic ride on David Thompson Highway we were now getting closer to highway 93, this road will take us along the Icefield Parkway in Jasper National Park. This area is my favourite, while driving this highway you will be amazed at all the scenery and mountain views. I recommend pulling over and stopping at the viewing areas so you can take in all the scenery. You miss a lot while driving and having to watch the road and other vehicles in front of you. There is just so much to see, take the time to enjoy all of it!

Traveling on the Icefields Parkway #93 to Athabasca Glacier located in Jasper National Park, Alberta

You will have to purchase a Parks Canada pass and there are booths located when entering the National Parks. My husband and I purchased a one year pass and this allows easy access into Jasper and Banff National Park. Our pass allows for 7 motorcycles to travel together through the gate. The cost was around $136.00 but a daily family/group pass will cost you about $19.60 and you can enjoy the park for a day.

Fantastic views are everywhere! I love touring this area, one of my all time favourites.

Before entering the Icefields area we were cooking hot, and the sun was beating down on us. We ran out of drinking water and discussed how next time we will pack a lot more water for sure. We met a great couple from Ontario and they shared their water with us, filling up one of our drinking bottles. We offered to pay but they wouldn't take our money, and said they were happy to help. They were traveling to British Columbia and my husband recommended they take a tour through the Kaslo and Nakusp area. They were wonderful and I was very thankful to have talked with them.

Athabasca Glacier parking lot for tourists. The Glacier Discovery Centre is behind us across the highway.

The one thing you will notice when driving closer to the Athabasca Glacier is how the temperature will drop. You will really feel it when riding a scooter or motorcycle. It's an awesome feeling when you are driving in hot temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius/91 Fahrenheit and then it's chilly cold with the strong breeze coming off the glacier. We drove to a viewing area to get a closer look. It was a great moment, and you feel so small when looking up at this massive sheet of ice coming out of the Columbia Icefield. 

Enjoying this incredible ride with my Vespa GTV300ie 

The Athabasca Glacier can also be seen from the highway and the traffic in this area becomes quite slow as it is a 50 kph zone. But that is okay, the views are awesome and I enjoy having the time to look around. My Vespa was great to ride in this area and I was having a lot of fun. There are also quite a few tour buses coming out of the Glacier Discovery Centre that is across the highway from the glacier. You are welcome to stop in their parking lot if you want to take a Glacier Tour in an Ice Explorer bus vehicle. I also have seen signs that you can eat there too, I have never stopped in but I would like to check this place out the next time we ride through this area. It is very busy at peak tourism time but the tours go all day and into late afternoon.

This roadside marker shows you where the Athabasca Glacier used to be in 1935

I highly recommend seeing the Athabasca Glacier as a great motorcycle riding experience. If you love scenic drives, this is for sure one you will want to do in the near future. I love going there and miss it as soon as we leave the Jasper National Park. There is so much to see, and it is a photographer's dream. So put this one in your Bucket List or add it to this year's vacation choices. I hope you do get a chance to see these incredible glacier giants, you will not be sorry, and most likely you will regret taking so long to do this trip.

David Thompson Highway, Alberta

 I woke the morning of our trip still trying to decide between going to Banff, Radium Hot Springs, or Jasper. Finally I decided that Jasper would win this weeks mini tour. The Icefields Parkway provides amazing views of the Columbia Icefield. We went last year and I was now missing the experience, so I decided that an annual trip will now have to be in our summer plans. Today is the day we will soak up the wonderful and majestic views of mountains, lakes, rivers, and the incredible icefields.

Deciding which bike to ride on this trip was difficult as my normal touring machine was not running due to a belt issue. While I waited for my new cvt belt to be shipped out of Japan my Yamaha TMax would now be resting at the repair shop. So sad as I love that scooter! He makes an awesome travel companion. So now I had the tough decision of taking my Vespa GTV300 or the Suzuki Gladius on this two day 960 km round trip. The Vespa has a comfy seat, top case, and under seat storage, but lacked a gas tank that would hold enough fuel to be compatible with my husband's Kawasaki Concours. When pushed hard the Vespa has to drink quite a lot of fuel and I didn't want to be a huge pain and be constantly stopping at gas stations. The Suzuki Gladius offered a nice size fuel tank, peppy engine, but lacked a comfortable seat for the long distance. After a couple discussions with my husband we decided the Vespa would work and my husband Dave would pack a small Jerry can of fuel in one of his side cases just in case we needed it. Woohoo let the adventure begin!

