Vroom With A View
In search of Italy’s dolce vita on a ’61 Vespa
A sepia-hued journey from Milan to Rome on a Vespa that was the same age as me and in the same condition – a little rough around the edges, but going OK.
The summer I turned forty I decided to chase a boyhood dream. To go to Italy and seek out its celebrated dolce vita on the back of a Vespa.
It couldn’t be just any old Vespa. I wanted a bike as old as I was and in the same sort of condition: a bit slow in the mornings but OK once going.
I found it on eBay Italy and fell instantly in love.
The Vespa had saddle seats, temperamental electrics and a little too much chrome. The sort of scooter you’d image a sharp-suited Marcello Mastroianni riding.
I promptly christened her Sophia (after Sophia Loren, of course) and soon we were rattling along the cobble streets of hilltop towns and through the Italian countryside.
Things didn’t always go smoothly – Sophia was as temperamental and wilful as her Hollywood counterpart – but there was always a helpful local at hand, not just to get Sophia going again, but to show me a side of their country I would not have otherwise seen.
“Its punning title sets the tone for this off-beat travel book…touched by romance and haunted by the glamour of Sophia Loren”
You Magazine
Start your journey now
Here’s some great news. Vroom With A View is available as an eBook on Amazon right now. You’re just a click or two away from riding through the sepia-hued tones of Tuscany with Sophia. Ciao bella!
Photos from the trip
Please forgive the poor quality of the images in this gallery. The originals are in a storage unit in Australia, so I’ve had to use images from when the web was slow and high resolution was a curse rather than a blessing. I plan to visit my storage unit some time this year. When I do, rest assured, the image quality will improve dramatically.
Roger Frost
4 years agoHey Peter
Just finished “Vroom with a View”. Great story, I’m in Vernazza just now, returning to LHR on Sunday then home to Vancouver Island on the 26th. Throughly enjoyed your adventures with Sally on Sophia. Is she in Australia?
Wondering what happened to lovely Sally.
I’m a road trip guy usually in my 2002 GMC pickup with small wood camper, home built, and plan another major one this winter, returning to Mexico ??, East side this time.
Looking forward to reading “The Full Montezuma” over the next while,
Cheers, safe travels.
Roger Frost
Peter Moore
4 years agoHi Roger,
Thanks for your comment! I hope you’re enjoying your time in Vernazza. Lovely town. Even if they wouldn’t let Sophia in!
Re: Sally. Yep, we’re still together. Married, living in London, with a daughter.
Re: Sophia. She lives in Livorno with Marco, in his new workshop/museum that is even more pristine than his first. I pop over occasionally to visit!
Have a great trip in Mexico.
Cheers
Peter
Mr J Kitchen
4 years agoI have just finished this great book for the second time and was about to send a letter.
The answers to most of my questions are above!
Buona fortuna a tutti.
Peter Moore
4 years agoThanks Jack. I was glad to hear you enjoyed the book. I was also pleased that the web site was able to answer your questions!
Cheers
Peter
Gary Boon
4 years agoHi Peter,
Just read two of your books…the Vespa related 2!.. Bloody brilliant.
I went on eBay and got two Kinder Surprise scooters from Belgium…one green and one red. I’ll send you a pic.
All the best mate.
Kind regards
GARY.?
Peter Moore
4 years agoThanks Gary. Glad to hear you enjoyed my books. Never knew there was a red Kinder Surprise Vespa. I only got the green one. Send the pic and I’ll whack it up here in the comments.
Cheers
Peter
Susan
4 years agoHello Peter,
I have just finished your book ‘Vroom with a View’ (autographed copy I might add) that I picked up from a beautiful little town in Victoria called Lorne.
I can honestly say that your book has inspired my travel plans that I keep note in our ‘Nevill Destinations’ book.
The Italy entry has now had an expansion of locations that I may have never known to visit.
Thank you for your wonderful story that will assist with my planning in the future!!
Safe travels Peter.
Ciao, Susan
Peter Moore
4 years agoThanks, Susan.
I’m so glad you enjoyed Vroom. No sure being signed adds value or decreases it, but I’m happy to hear you’ve added some of my Italian ports of call to your post-COVID Wishlist.
I was just speaking to Filippo last night who told me that he’d got a letter from the government saying he could open his business again after it was shut down because of the virus. Hopefully that’s a sign that things are slowly getting back to normal in Italy (or as normal as can be expected) and I’ll be able to pop over and see my Italian friends (and my Vespas!) again.
