250 Superhero: New Blog Who Dis

Please update your bookmarks to 250Superhero.com.

Hello!

Thank you for visiting Steph's Vespa travel blog. Remember how change was in the air? You found her depreciated Blogspot, saved (for now) for posterity. In May of 2019 we moved to a new home:

250Superhero.com

564 posts were penned within the familiar Blogger platform, which makes me a bit nostalgic. But alas, no more.

Please update your bookmarks and check there for the latest news!

Where's Steph: Winter 2018-19

Here's my itinerary for winter 2018-19. Old Blue won't be with me this winter, but here's to some adventures on foot, or on borrowed/rented wheels! As always, most updated photos will appear on my Instagram, and please say hi if you find yourself in the same part of the world.

Boston, MA → San Francisco, CA

Now - Dec 16: Cambridge, MA.
Dec 17 - 24: San Francisco, CA with Fred!

San Francisco, CA → Hong Kong SAR

Dec 25, 2018 - Jan 2, 2019: Hong Kong, SAR. Hello, family!

Hong Kong → Taipei, Taiwan → Hong Kong

Jan 3 - 5: Taipei, Taiwan.
Jan 6 - 7: Back in Hong Kong. Fred goes back to the US.

Hong Kong → Chiang Mai, Thailand → Hong Kong

Jan 8 - Feb 4: Chiang Mai, Thailand. I'll be staying near Nimmanhemin for that expat life.

Hong Kong → ???

Feb 5: Hong Kong, happy Lunar New Year!
Feb 6 - ???: Hong Kong, Taipei, back to Thailand, who knows?

It's Been Quiet Around Here, But Change Is In The Air

Hello. Radio silence has almost become the new norm here, but I haven't come to a rest. I have new travel stories, on Vespas even. Here are two bits of news, while those stories take their final form.

Flickr has announced changes to their free service, with a 1000 photo limit. As you may have noticed I host my photos with Flickr, and thus I have until January 8th to find a new home for my albums. It's likely I'll move them to my own server, migrate the blog there as well, and do a site redesign. Unfortunately, the forum threads that I maintain on ADV Rider and Modern Vespa will lose their image links, unless I find an easy way to go back and change every. Single. Post.

Justifying the energy to do this may be difficult with the next bit of news, although ostensibly it's good news: Colleen and I are teaming up again, to produce two full length graphic novels. This should keep me busy until 2020!

We made 6 graphic novels together in the past, in the Guinea Pig Pet Shop Private Eye series.
Now we team up again! Please buy it, in the distant future.

As I stare down another winter in New England, the days I lived on a bike feel so far away it's like another person lived it, and the person here now is only a shadow. But I know there are more roads yet. Book work will keep me busy, but I intend not to let it keep me in one place.

Perhaps the timing is right for a kick in the butt. Old Blue and I have seen more of North America than I ever could have imagined. I've been eyeing another continent for some time now. Perhaps the imminent blog transition can mirror another transition, to further adventures on more continents.

This is code for, I've been doing research on flying Serenity to Europe for 2019.

Fingers crossed. In the meantime, stay tuned for my winter plans.

Serenity Revived! Summer Plans 2018

She's alive!

I know this is jumping around a bit in the overall narrative, but I wanted to get my summer riding schedule posted for anyone who might want to say, "Hi!"

Suffice to say, Serenity's engine swap was successful, she's all in one piece again, and running great! A huge thank you to everyone who chipped in for the GoFundMe, and Fred for tolerating the grouchy mechanic that is me. Click on to find out where I'm planning to be in summer 2018.

Scooter Holiday Cards are back!

Whether you missed them last year or simply want to grab another round, I've opened up my holiday card sales again.

Cards are back!

Check it out – markdowns apply, while supplies last!

I promise, I'm working on catch-up posts for Alaska too.

Serenity Launches Again Tomorrow

A slow day at Scuderia makes for a shiny bike.

Tomorrow is launch day. In light of my irrational panic, here's a moment of reflection.

Gear Talk: Alaska Expedition Serenity

The launch date for Alaska is closing in, and you may notice that Serenity looks a bit different for this leg of her journey. Click on for a rundown of work done!