Our route will take us from Pigeon Lake, Alberta heading west on highway 13 to highway 22 to Rocky Mountain House. Once there we go on #11 David Thompson Highway. This is a nice highway that has light traffic and very nice views, I always love seeing Abraham Lake, the colour is a stunning blue and is so beautiful. A real treat for all the lake lovers out there.

David Thompson Highway. On the right hand side is where a forest fire was last year.

One worrisome issue with the Vespa was it's top speed of 129 kph combined with riding long distances in July with slower tourist traffic, quick passing would not be an option. I was not impressed when soon after starting our journey on highway 13 we got stuck behind a truck pulling a long holiday trailer, and close behind him was a semi pulling a loaded trailer, they were travelling at 90 kph in a 100 zone, and here I am riding a 300cc scooter. The funny part about this situation is my husband's 1400cc Connie would rip by them with no problem and beg for more. So this was going to be the Odd Couple of motorcycling. I knew my TMax would have no problem passing them, but my Vespa, a totally different situation, I would require a long stretch of road to accomplish passing both at the same time. I decided to wait it out as I couldn't pass safely with the high volume of oncoming traffic in the other lane. It was great when both vehicles turned off at Buck Lake and I continued on my travels hoping it didn't happen again, as I was starting to regret my choice of not taking the 650cc Gladius. I knew once I entered the National Parks speed would not be an issue as most posted signs are 90 kph with 50 kph zones in high volume tourist sight seeing areas, this is the ideal environment for the Vespa and it will slowly sip fuel while traveling through the park. Oh well, I made my decision and it's too late to go back and switch them. Hopefully things go well, as holding up traffic is not on my to do list today.

Mountain Sheep can be a road hazard. This one was on the road when we entered a corner. 

We stopped in Nordegg for fuel, drinks, and a snack. While we were fueling up a women on an H-D cruiser pulled in and had a small melt down about the high volume of bugs she was being hit with while she was riding. We were amused with her complaining, as was her husband. We didn't think the bugs were a big problem, yes there was bugs but not enough to wreck our trip. They were heading to Lake Louise and we wished them a great trip. Then a Search and Rescue truck pulled in to fuel up. There was quite a few in the area with lights and sirens going off. My husband asked the driver what was going on and he told us they were trying to find a couple missing hikers. Hopefully they would find them in this tough terrain. We finished our drinks and continued on with the hot sun above us.

 On our way home from Jasper and we are happy to see Abraham Lake one more time.

While travelling on the David Thompson Highway a deer ran out and then decided to stop in the middle of the road. I had enough time to slow down and honk my horn, and it quickly ran across into the other ditch. Later down the road two large black dogs decided to run out in front of me, they also got the horn and we had to do some quick braking. We watched them run into the trees and I was left wondering why dogs were out in the middle of nowhere. I was still pondering about those dogs when we came across another large dog running down the shoulder of the highway towards a couple people walking on a path. Very weird but hopefully the other dogs were just following their owners too (when I returned home I did look for any reports of missing dogs in that area and did not see anything). Later on we also seen a mother deer crossing the road with a little fawn, and that was nice to see. We were not in any danger of hitting them as there was plenty of time to slow down and they did not cross at a slow pace, the mother deer just wanted to get to the safety of the trees with her baby. If you do travel in this area be careful of the wildlife, as there is quite a few deer and it is a remote area. On our way back from Jasper traveling on this highway I was going through a corner and there was a mountain sheep standing in the middle of the road, I had to brake hard as it was a blind corner and I did not see him before entering it. So always be aware of the dangers in these areas, travel at a pace that allows you the opportunity to stop quickly if required.

The views you will experience on the David Thompson Highway, spectacular! 

