Every long journey starts long before the wheels turn.
This week’s video — Spannering the Vespa: Protecting My Rear — might look like a simple crash-bar install on the surface, but it’s really part of something much bigger. It’s one small chapter in getting both Phoenix and me ready for a journey that’s been quietly building for a long time.
In June 2026, Vespas from all over the world will roll into Rome to celebrate the brand’s 80th birthday. For me, that means riding from London to Rome and back again — around 2,500 miles all told — not as a rush, but as a proper journey. Roads, weather, cafés, campsites, cities, quiet stretches, and the inevitable unknowns in between.
That’s where the spannering comes in.
Crash bars aren’t glamorous. They don’t add speed or style points. But they do add confidence. They protect panels, give peace of mind when parking fully loaded, and — just as importantly — they force you to slow down and fit things properly. Alignment, clearance, balance. No rubbing panels. No shortcuts.
That mindset matters when you’re preparing for something this long.
THE JOURNEY, NOT JUST THE DESTINATION
This Rome trip isn’t about ticking a box or chasing an event. It’s about the whole arc:
- Preparing the scooter properly
- Testing systems and setups
- Carrying only what’s needed
- Riding day after day, adapting as you go
Each Spannering the Vespa episode is part of that preparation. Front rack. Rear rack. Seat. Crash bars. All small details — but together they turn a nice scooter into a reliable travelling companion.
And in many ways, the preparation is as meaningful as the ride itself.
There’s something grounding about taking responsibility for your own machine. About knowing how things fit together. About trusting what you’ve built because you took the time to do it right.
WHY I SHARE IT
I film and share these moments not because I think they’re extraordinary, but because they’re real. This is what it looks like to plan a long ride properly. No drama. No hacks. Just patience, thought, and the quiet excitement of something big on the horizon.
If you’re following along — whether you ride, photograph, or just enjoy the idea of slow travel — thank you. That support genuinely matters more than numbers or algorithms ever could.
A SMALL NUDGE (AND NO PRESSURE)
A few people have asked how they can support the project as it builds towards Rome.
If you’d like to, there’s a Buy Me a Coffee page linked below. Anything there goes straight back into the journey — film, fuel, coffee stops, and keeping this whole London-to-Rome idea rolling.
https://buymeacoffee.com/davecarrera
But please know this:
Watching, reading, and being part of the journey is already more than enough.
Rome is coming.
Phoenix is getting ready.
And the road between here and there is where the story really lives.
See you in Rome 🇮🇹
0 Comments