Day Three

Day Three - done and done.

Santa Maria to Azusa (Los Angeles).

This leg took WAY longer than I hoped (9.30am to 8.30pm - ugh), and by the end everything hurt, my knees all the way up to my neck. I was in the worst mood. I got lost about a million times today, which was so frustrating.

A few shout-outs:

Sergio, who activated my debit card today at Chase. He then called VISA for me to put an alert on my account; when asked how I was traveling, he asked me, and I answered, well, honestly. Traveling by Vespa. He tried to answer, and squeaked out a hoarse 'Vespa', but he was laughing too hard. Then it escalated, and when the other end asked for clarification, he was only able to get out "I'll give the phone to her" before he dissolved into giggles. A grown man, giggling at his desk. Then I got the phone, and as I was talking, he continue to laugh so hard he was convulsing (trying to stay quiet). Then, while I was still talking, he actually had to grab a tissue because tears were literally running down his face. I was super annoyed, because I felt ridiculous (not that I'm hyper sensitive or anything...). But then after I hung up with the Visa guy, he apologized profusely and said, 'I'm so sorry, I just really needed that'. Then he handed me his card and said, 'I'm here five days a week. If you need anything, ANYTHING, I won't forget you. Give me a call'. And then I thought, if my ridiculousness can make someone else laugh harder than they have in a long time, then so be it. It's worth it. And then I forgave Sergio.

Second shout-out to the anonymous Vespa Club I passed. They must have been on a ride, because there were like twenty Vespa people on the side of the road, waiting for some others to catch up. When they saw me they started honking, all 20 or 25 of them! I yelled in my helmet, 'my people!' Which is lame, I know, but that's exactly how I felt. After seeing a bagillion Harleys every day, I finally saw some Vespas. And I don't know if you've ever heard a Vespa honk, but it's the silliest noise. Now, imagine 25 at the same time. It was perfect.

That's my day. I still have not figured out how to read directions and ride at the same time, which is frustrating. I can't figure out where to tape them, because there's no space around the speedometer area. So that is a work in progress. And let me just tell you, filling my gas tank is the most annoying thing of all time. I have to stop, take off my gear, un-bungee my bag, set the bag down, take off my cooler, open the seat, take the seat out so the gas doesn't spill into it, THEN fill the gas tank. Then put everything back on. And check it three times just to be safe after I've bungeed it all back on. I have got to figure out how to do this better because it takes me a half hour just to get gas.

Ed and Claire - thanks for the phone message!!!