Cheers
Peter
Rod Downs
11 months agoHi Peter , We live in NZ and have read all of your books . Your first book Vroom with a view inspired myself and my wife to buy a Vespa in 2011 , a GTS 300 . We have since done a tour of Tuscany on a rented Vespa plus various day trips around Umbria and Tuscany , and just completed 8 days around Puglia with another couple from NZ . We all loved it . Thanks so much for the inspiration.
Rod and Chris Downs
Barry
4 years agoHello Peter,
I’ve just finished reading ‘Vroom With A View’. I loved it – couldn’t put it down!
I love all things Vespa and Italy. My mate and I both have Vespas and ride out here in Malvern England.
It was Steve who bought your book to my attention. I am glad he did.
Take care. All the very best to you.
Regards from Baz.
Peter Moore
4 years agoHi Baz,
Thanks for your message. Glad to hear you enjoyed Vroom. Always means a lot from a fellow Vespista! Hope you’ve been enjoying a few lockdown rides in Malvern, if only to test your eyesight!
Cheers
Peter
Sparky
4 years agoHi Peter,
I have just completed both Vrooms and I thought it would be remiss of me not to say how much I enjoyed both tales of adventure.
I have been travelling to Italy every year for the past 16 years but unfortunately I had to cancel my Easter and Summer trips due to the recent Covid 19 crisis.
Your Italian memoirs on your Vespa are the exact same reasons of why I fell in love with the country and they have provided me with sunshine and laughter during one of the most difficult times we have ever experienced globally.
I found your narratives and concept of exploration extremely motivating and as a result I’m going to purchase a brand new Ferrari red Vespa GTS 125 with matching top box, a dream of mine for years.
Next summer I plan to travel on the Hull to IJmuiden ferry, scoot past Amsterdam to Dusseldorf, jump on the Motorail all the way to Verona. From there I hope to survey Lake Garda and the Dolomites.
The reason I state this is because you have provided me through your writings with the stimulus to ‘make it happen’, for this I thank you kind sir.
By the way, why don’t you go for the Vespa trilogy, Vroom around the Lakes!!!!
Grazie mille,
Saluti,
Sparky
Peter Moore
4 years agoHey Sparky,
Thanks so much for your message. I really pleased to hear you enjoyed my ‘Vroom’ books. Even more so that they’ve motivated you to have your very own Italian Vespa adventure. I love it when that happens!
I also like your idea fro the trilogy. I haven’t seen much of the north.
Now … just got to convince the wife about buying another Vespa …
Cheers!
Guy Francis
4 years agoHello Peter
I have just about finished reading ‘Vroom’ for a third time. It gives me encouragement to get organised to fix my 1963 VNB 125cc (light blue) I bought in 1987 while at Uni in Wollongong.
I gave my last copy of the book away when I sold my other Vespa (1975 Rally 200) to someone in Melbourne on the mistaken memory that you rode around Italy on a Rally. Anyway, it was always the curves of the 125 that I preferred.
Sometime ago, I was reading your book “The Wrong Way Home” and at the end of the book you travel up the freeway to towards Liverpool NSW, “…past your old school…” and I’m thinking that’s got to be HAHS…I went there…who wrote this…Peter Moore…I know him…friend of my brother Mark. Small world. I enjoyed the references to life as a Westie.
The sale of the (rusty) Rally turned $150 (after 20 years of being used occasionally and in the way) into $3500 and bought me a BMW K100 ($1000). As you know “Way leads onto way…” and I have several BMs.
Still got the VNB, it is in bits in my Aladdin’s cave of a single car garage. It will ride again.
Best wishes to you, your family, Lesley-Ann.
Regards
Guy Francis
PS. Have a vague memory of you drinking some cocktail of whatever could be found in the kitchen at my parent’s place made by Al Woollard (?) and you jumping around to endure the torture. Think the payoff was $10 or less. Cheap bastard.
Peter Moore
4 years agoHey Guy,
Great to hear from you! Hope all is well.
I rode a 1975 Rally in my second Vroom book, ‘Vroom By The Sea‘, so your memory isn’t letting you down.
And, as for being a cheap bastard, $10 was a lot of money back in those days.
Having said that, I’d probably do it again for $10 all these years later, so you’re probably right.
Good luck getting your ’63 back in shape!
