Flying Alitalia Airlines was fun... taking the controls of the Boeing 777 would have had been more fun... in fact hysterical... however I had to be content with the pasta and vino... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=AlitaliaAirlines.JPG Alberto Botturi... our exchange student back in 2000... greeted us as family at Milano Malpensa Airport... Alberto attends Milano University studying economics... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=AlbertoLarryItaly.JPG Alberto's parents Agostino and Luisa Botturi took Mary and I in as family at their home in Verona and we received a non stop guided tour of Italy... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=AgostinoLuisa.JPG Romeo & Juliette and the city of Verona are home to some serious folklore and the marble tomb of Juliette is part of the tourist fun... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=R.I.P.JPG http://www.emiclassics.com/romeo/real.html Marma Rosso (red marble) is particular to Verona... marble isn't hard to form at least with an pneumatic air chisel that is... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=xlaxMichelangloLovisone.JPG Mercedes Smart Roadster ride was courtesy of Signora Enza owner of Cage International and the Champion line of clothes... the ride was similar to a Honda S2000 except Diesel power... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=CageOwner.JPG http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cfm/NewsID/2040427.004/smart/1.html Ferrari flock are pampered and housed at Signora Enza's factory site... behold an F40... Testarossa... 308GT... 360 Modena... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=FerraiLineUp.JPG The Ferrari F40 made me so hot that Gianni... friend of Agostino... gave me a ride and make no mistake... that V8 engine in the back is the boss and intake noise sounds the business... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=FerrariF40.JPG Ferrari F40 Tires are about the size of New York... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=FerrariFootPrint.JPG Gianni owns a Ferrari 308GT... he tossed me the key for a few tame laps around the factory---OK you know me... make that quick laps... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=Ferrari308GT.JPG Hot car hot mama... I cannot refuse Tiziana (Gianni's wife) request for a quick spin in the Ferrari 308 with me at the wheel... who could??? http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=TizanLarryFerrari308.JPG Fabio... Gianni's 18 year old son... gets his first driving lesson ever and it just so happens to be in the family's Ferrari 308GT... In Italy the young are forbidden to drive cars until 18 but they may ride scooters at 16... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=FabioDrivesFerrari.JPG As the Ferrari cars are returned to their prescribe stables... we join Gianni Tiziana and Fabio at a Pizzeria for dinner... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=FabioMomDad.JPG Say Hi to Fabio our Italian souvenir... Mary and I invited him to fly back with us to the states... he did... and so he's our guest until July 25th... he's a nice Italian boy and a good Busy Little Shop slave... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=LawnSlave.JPG At the Busy Little Shop if Fabio gets out of line I just call a Sacramento Sheriff... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=FabioArrested.JPG At Imola I sat on a Ducati 999 curtsey of Alberto's friend Joe... Joe works for a Ducati track school at Imola run by 1981 500cc World Champion Marco Lucchinelli... I had a slim chance to circle Imola on the Ducati 999 but the rain poured down and the track school was canceled... still I got two laps in a passenger car curtsey of the Track Marshall... I experienced the very turn in which Arton Senna lost his life back in 1994... I must ride Mr.RC45 in Italy... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=Imola999Ducati.JPG http://www.ayrton-senna.com/s-files/doas.html Ducati Museum is simple to find... travel to Bolona and just turn left at this sign that sports the founders name Bruno Cavalieri Ducati... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=DucatiStreetSign.JPG Behold Ducati's first V4... the 1961 Apollo... I'm filled with both joy and sadness for this engine is the greatest missed opportunity for all motorcyclist of the world... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=DucatiV4Apollo.JPG Livio Lodi... Ducati's Museum Curator... asked why I showed the mixed emotions of joy and sadness concerning Ducati's Apollo V4 Project... in the course of our conservation we become fast friends and I'm ushered towards Ducati's new V4... the Desmosedici... Wow... I asked to gave Livio a big hug and bend a knee in front of the new king of V4's... Livio is formal but confesses... "in all his time here this was the most unusual request" oh well USA riders are MotoGP starved... I invited Livio to come to America and see for himself... stay at the Busy Little Shop and ride with Doc Wong... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=BigHugForDucati.JPG Livio asked... if I also wished to hug the Desmosedici V4 engine on display??? http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=DucatiV4Love.JPG Ahhhhh... slobbers ran down my cheek... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=Desmosedici.JPG Will a Desmosedici V4 fit in my suitcase??? sure if it's a 1:12 model... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=MyDesmosedici.JPG The late great Doc "T" at work drafting the Desmo... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=Doc_T.JPG Current dreamer xlax drafting a 600cc V4 Desmosedici at the museums sheet of dreams display... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=xlax.JPG Mugello is the Woodstock of MotoGP circuits... Saturday we camped over night among 100,000 crazy fanatical fans... no one sleeps at Mugello... all night long it's a party of engines bouncing off red line... fireworks... music... cheers of "VALE VALE VALE"... the only rule is... you must party till you drop... no one judges you at Mugello... just do it... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=POTofGOLD.JPG http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=ItalianTrashCrew.JPG http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=BeerCanTree.JPG Nakano's spectacular tumbling crash happen right in front of Mary and I... it just so happened that Mary's video captured the initial burst of Nakano's Bridgestone and all it's pieces flying... the bike was destroyed coming to rest near the Jumbo Tron... Nakano's body was high sided per 186 mph... Nakano was extracted and placed on a stretcher before the pack returned... I was moved as the Italian fans burst into applause and cheers as Nakano was carried off to the waiting ambulance... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=NakanoCrashedGPKawie.JPG MotoGP bikes sound like nothing else on the planet... only Kawasaki sports the familiar rip of a inline... even Rossi's M1 doesn't rip... it drones and I like it... at a MotoGP you are treated to sounds of future engines... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=MugelloCircuit.JPG Mick Dohann flew my friend Tony to Mugello in his private helicopter... Tony stayed at Mick's home in Monaco... it's reciprocal because Mick routinely stays at Tony's home in Santa Rosa California... you get the idea that they are best buddies... Well Tony invited Mary and I to link up with him at Mugello using pre paid Italian cell phones... but it didn't work out that way because Mugello's cell phone system stayed overloaded... so after the race I walked up to Repsol Honda's Chief Wrench and asked for Tony... he ushered us to the face of Honda's locked garage... the steel door raised 3 feet and fifteen fans thrust their cameras into the secret bowels of Repsol Honda... We scoot under the door quickly as the Wrench holds back the mounting wave of the fans... I backed right into Alex Barro's RC211V... Oh Lord I'm in heaven... next I see Nicky Hayden going over the details of his low side with team managers... I wave to Nicky and give him a warm greeting in the name of all fans in the USA... Nicky was looking a little disheartened... I'm almost speechless as Mary and I shake the hand of Mick Dohann... Mick invites us to walk with him back to Honda's Hospitality tent.. http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=WalkingWithMick.JPG Mick Dohann... Tony and I cheese for the camera... Mick signed my hat... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=MickDohannLarryTony.JPG Tony introduced his friend David Coultard... Mick and Tony and David had just flown to Russia racing Go Karts and drinking Vodka all while escorted by military arm guards with a helicopter top cover... Russia loves David Coultard and F1 racing... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=DavidCoultardLarry.JPG Tony introduced us to Randy Mamola working as a MotoGP announcer... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=RandyMamola.JPG Good bye Mugello... hello traffic jam... but wait who's that??? none other than flat tracker Gary Nixon looking for a beer... Mary hangs a can of Heineken out our car window and Gary comes running... what a fitting climax... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=GaryNixonMaryLarry.JPG Our last feast and we enjoy Valpolicella vino in the region of Valpolicella with Alberto and his family... we loved our trip to Italy... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=ValpolicellaFeast.JPG Larry L 94 RC45 #2 Have a wheelie NICE day... Lean & Mean it in every corner of your life... If it wasn't for us the fast lane would rust... V4'S are music to the seat of my pants... 1952 De Havilland Chipmunk... Yank and bank your brains loose... http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/-xlax-/ http://home.comcast.net/~netters2/ http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vg&user=netters2
Wow, Larry! You are the king of moto-schmoozing. I'm so envious--can I get adopted by you and Mary before your next trip to Italy?
Lorenzo~! Completamente sono impressionato! Sono enviouso multo. How did you survive though without something to ride on? When I lived in Rome, that's all we thought about and did when we weren't on duty or sleeping.
Thanks for taking me to Italy, Larry. Looks like you had the time of your life. That airplane food actually looked good, but then, I'm hungry. Sue Northern Wisconsin Invision Whirled Peas
Larry xlax Lovisone wrote: Larry, that highlight report is too much. The list of moto-celebs and celeb-motos is incredible.
http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=DucatiV4Love.JPG Hey Larry, any pics of them prying your lips off the above mentioned <BG, D&R> Sue Northern Wisconsin Invision Whirled Peas
Sure Denise... we could use another tax deduction... Larry L 94 RC45 #2 Have a wheelie NICE day... Lean & Mean it in every corner of your life... If it wasn't for us the fast lane would rust... V4'S are music to the seat of my pants... 1952 De Havilland Chipmunk... Yank and bank your brains loose... http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/-xlax-/ http://home.comcast.net/~netters2/ http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vg&user=netters2
We had Alberto's neat little Vespa... http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vf&user=netters2&category=ShopPics&file=VespaLaArena.JPG Larry L 94 RC45 #2 Have a wheelie NICE day... Lean & Mean it in every corner of your life... If it wasn't for us the fast lane would rust... V4'S are music to the seat of my pants... 1952 De Havilland Chipmunk... Yank and bank your brains loose... http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/-xlax-/ http://home.comcast.net/~netters2/ http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vg&user=netters2
Certainly Holly... how could anyone resist your request??? BTW... Fabio is interested in visiting Davis University... can you help??? Larry L 94 RC45 #2 Have a wheelie NICE day... Lean & Mean it in every corner of your life... If it wasn't for us the fast lane would rust... V4'S are music to the seat of my pants... 1952 De Havilland Chipmunk... Yank and bank your brains loose... http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/-xlax-/ http://home.comcast.net/~netters2/ http://www.fox302.com/index.pl?s=vg&user=netters2