The David Thompson Highway is in good condition and is a nice road to drive if you are travelling to Banff and also Jasper National Park. If you are hungry while riding make sure you stop at the Miner's Cafe in Nordegg. They offer homemade soup, sandwiches, and a large variety of homemade pies! I recommend it as a nice place to stop and have a really good lunch. It is a small cozy cafe and my husband really liked the crib boards and cards that were put by the tables for customers to use. He thought that was a nice touch and wished his brother Dan was there to have a game with as it is their favourite to play when camping. The staff were friendly and our food arrived quickly. We were impressed by how cold their coca cola cans were. We shared a couple of them, they were so good after traveling in the hot weather, we also drank a couple ice cold waters that were served to us in glass jars, another nice touch we enjoyed that made us thankful that we weren't eating at a boring franchise restaurant. We walked out of the cafe and immediately started planning our return visit before we crossed the parking lot to our bikes.

Abraham lake from a bridge above Cline River at the west end, the colour is amazing.

The huge mountains we are heading towards start to show more detail after passing The David Thompson Resort, this resort offers a gas station and restaurant if you miss Nordegg. The excitement of riding through these giant mountains will start to overwhelm you. Hopefully you experience a strong feeling of closeness to Mother Nature that you just can't feel while sitting in a vehicle. These are the experiences that all riders enjoy that seek adventure and love touring on motorcycles and scooters. I always want to travel more and more after these rides. Many times I will be planning my next adventure while traveling home from the present trip. It is a hunger you feel, that needs constant feeding. Never feeling totally fulfilled, and sometimes having a sadness flood your gut that you can't do this everyday, as you must return home so you can go to work the next day. But then you quickly realize that to be able to travel you need money, so off to work you must go. And then after hours of pondering your sad predicament while riding home you realize how stupid you have been, if only I would have picked being a teacher as a career, the whole summer would be mine! Dang it! Oh well, better keep buying those lottery tickets...sigh

Review 2013 Vespa GTV 300 i.e.

Today was a great day riding a 2013 Vespa GTV 300 around the Pigeon Lake area. This scooter has a fun attitude, playful spirit, and a real energetic personality.


2013 Vespa GTV 300 i.e.

First off, let me introduce this scooter to you.

SPECIFICATIONS from Vespa Canada's Website
(This is a condensed version, please visit Vespa's website for more information)
Engine: Single-Cylinder Catalysed 4-stroke 4-Valves Quasar Engine with Electronic Injection
Capacity: 278cc
Max Power: 15,8 KW at 7.500 RPM (21.9 HP)
Max Torque: 22,3 NM at 5.250 RPM (16.4 FT-LB)
Fuel Supply: P.I. Injection (Port Injected)
Cooling: Liquid
Starter: Electric
Transmission: Automatic Twist and Go (CVT with Torque Server)
Seat Height: 31.1 Inches - 790 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity: 2.5 Gal. - 9.5 Liters
MPG: 29 KM/L
Max. Speed: 129 KM/H
MSRP: $7,495
My scoot was also equipped with ABS brakes and has a beautiful Espresso colour.
Accessories (windscreen, side stand, floor mat, leather top case) were purchased online through Scooter West (San Diego, CA) website.

Today was a cool spring day in Alberta, but we did manage to have the sun peek out occasionally from the clouds to warm us up, I was very thankful for those moments as my hands were not enjoying the cold. I started my ride on a gravel driveway and this Vespa handled it great, the low seat height makes you feel safe and in control. This Vespa has a really peppy engine and you are on your way with a twist of the throttle, the fun begins immediately. You will have a smile on your face within seconds of taking off.

 We continued our ride on a road going through Mulhurst that finds the lake and we slow down in a 30 km/h zone, hard to do on a scooter that wants to go, but the view of the lake is worth it and the cool air coming off of it is a reminder to us that summer is not quite here yet. I immediately regret wearing a t-shirt under my Power Trip jacket, should have put my Klim long sleeve shirt on, oh well, we are already heading out of town and I convince myself that I will survive and maybe burn off some extra calories, perfect for a future motorcycle jacket purchase.