Cheers
Peter
Dave Fryer
3 years agoHi Peter. Just read Vroom with a View and thought it was bloody great. I too am a scooterist with a couple of Vespas and not having any scooter rallies to attend in 2020 was hard but your trip helped during our long winter nights to add a bit of sunshine. Gonna read Vroom by the Sea next. If you get down to Devon look us up and I’ll lend you a scoot. Cheers
Peter Moore
2 years agoHi Dave – glad to hear you enjoyed Vroom. Means a lot coming from a fellow Vespa owner. Devon is a pretty nice part of the world. I may well just take you up on your offer!
Cheers
Peter
Michael Heffernan
2 years agoLoved the book. I’m fascinated by the Italians. They are the foundation of the west—no doubt most things we do were set in motion 2000 years ago there. Good job on the book!
Saluti!
Peter Moore
2 years agoThanks Michael
Andrew M
2 years agoI have read both your Vroom books and enjoyed reading about Italy’s culture and your informative observation on the people you met on your travels. Of course the two scooters have piqued my interest and in fact I have an Agrati Capri scooter which is just as Italian as the Vespa and Lambretta. Great photos of your scooter and scenery. Will you be doing another Vroom book?
Peter Moore
2 years agoHi Andrew – thanks for your message. That sounds like a nice collection of scoots you’ve got there!
Glad to hear you enjoyed the Vroom books. And, yes, there are plans to get back and do another trip. Maybe down the east coast.
Watch this space!
Cheers
Peter
Robyn
1 year agoHi Peter I’m reading Vroom with a view. I’m on a cruise ship home to Sydney from New Zealand.
I’m studying Italian and so enjoying your adventures. Was excited to see your kinder surprise green vespa. I’m your vintage, just a couple of years older so relate to you. Thinking you may have convinced me to convince my husband for us to go back to Italy but to drive a car. We’re too old for a vespa. Thank you.
Peter Moore
1 year agoHi Robyn,
Glad you enjoyed ‘Vroom’. And hopefully, I’ve convinced you and your husband to go back to Italy. Have a great time when you do. And thanks for your message. It was very much appreciated.
Robyn
1 year agoHi Peter again just read a little more about you. 20 minutes from Liverpool station. Leppington or Hoxton Park. Lol I grew up on Hoxton Park Rd across from the BP. As I said before I. On a cruise ship and tonight I found a mini gold vespa and an Italian fuel pump on board.
Peter Moore
1 year agoHa ha. Small world. I grew up at Rossmore. I used to drive fast – too fast – when I was younger. Hence only 20 minutes from Liverpool 🙂
Jon
1 year agoI am restoring a Vespa 50 special now – someone who is helping with the project gave me your book, good read. Fun trip – I need to do a road trip myself but a 50 special maxes out at 30mph. Thanks for the book and the adventures. Inspiring
Peter
1 year agoHello Peter. I’ve read your book now probably 3 times over many years. It has meant a lot to me and had a quite effect during emotional times in my life. I think of now affection. Recently I’ve had the pleasure sending it as a gift to someone who I thought would just get it, and they have. That’s a special thing.
All the very best to you. Peter
Jen Dal Bon
12 months agoHey Peter,
Just finished reading Vroom With A View which was given to my husband for his 60th. Brilliant!! He just bought himself a 1961 Vespa yet to be named !!
He is the 3rd owner & we can’t wait for it to come back from the specialist Vespa mechanic to zip around & have coffee Sunday mornings at our local Cafe. We are hopefully heading back to Italy next year to see family in Crespano del Grappa north of Venice.
Thanks for the ride I felt like I was on the back of Sophia with my husband ?
Mike
11 months agoGreetings from Poland,
My mother, huge fan of Vroom, lent me the book and I fell in love with it instantly. Great story and journey!
Thank you!
All the best for you, Sally, and your daughter.
Mike
Warwick Dawson
3 weeks agoHi Peter,
I have just finished reading Vroom With A View which I picked up second hand on a recent holiday in Bright, Victoria, in Australia.
My own trip through Tuscany in the late ‘80’s was in a then 18 year old beige VWCombi that like Sophia nearly always went but never quite properly. It was the best vehicle I ever owned. Your book brought back so many memories of my own travels.
I was born in ‘61 too so now am on the verge of having time to travel again after bringing up our family of 3 beautiful girls.
Reading your story has left me wondering how we should do it … there is definitely a charm and adventure of not following the crowds!
Thanks man … a great read I’ll look for you on a book shelf again soon. Great job.
Cheers … Warwick
Peter Moore
3 weeks agoThanks Warwick – sounds like you had a great adventure yourself. Pleased my book brought back memories.
Cheers