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Second Chance Tour 2003

Publishing date: 07.07.2003 16:13

Follow the reenactment of a spectacular ride that took place 50 years ago in Europe. Dave Lee and Rick Ronvik ride the same route they took back in 1953 on new Stella's from Genuine Scooters.

Second Chance Scooter Tour —In a Nutshell

In 1953, Dave Lee and Rick Ronvik, two semi-mature college guys—and lifelong buddies, took a quarter year off from their college studies, worked in the galley of a ship bound for France, bought two 1953 Utility Vespa motor scooters, and set out on an extended scooter trip through France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and England. They were 20 and 21 at the time.

Rick and Dave had known each other as kids growing up in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. They were buddies through grammar school, Boy Scouts, high school, and college.

In the fifty years since the Great Vespa Trip they got their graduate degrees, served in the Army (Dave), and Marine Corps (Rick), and got married. Dave married Jan, a girl he had met in England; they had two sons, Marc and Ross. Rick married Ann, the girl he had taken to his high schol prom; they had a daughter Tracy and a son Dane. They both taught high school—Dave, history and Rick, English and journalism. The two families went tent camping together often in the midwest. And then, of course, there was the traditional annual slide showing of the Great Vespa Trip of '53.

Now, on the 50th anniversary of the Great Vespa Trip, Rick and Dave wanted to do something special to celebrate that great adventure. A party with a cake perhaps, or maybe a catered event with lots of friends and an evening slide show of the '53 trip...

And then, it hit them both at the same time. They got a better idea...why not get two more scooters and do the whole damn trip over again! Two semi-mature guys, same countries, same roads when possible, vintage type scooters, take pictures in the same locations to see the changes, look up the same people—(well, those that are still around), drink in the same pubs—why not?

For the latest updates from the road visit The Official Second Chance Tour website at www.genuinescooters.com

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