Bridging the Gaps, the Definitive Guide to Steph Sightings in 2016

Pines to Palms Highway. Feb 29, 2016.

So, 2016 was a bit of a mess for the blog, and entries jumped around a bit. If you're reading from start to finish or simply want to catch up, here's my collection of events as they happened chronologically.

Where's Steph: 2017 Winter and Spring Guide

Photo from West Yellowstone, Dec 2016. Thanks for a chill week of hanging out, Alice and Mike!

What travels am I getting up to between Dec 2016 and May 2017? Check below for a rough approximation. As always, dates may change, and most recent activity appears on my Instagram.

Projected Steph Sightings through April 2017 (probably)
Dec 17-25: San Francisco, CA with Fred. Festival of Lights ride with the Post Mods, and other festivities!
Dec 26-Jan 9: Hong Kong with Fred, plus a jaunt to Singapore Dec 30-Jan 3.
Jan 10-Feb 22: San Francisco, CA. Solo again, I'm looking for work and jitsu. I'm working at Scuderia, see you at the monthly PostMods group rides?
Feb 23-26: Las Vegas, NV for High Rollers Rally.
Feb 27-April 5: San Francisco, CA. Back to work, jitsu, and readying my bike for a big ride.
April 6: Sendoff ride with Gina as far as San Simeon, have a great 3-month cross country moto trip!
April 7: Pack up in San Francisco, CA.
April 8: PostMods camping rally at Lake Chabot.
April 9: Farewell, San Francisco!
April 10-23: Cambridge, MA interlude by the power of flight. Hi again, Fred, if you remember who I am.
April 24-25: San Francisco, CA. Ready for the journey north...

Here's Looking At You, 2016

Hauling my Cintiq 13HD along for work.

I wish I could say I kept up with posting, but 2016 was a tumultuous year for 250cc Superhero. I'm sorry to admit there was comparatively little in the way of extended two-wheeled travel for me to report. To catch up on the plot and other life happenings, click on for cliff notes – illustrated, even!

It' A Scooter Christmas Story

It's been quiet on the blog front for a while. A year end review is in the making (hopefully), but I right now I have something else to bring to you...

After all her travels across North America, my beloved Serenity has racked up quite a backlog of worn out parts – more than I can replace with what I have right now. I'll be seeing her in San Francisco this winter, with hopes of working on her and replacing as much as I can.

To that end, I'm holding a bit of a fundraiser for parts (and gear). Check out this page for information on cards or art that you can buy for the holiday season, and help me continue traveling with Serenity in 2017! I'd like to make my way west by December 10, which leaves plenty of time for items to arrive by Christmas. I rescued some stock from storage for my old website store so that's back online too, if you'd like some relics.

Thank you for following along, and I hope winter finds you and your bikes safely tucked away, or riding somewhere warm!

Plan: Spring 2016 Edition of Where The Hell Is Steph Now?

Last I left you, I was undecided whether to go back east or head west after an epic two-scooterist ride to the Vegas High Rollers Rally. You may guess which way I ended up from the video, but let's recap anyhow!

February 29 - March 6: Las Vegas, NV → San Francisco, CA
Feb 29-March 3: San Diego, CA. Hanging out with Steve, and meeting the Vespa Motorsport guys.

Steve snapped this photo of my bike by the Pacific...again!

Keep an eye out for a podcast on Vespa Motorsport's Youtube channel...

March 4: Northridge, CA. Meeting epic scooterist Karen and her mom.

The guys in San Diego guys put me in touch with this cool gal, Karen, who has nearly 70k on her GTS250!
This was taken at her mom's place, just outside of LA.

March 5: Cambria, CA. Bridge Street Inn, great hostel and inn in a cute town.
March 6: San Francisco, CA!

Currently until March 24, 2016: San Francisco, CA

Pete and Marco for a Petaluma loop. Green hills after weeklong rain.

So I've continued west and north, and have been hanging out in San Francisco with the usual cast.

Moose (distinctive yellow GTV not pictured) and I explore Bernal Heights hilltop in San Francisco.

Pre-Delivery Inspection ninja.