Heading out of town we enter a construction zone, the highway we need to travel on has had Pavement Milling done, and now the surface is bumpy and textured. I look at this as a positive, perfect conditions to drive a Vespa on to feel how it will handle on different road surfaces. Off we go, and quickly we get up to the 80 km/h construction zone speed. I am happy and relieved that this scoot handles the road great even in the poor state of condition it is in, a few moments later I glance down to see my speedo showing 100 km/h, I let off on the throttle to resume the speed limit as in Alberta speeding tickets are double in construction zones. I am impressed and the suspension handles this situation great, the tires also hold on to this textured road with no problems. If I was scoring this Vespa on a Construction Zone Report Card he would for sure receive a passing mark, never did I feel that I was not in control, I had to be cautious of the situation and that was all I needed to do.

We continued on to secondary road 616X and this is a sweet little road that offers quite a few corners, something we don't have a lot of in most areas of Alberta. The posted speed is 80 km/h and again I glance down to see I am going 100 km/h. I slow down to the posted speed (or close to it, he-he) and enjoy the scooter's twist and go attitude. This bike is fun, light, and very flickable in the corners, so much so that if you just think about leaning, this scooter will almost just do it. Again staying at the posted speed turns out to be more work than you would think with a 300cc engine, but believe me this scooter wants to go. I enjoy every corner, the GTV 300 holds the lines well, and I feel in control at all times, I am wanting to go faster but the thought of a speeding ticket isn't on my "To Do List" for today. It's funny because a couple minutes later coming towards me in the other lane is an RCMP car, I look down to see my speedo showing a reasonable speed, no ticket today! Hip-hip hooray, maybe I will be shopping for a new jacket yet.

We drive onto highway #771 and here the speed limit is 100 km/h, we quickly arrive at the speed limit, no hassle at all, and surprising for a scooter with this engine size. I notice that if you roll on the throttle you will get up to speed way quicker than just aggressively twisting the throttle which causes the engine to lag. This scooter likes to please so don't feel you have to beat that out of him. It will give you a good time don't worry.

 

Bag hook is located just under ignition, great for a baseball cap too

I did play with the speed quite a bit and I do have to tell you this Vespa handles well up to around 124 km/h but after that the backend felt like it was being pushed to it's limits and you won't want to push the GTV 300's small wheels at that speed for too long. According to Vespa's website 129 km/h is the maximum speed. This scooter was not built to go super fast, so don't think you will be achieving Ninja 300 speeds, you won't. If you need to pass slower vehicles that shouldn't be a problem but you will have to allow time to do it. Don't expect this scooter to handle being on a four lane highway either, it's very light ( I googled the curb weight, motorcycle sites list it at 326 lbs.) and really strong crosswinds may cause you to feel a bit nervous. If you are thinking of purchasing a Vespa 300 to drive to work on a Multi-lane Highway, I would seriously consider a heavier scooter or motorcycle. The Vespa 300 is at home on city and town streets, and drove great on the 100 km/h paved roads and the secondary highways I travel on. Consider your riding areas before purchasing, it's best to know what kind of highways you plan to be travelling on.

Underseat storage works great for bags and some styles of helmets

At the end of the ride day we pulled into a local store to buy some munchies and groceries for supper. This is when a scooter proves it's worth and convenience. With a large bag of our purchased items, I push an unlock button under the ignition area, this pops my seat to unlock and I lift it up to reveal the underseat storage. In goes the groceries and my large purse. I put the seat back down and off we go, with all my things safely tucked away. Awesome!

Has a fuel gauge, speedo, low fuel light, oil light, ABS light, and high beam

This scooter has a large headlight which works well, but I found it not bright enough for me. I do not drive my scooters or motorcycles at night so this really isn't a problem for me. Due to the high number of deer in the area we live in, we really try to have our bikes parked before it's pitch black out. I also suffer from night blindness so don't make this a deal breaker for you, check it out for yourself first.



A great scoot for fun loving individuals

This scoot has front and back Disc brakes, they worked great. I did not experience any problems stopping. But I will tell you there is no park brake and it has a middle stand for parking. This scooter I am reviewing had a side stand installed for easy and quick parking. It is an after market accessory purchased from Scooter West. I was told at our Vespa Dealer that the Vespa scooters being sold in Canada do not come from the factory with side stands anymore. I recommend purchasing one if you don't want to be putting your scooter on the middle stand every time you park somewhere, or pull in to a gas station. This has been a very convenient accessory and I highly recommend it.

