Vespa USA has just announced a major promotion to stimulate your summer fun: $500 off the MSRP  of a new Vespa LX 150, LXV 150 or S 150.

Now is the time: if you’ve been contemplating a new Vespa scooter, get one now, take advantage of the discount, and have the entire summer of scooting in front of you!

Both Vespa Newport (Bruce Beard Automotive) and Vespa Providence (Providence Motorsports) are participating in this special promotion.  Stop by either shop today for details, and to pick out your very own new Vespa scooter.

This afternoon was sandwiched between rain this morning and forecast rain tomorrow.  I looked at the pile of paper on my desk, and decided to go for a Vespa ride instead.  If you’ve never been to Jamestown, this should show you just how lovely it can be on a sunny June afternoon.  What better way to see it than by Vespa?

My steed for the day: a 2007 Vespa LX 150 with (at the start of the day) 994 miles.

I started my ride near Fort Wetherill, on the south end of the Island looking over East Passage towards Newport.   It’s a weekday, so there aren’t too many people around.  That will change as the season moves along.  Fort Wetherill is is a 60-acre state park that has a military history dating back to the Revolutionary War.  Just north of Fort Wetherill is that interesting spot call “The Dumplings” with its large rockpiles that got their name from their resemblance to dumplings floating in a bowl of soup, and the landmark house on the rocks called “Clingstone.”

At "The Dumplings" looking out at Clingstone and Fort Adams at the entrance to Newport Harbor.

There is an active boatyard at The Dumplings, Jamestown Boat Yard.  Although Memorial Day has gone buy  there are still a lot of empty moorings.  Spring starts slowly here thanks to the cold, rainy weather coming in off the ocean.  Many people are still working on their boats in the boatyards, and have yet to put them in the water.

The mooring field at The Dumplings.

We head up the east side of the island, where views over the bay extend from downtown Newport, up under the looming Newport Bridge towards Portsmouth, Prudence Island and Bristol.  On a summer day the bay will be full of boats of all sorts headed every which way at every speed imaginable.  Looking beneath the bridge you can see the Newport Naval Base and the Naval War College.

Looking North up the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, towards the everpresent Newport "Pell" (Senator Claiborne Pell) Bridge

We cut west towards Beavertail, across the isthmus of Makerel Cove Beach.  During the hurricane of 1938 the island took a direct hit, and suffered the tragic loss of a school bus full of children trying to cross the isthmus ahead of the rising water.   Views of the Fox Hill Historic District, with its rolling pastures, lie on either side as we pass through the farmland into Fort Getty, which is recreation property owned by the State but managed by Jamestown.  Fort Getty guarded the West Passage of Narragansett Bay during World War II.    During the winter it is completely empty and a beautiful place to run free with the dogs and islanders.  As you can see, the views are stupendous.

The hillside at Fort Getty, looking out over Dutch Harbor and its Lighthouse, recently restored by a group of volunteers. The far shore is South Kingston, home of the University of Rhode Island Bay Campus.

Turning to look the other direction, the view changes dramatically.  From June to October, Fort Getty is overrun with campers enjoying the cooling afternoon sea breezes and the some of the best views on the east coast.

Campers dig in at Fort Getty for the summer season.

On the way out of the Fort, we pause for another exceptional view, this time of the Fox Hill Salt Marsh preservation area, with Dutch Harbor in the background.  There are nature trails here, and it is a rich source of marine life for the bay.

Fox Hill Salt Marsh and Dutch Harbor in the background.

Guarding Fox Hill Salt Marsh are Fox Hill Farm and Beaverhead Farm.  The Beaverhead Farm is now home to special breeds of cattle, as well as horses and vegetable farming.  This is one of the oldest farms on the island and has been in cultivation probably since the island was purchased from the Indians in the mid-1600s.  

Beaverhead Farm features lovely rolling pasures and authentic New England stone walls. The large yellow farmhouse is actually quite new, but the adjacent farm buildings have been in place for many years.

From Fort Getty, we continue south towards Beavertail, the southernmost tip of the Island.  

The odometer on the Vespa declares 1,000 miles!

On the way, we celebrated the momentous achievement of 1,000 miles on the Vespa’s odometer.  Unable to let the moment pass un-recorded, we pulled to the side of the road and took a photo to memorialize the event.  

Beavertail is a favorite destination point for day-trippers and visitors from around the world.  The views of the Atlantic Ocean, Newport’s famed Ocean Drive, and the very busy entrance to Narragansett Bay’s East Passage, are stunning any day of the year and the sea breezes are delightful in the summer.  Fortunately, the state of Rhode Island has had the foresight to prevent any development on the land, and it is left largely in its natural state with no commercial activity whatsoever.  The only facilities available are a few port-a-potties.  Those of us who live on Jamestown are very lucky!

Beavertail Lighthouse, on the southern-most tip of Conanicut Island. Block Island is on the horizon in the distance.

Our ride continued back up to the center of the island for a trip through town, but, enjoying the ride and the Vespa as we were, we stayed in the saddle and left the camera in the bag.  Sometimes you just have to let it soak in.

At Vespa Rhode Island, we highly recommend that all riders take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Safe Rider Course.  This course is required for a Rhode Island motorcycle license, which is necessary for riding any scooters or motorcycles with engines greater than 50cc.  Although not required for riders on 50cc bikes, these riders should take the course as well.  You will learn a lot of stuff that will keep you safe when you ride, and much of it is not intuitive at all.  

Ironstone Ventures offers the Basic Rider Safety Course in Seekonk, MA.  The great thing about Ironstone Ventures is that they offer this training on scooters.  Below is their schedule for “scooter school” for the rest of 2009.  (They also have comprehensive motorcycle rider training courses.)

Ride Safely: Take a Basic Rider MSF Course

June 5 -6
June 19 – 20
July 3 – 4
July 17 – 18
July 31 – August 1
August 14 – 15
August 28 – 29
September 11 – 12
September 25 – 26
October 9 – 10 

See the Ironstone Ventures website for full course, schedule and pricing details.

One of the hottest scooters on the market is the Piaggio MP3 500, now available at Vespa Rhode Island in Providence (Providence Motorsports) and Newport (Vespa Newport).  For a few independent thoughts, have a look at the Motorcycle.com review, and see the YouTube video produced by Motorcycle.com.

The Piaggio MP3 500 holds the road

It’s spring and it’s definitely Vespa season. Be seen around town on an Italian model! Visit us at Vespa Newport and Vespa Providence at Providence Motorsports. We’ll work with you to make sure you get exactly the Vespa scooter that you need. We’ll also make sure you have all the proper riding gear, such as a helmet, gloves, and a riding jacket. Stop by today!

A Vespa LX 150 is delivered to her new owner by Vespa Newport.