In an unexpected twist I picked up a temporary gig, PDI-ing bikes for Vespa SF as they move to Scuderia. This is immensely good timing, as Pete is occupied at the new location and still in a cast, and I’m quite happy assembling bikes at the old location while catching up on podcasts (good to meet you again, Night Vale!). Sometime between putting bikes together and seeing all you awesome SF peeps, the plan is to catch up on blog entries.

But the bigger twist is yet to come...

Added some lines to my map.

March 25 - May 3: Atlanta, GA
In a huge and daring development, I found a place to store my scooter in SF, so it’s going to sleep there until the northwest gets warmer (sorry to cancel on you for now, Portland and Seattle). You read that right, Serenity is going dormant. It's a tough decision and I question what it will be like to be without my bestie bike for an undetermined amount of time, but the geographic positioning is about right for future travels, whether it's Utah or Alaska...

I’ll be airplaning it to Atlanta to buy Michael’s PX150/200. Some assembly is required, so it's a good thing Fred (remember him?) is flying down to help! Fingers crossed that comes together smoothly, just in time for what should be a beautiful time of year in Atlanta to go on some rides with the Terminal Scooter Club. I’ll be back at the Siaks home, and have some time to blog and work on the children’s book I’m supposed to be working on (oh right, can’t forget that). But really, let’s just admit: I want to build a bike with a boy, not freeze on rides, and go back to Alliance for all the jiujitsu! Woohoo, save me some arm bars?!

I may find resources for a roundtrip to PAX East (also, to see aforementioned boy). Mostly, I'm gearing up for chokes and pinch bruises in the Big Peach, and equipping my new old ride for touring.

Yes, after years of watching my bike numbers dwindle, Serenity will be getting a sibling. I'm looking forward to learning a different bike (I trust Michael's long-haul riding spirit already lives within this one), and have a way to get around on the east coast.

No home, but one bike for each coast. What luxury!

Speaking of the east coast... The plan is below.



May 4 - May 22: Atlanta, GA → Richmond, VA
May 4-6: Scooter camping along the Blue Ridge Parkway! Slow is the new fast.
May 7-8: Richmond, VA. Hey 7 Hills Scooter Club!
May 9-16: Roundtrip flight to Madison, WI. My sister’s gonna have a PhD, this is cause for celebration!!
May 17-18: Richmond, VA. Rest and recover. Ha.
May 19-22: Stanardsville, VA for CORSette and Dogwood Classic 13. Fred has promised a smallframe and a trailer.

May 23 - ??: Richmond, VA → Boston, MA/Providence, RI/New England thereabouts.
I have a storage unit to sort out, and a Fred to spend time with. Additionally, research indicates June is the best time to motorbike to Alaska, and my sleeping bike is waiting. I know I'll find plenty of new places to ride.

That's as far as I have for now! If you're wondering where I am most currently, my Instagram (@quezzie) is probably the most updated.

Plan: Atlanta to Vegas, for TWO Scooterists?!

It's been a grand time wintering in Atlanta. I can't say thanks enough to my host family, the Siaks. I've known them since I was little – they are my Atlanta roots, and it's an unbelievable luxury to come back from Alliance Jiu-Jitsu to still-warm home-cooked meals. Also, yep I took the opportunity of staying still to do the thing I missed most being on the road: martial arts, 4-5 times a week. Thanks, Alliance, for improving my game and helping me stay sane through work. Catching the diehard Terminals that come out in winter on Wednesday nights was also super fun, and dropping by Vespa Marietta and Scooter Mercato. I'm going to miss my HQ in Atlanta! I feel well-rested and ready to hit the road again.

In February, I'm headed west on another long haul. This time, the adventure is two-fold: my sights are set on Vegas for another round of the High Rollers Scooter Rally, and I'll have company for the trip!

Details below. Instagram is probably the best way to follow what I'm most recently up to (username: quezzie), and as always, say hi if you're along the way.