My final thoughts are very positive about the Vespa GTV 300 and I would buy one for sure...and yes I already have, this is my own Vespa that I did this review on. I have over 2500 km on it and have experienced plenty of great times riding this gem of a scooter. I drive it to work, and on the weekends I enjoy travelling to other lake communities with this lil guy. My husband also rides around on my Vespa and he is 6' 4" tall, not totally comfortable, but still he has a good time. I should also let you know that my height is 5' 5" tall, so this scooter is a very good seat height for me, and I can easily plant both my feet on the ground when parked. The reach to the handlebars is perfect also. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments below. I will gladly answer them. I wish you all the best in choosing a scooter or motorcycle for all your future adventures. For sure consider the Vespa GTV 300, it has and continues to be an awesome scooter.

Fun times with my Piaggio MP3 500

I enjoyed numerous giggle infused experiences with my Piaggio MP3. This scooter was great fun and always caused a little bit of chaos whenever I went for a ride. If you love attention and enjoy meeting new people, this is the ride for you!

We popped in to check out motorcycles at Walt Healy Motorsports in Calgary. It was there I found a Piaggio MP3 500 in demon black colour, the one I wanted . While sitting on my future scooter, my husband watching on with a serious face asks me "Can you please pick something out that is more normal and not so weird?" my quick reply was "Why would I want something normal?"

I remember pulling into a small town Subway one day riding my MP3 with my husband Dave on his Concours, and I see a couple Harley biker guys all leathered up across the street outside the local pub watching me park. We went in for a quick lunch and returned to our bikes so we could continue on our ride. Well the Harley guys were still there, looking across at us, and before I could get my helmet on they had started crossing the street towards me. I thought it would be humorous if they were coming over to beat my ass because I rode a scooter.  I'm happy to report that no, they just wanted to know how the hell I drove it! So we talked for about 15 minutes and one of the Harley dudes tells me there was no way he could drive it, way too complicated for him! They told us to have a great day and they walked away, looking back at my demon black scooter. It made me realize that driving something really different can be a good thing. Some people are impressed just by the fact it has way more technology than their bike! ha-ha


Alex and Piaggio waiting for the Parade to start

My son and I also took my Piaggio scoot in a Ride For Dad parade. I decorated his helmet up, threw some decorations on the bike and off we went down town to meet the other bikers. My son Alex was handed a bucket of candy to throw to the kids, and we went out on the parade route as a group, we ended up being at the back of all the bikes, perfect position to stop and lock the front wheels in the upright position before my son threw candy. I had time to look at the people lined up along the road and check out their expressions, and boy were they funny. We got a lot of clapping, hoorays, woohoos, and others running out to take our pics. Great fun and I could tell a lot of the parade watchers were wondering "What the hell is that thing?"

My husband Dave and I went on a Rural Ride For Dad one year. It was a wonderful day and my first time on a real adventure with my Piaggio. The route was through Kananaskis and it was so beautiful. Mountains and Lakes were a plenty so the scenery was awesome. At the end of our riding day there was a BBQ, entertainment, awards and prizes. There was a Prize for Most Unique Ride, and I am happy to say my darling Piaggio won it! And guess what my gift was? A set of Harley Davidson Mugs! I bet the Harley dealership never saw that result coming.



My low cost rain suit that makes me look like a scientist?

One of the funniest memories was the time we were biking in the Sundre area. It started to rain and I put on my rain suit (also known as white painters disposable coveralls, the ones you can buy at hardware stores, cheap, light, and not fashionable). My son Sam got me into them after he went to leave work one day and it was pouring rain, he still had on his disposable coveralls and decided to try them out as his rain gear was at home. They worked and ever since then we pack them on our bikes. So this day I have my white painters coveralls on with my white helmet, and we pull into a gas station in Sundre, I get off my scoot and start filling Piaggio up with fuel. My son and husband are waiting behind me to fill their motorcycles up too. I finished filling the gas tank and stood up to hand the fuel nozzle back over to Sam, then I notice the gas station employee coming out and walking towards us in a hurry, I think to myself, "Oh crap, what did we do wrong?". He walked right over to me and my scooter and asks what kind of Scientist am I and what is going on in the area, is it something he should be worried about? I look over at my son Sam confused and look back at the employee and ask him "What do you mean?" he tells me that I must be here testing things because I am all suited up and driving something no one has ever seen before. I laughed and told him everything was ok, I am not a scientist, just out riding the area and introduced him to my Piaggio. This is one of my fondest memories and we still laugh over this one. Just thinking about his face of worry and concern, it makes me giggle. Poor guy, I hope he recovered quickly that day.


