People who live far south below the frost line really have no idea about lucky days such as I had this past Saturday. The date was October 20th, 2012 just eleven days before Halloween. Most bikers have their bikes stored away by now for the winter hibernation. In fact, there are signs throughout our city posted to buildings or hanging on trees advertising storage facilities for motorcycles and such, all claiming to be heated and safe.

My Vespa is almost ready for her hibernation in my large shed in the back yard. The oil change is done, the shed is re-arranged and a beautiful spot awaits her.

On Friday October 19th, 2012, the weather forecast for the weekend was rain and cold for Saturday and Sunday. The Scooter Club camping trip was cancelled. I had planned to clean the house inside and perhaps see a movie.

But come Saturday morning, we woke up to blue skies. In fact, the temperature had risen to 10 degrees centigrade and was continuing to rise. Even my wife who swore she would not get on the Vespa again until next summer was eager to dress up and go for a ride in the country.

The excitement and anticipation to have one more excellent ride before winter made me forget my phone and camera. We just got dressed and headed out. We took a ride down a country road that we always wondered where it went to find out out that it looped around to the river road # 2. It was a nice little ride.

We stopped at some warehouse sales, a few stores then headed north up the highway # 138 towards Monkland. We stopped for coffee at Tim’s then took a quick visit to McMaze to see the corn mazes.

The clouds started to roll in off the river towards Cornwall by mid afternoon and we felt that by now, we should head back.

So five hours later and almost a tank of gas, we decided to return home and start cooking dinner.

As I said at the beginning, just another lucky day…