Stage 1 (solo): Atlanta, GA → Austin, TX
Feb 4: Farewell, Atlanta, the Terminal Scooterists, Alliance Jiu-Jitsu, and the Siaks! Off to Pensacola, FL, to meet Jami (jamisea on MV).
Feb 5-6: New Orleans, LA, with Jeremy and Caitlin.
Feb 7-9: Houston, TX, with Uncle and Auntie 3. Happy Chinese New Year with family!
Feb 10-12: Austin, TX, with Fred.
~1,168 miles.

In Austin, I'll meet up with Fred, the guy I got involved with in Boston (oh right, I'll catch up the blog someday). We've been cooking up a plan to ride to Vegas, him on his 1965 Vespa GL with a PX200 engine, me on my bike as expected. Assuming all goes to plan, his GL will arrive in Austin by trailer by Feb 9, and we'll have a couple days to poke around this super fun city. Serenity can get a once-over at AF1 Racing. Then, we'll load up on breakfast tacos and we've got 11 days to cover about 2,000 miles to Vegas, on all secondary roads!

Stage 2 (with a Fred!): Austin, TX → Las Vegas, NV

Feb 13: Junction, TX. Maybe as far as Del Rio, TX depending on how much we're slowed by BBQ. Actually ended up being Kerrville, TX, in a motel.
Feb 14: Seminole Canyon State Park, camping.
Feb 15-16: Home of Voni and Paul Glaves!
Feb 17: Bonus night in Marfa, TX, Tumble In RV Park.
Feb 18: El Paso, TX, fancy hotel. Thanks, Fred.
Feb 19: Las Cruces, NM, motel, and a visit to White Sands National Monument.
Feb 20: Rodeo, NM, Rusty's RV Ranch, just outside Portal, AZ.
Feb 21-22: Tucson, AZ, Roadrunner Hostel.
Feb 23: Salome, AZ, motel.
Feb 24: Rally! Downtown Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

~1,926 miles.

Gearing up a 1965 GL with PX200 engine, currently in Boston, MA.
Snowball passenger not included.

It's a new kind of adventure for both of us. For me, this is next level riding partner territory (I'm excited to have him for two weeks!); for Fred, it's multi-day touring on a 50 year old bike. Plus, I definitely want to scoot by some terrain I missed last time, and see friends along the way. We plotted the route together, slowing the pace to just around 200 miles per day – for once, my bike may not be the runt of the litter (heh heh), and I want to make sure there's room to figure things out and hopefully not break anything. We've scouted out the local U-Hauls just in case, but come hell or high water (which maybe I shouldn't say in light of my last pass through Houston) we're going to Vegas!

After the rally shenanigans, there will be an empty crate that held the raffle bike which will take Fred's scooter back to Boston. From there, I will decide: Do I continue west, or turn back east? But I don't need to decide yet...

See you at the Rally!

Raffle bike. Hope the crate works out.

Plan: The Way of the Scooterist, Winter 2015 Edition

So, I'm still on the road! I'll be dividing my time between the east coast and California. I wish I could stay longer in New England to watch the leaves changes (it's my favorite place for autumn), but a few immovable dates and the imminent cold is pulling me south. It's been a good rest, and even better to spend time with familiar friends! Here's my rough agenda, it'll stay at the top of the blog for a while. Please say Hi if you're in the neighborhood!

My winter destination: Atlanta, GA.
Projected arrival: Mid-November. UPDATE: I arrived on Nov 21, 2015.

Stage 1: Providence, RI → Richmond, VA
Oct 5: Farewell, Providence, RI! Montville, NJ, with Jon.
Oct 6-8: Philadelphia, PA, with Melissa and Rich.
Oct 9: Camping in VA.
Oct 10-12: Richmond, VA, wishing Davide a happy wedding!
~694 miles.

Stage 2: San Francisco, CA → Los Angeles, CA Roundtrip
Oct 13-20: Fly to San Francisco, CA. Staying with Pete.
Oct 21: Camping outside San Luis Obispo, CA, with Moose.
Oct 22-Nov 1: Team Gudetama revival tour, crashing with Aisha.
Nov 2: Motel in Gorman, CA, because it's too cold to camp.
Nov 3-5: Back to San Francisco, CA for a few days.
~864 miles.