Piaggio looking like Darth Vader's scooter

So don't ever think that being different is a bad thing, you might find that being unique can be a great time and very rewarding. Different is fun, and sometimes being the same as everyone else can be boring and non-eventful. Always pick the motorcycle that will give you a smile and make your journey through life a fantastic experience.



Rural Ride for Dad starting in High River with a bunch of great people

Give scooters a try!

My name is Helena, I have been riding scooters for 8 years now, and I have to tell you they are great fun. I started out on a dual-purpose dirt bike, a Yamaha XT225 that I bought for dirt biking and road use. It was a great bike to learn on and drive around our little town, but once I got bored and wanted to go out on the country roads and start riding farther it was time to get a bigger motorcycle.

2009 Piaggio MP3 500 (second from the left) ready for an adventure

My husband let me decide on my next bike and at the time I never knew I would end up with a scooter. After many trips to a lot of different dealerships, the one bike that kept interesting me was the 2009 Piaggio MP3 500, and the more I sat on it the more I really liked it. It was a demon black colour, with 2 front wheels and 1 rear wheel, Made in Italy, with awesome underseat storage (that was a huge selling point to me). So very strange but so cool at the same time. After weeks of reading online reviews and watching youtube videos I had decided it was the one, and I promptly called the dealership and started the financing. It was awesome to hear back that I had been approved, and he would be ready to go in a couple days. Woohoo, let the fun begin! This scoot always caused a commotion everywhere I went, lots of people wanted to know what it was and how the front end worked. I even had an engineer from Germany who came to Canada for a vacation crawl underneath the front to take pictures. I put 18,500 km on that cool scooter and sold it to a lady who was wanting to start riding with her husband. I miss my Piaggio but was very happy he went on to help another person enjoy riding.

My awesome touring bike, a 2012 Yamaha TMAX

My next scooter was one that had interested me for years while I owned my Piaggio MP3, and the reviews were always positive. When I had my Piaggio up for sale it was time to get serious about my next bike. I already knew years before I bought one that the Yamaha TMAX would be in my garage sometime in the future. All it took was a call to my local Yamaha dealer and they ordered a new 2012 Yamaha TMax 530cc model for me, just in time for our trip to Nakusp, British Columbia. It is a beautiful white colour with light blue flakes in the paint that would shine in the sunlight. This scooter was and still is a fantastic touring machine. It handles great, light weight, underseat storage, two front cubby storage areas for your cell phone and a camera, goes fast when you need it to be, and has a large fuel tank. Perfect for those long adventures you never want to end.

I still own and enjoy my Yamaha TMAX, but there was still one more scooter I had to have, because if you are going to ride scooters you have to sometime in your lifetime own a Vespa! After selling our house and coming out a little ahead after buying our new home there was enough left in the old chequing account to purchase a scooter for my inner child, a scooter to make you smile and giggle everytime you went for a ride, a scooter that would make you believe there is nothing wrong in the world, all is well and happiness can be found everytime you turned the key in the ignition. My new love was a 2013 Vespa GTV300 in a rich cappuccino brown colour. I love this lil guy, he is wonderful to ride, light and flickable in the corners, sporty and fun, with vintage scooter looks. He has a bag hook below the handlebars, underseat storage, and front storage too. You can even order a bottle holder that suction cups to the scooter for easy access while riding. Fun, fun, fun!

Riding the Buck Lake area with my 2013 Vespa GTV300

So if you are trying to decide on a motorcycle, don't ever rule out a scooter! I am so glad I didn't :)