Stage 3: Richmond, VA → Atlanta, GA
Nov 6-10: Return flight to Richmond, VA, just in time for Indian Summer Scooter Rally!
Nov 11-12: Hertford, NC, with Tim.
Nov 13: Ocracoke, NC, with Tim.
Nov 14: Beaufort, NC, with Tim.
Nov: 15-17: Oak Island, NC, with Don.
Nov 18-20: Mount Pleasant, SC, with Mirena and her family.
Nov 21-??: Atlanta, GA, with my dear friend from childhood, Wai. Hello, Terminal Scooterists!
~941 miles.

I'll be in Atlanta, GA through December 2015.

The Transient Life, Ongoing

I think I need a new tire. Tri-Sports, Brunswick, ME.

I feel like I've lived at least 5 lifetimes in the past year.

Nose to the Grindstone

Crashing in Providence, RI until the end of the August.

I've managed to catch up a few drawings, but the photo posts are taking a long time to put together (the memories are just too fantastic!). A few work deadlines are dominating my energy, while I take advantage of having access to a reliable scanner, printer, and desk space. There's also this issue of a storage unit I need to empty while I'm in the northeast...

I'll be crashing more or less in Providence, RI until August 28th. Then, I relocate to Brooklyn, NY where I plan to be HQ'ed through October. From there, well, the cold of winter may press me south. Suffice to say, I'm still on the road?!

It may take a while, but I'll catch the narrative up to Lubec, ME!

Hello, Lubec, ME.

Found this lighthouse thing right before Canada...

I made it, right on time, and on a beautiful day too!

I struggle to begin to sum up my emotions right now. I have little to no angst, because in no way does it feel 'over'. Tomorrow, I pack up my things, get back on the bike, and keep doing what I was doing before. The day after that, probably the same. I keep riding. And onward, until the next step. I suppose overwhelmingly, I feel free. I needed the construct of visiting the four corners of the U.S. to give me structure to start, but 34,488 miles and nearly 15 months later... I may have grown beyond it.

It's a wonderful feeling. The blog is in no way over either, as I'll be filling in overdue drawings and journal posts. Who knows what's next.

Thanks for following the journey! I daresay to stay tuned for the next...

I'm still around! I just hopped a plane to California

Infinite Stephs in seat 12E.

Apologies for slow updates; I'm still alive! Just like last year around this time, rally season began and I've fallen behind. Not only that, but I have an exciting paying gig...in LA! Slagheap Cycles is giving my home a temporary home in Pittsburgh, and I've hopped a plane to San Francisco. I'll be in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and everywhere in between for a bit of work (and play!) for the next few weeks. With any luck, sometime in there the blog will get some attention.

If anyone happens to be going to Anime Expo, just going to say keep an eye out for a fleet of Vespas...

Borrowing Pete's sweet new 300 and bubble visor for the ride down to LA.
It's not my bike, but it still sure is fun along Skyline Blvd! 450 miles is going to blow by.

Plan: Launch for the Return East (via the south)

Rolling out: Wednesday, February 18th.

Sticky post here, till takeoff. Daily drawings will continue to update below.

The date has been set for the eastward bound trip. The Route page has been updated to reflect projected path! As always, this map above is a work in progress and subject to change.

For the return, I'm planning on rolling into Baja California a bit, then hope it's warm-ish enough for Colorado. Texas is on the agenda, and then a roughly diagonal path to the eastern most point of the contiguous US States, Lubec, ME. Hopefully, a steam boat across Lake Michigan, a few rallies, and a Horizons Unlimited meeting will be along the way?!

Updates from the road

It's been great to be on the road again, over the next week or so I'll be filling in the daily drawings for the ride to Vegas and back.

In other updates, I was contacted by Dewayne Jasper from Motorcycle House for a product review! I have a feeling some new riding gloves are eagerly waiting to be broken out of their packages back in San Jose. Motorcycle House also manufactures their own line of leather saddlebags, Viking Bags, and just launched a line of leather apparel, Viking Cycle - jackets, chaps, vests, gloves, y'know... all the riding stuff.

So keep an eye out for drawings and reviews, and someday I'll be caught up on photo journal posts too.