For everyone in the states,
Happy 4th of July!
Be safe out on the roads and have a great 4th.
Cheers everyone!
Tag Archives: Summer
Lookin’ the part of LadyVespa.
Fashion and style are matters of taste and found within the eye of the beholder, especially when it comes to the ladies. I, personally, tend to like bolder pieces that garner second glances or inspire wonder about the piece itself. Riding on the vespa and trying to do it with safety and style in mind hasn’t been an easy feat, but I feel that I am coming closer to perfecting my version of what a Ladyvespa looks like. (A term I kind of made up, so just go with.) Read more
Vespa Adventures: Caesarea Aqueduct Beach, Israel
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Caesarea (Hebrew: קֵיסָרְיָה; Arabic: قيسارية, Kaysaria; Greek: Καισάρεια)
I finally took a road trip that was outside of the general Rehovot-Kibbutz area this past Sunday. I decided it would be a great day as here Sunday is the beginning of the week and so the crowds at beach sites would be manageable. Plus, the weather was perfect for a long ride! I found out about this beach from a recent story over at TouristIsrael.com (link is below) that listed some of the best beaches here in Israel to try to see. I had a bit of trouble finding the exact area, but after a few wrong turns I finally reach the aqueduct beach and it was well worth it. While I was there less than 20 people came and went, so we all basically had the entire beach to ourselves once we spread out. The beach itself does not have facilities and is free, but there is a basic shower to wash off with and a few “shade-trees” to sit under and keep out of the sun. No restrooms nor changing stations. Read more
Now that summer’s here and people are flocking to the various beaches in the country, it seems like Bat-Yam offers you a little peace and tranquility. With its under-developed beach landscapes, they have left a little of the original nature and charm for you to enjoy during your visit. There is a different air that I felt while visiting the Bat-Yam promenade and I really enjoyed that breath of fresh air. The waters are so clear and have lovely blue hues that you can view, perfectly, for miles either way from above the beach, on street level. Rishon Le-Zion is still one of my favorite beaches in Israel, but I really did like how cozy I felt while walking around the Bat-Yam promenade. Here is further information about this lovely city, (more…)
Happy Memorial Day, for those reading this blog in the states!
This is a day of honour, thanks, and remembrance for those who have served and for those who have been lost in battle.
I hope that your extended weekend has been a lovely one and please be safe out on the roads.
Yesterday was also the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, so there was a great deal of dairy-type foods around the dinner table this past weekend. So many holidays! I don't understand how so many people here are so tiny with all these holidays and the foods that come with them. I know I'm not as tiny as I was when I arrived last September.
Preparing for Summer Rides:
As it is basically summer now for most of us, be sure if you own a vespa(ECT.) to keep in mind the harshness of the sun during your rides out. Today I was out on a morning ride and found a field of sunflowers to shoot. When I was done with the photos, I felt effects of heat exhaustion and had to rest in the shade for about 30 minutes before I felt okay to drive again. (This was after drinking water and re-applying sunscreen, while shooting the photos. High for today is 37°C in Rehovot! Whew.) I've never been so thankful for those random Israeli Bus Stops in the middle of nowhere than I was earlier today. They are so random!
This Israeli sun is fierce and doesn't play around no matter what you are doing, so remember that if you plan on doing traveling here in Israel during the summer months (starting around mid-May through October).
A good, basic list of things to keep with you on summer rides:
- H2O! Water, y'all. Don't leave your house without at least a good amount of water. I try to at least have about a liter on me, when I go out on rides outside the city.
- Cell Phone, for the unexpected at basic level. Don't forget your cell phone on rides, more so if your out solo!
- Gloves, not only to wear as protection gear, but the tops of you hands are constantly exposed to the sun. Sunscreen will help, but the sun (after some time) will begin to burn your hands.
- Sunscreen, DON'T leave home without it if you are going for a longer ride. Bring it regardless of what you are wearing and even if you have darker skin tones that can take more sun. The areas that people forget about when applying sunscreen and often get burned are: the back of the neck(somehow always gets burned), behind the ear-neck area, the upper chest area, "T-Zone" on face, top of your feet (if open shoes), and top of your hands. The top of the feet section is one that a lot of people forget about, so if you are going out of the city for a longer ride and have open shoes, make sure to rub in that sunscreen everywhere. ALSO: the tops of your legs, above your knees. Depending on what you are wearing, this part of your legs with get a lot of sun on rides also.
- Sun Glasses, whatever kind works best for you. Riding facing the sun or as the sun rises/falls will present some visual difficulties and you will want to make sure that you are always able to see what you need to see. Whatever works best for you and allows you to comfortably see all that you want to see while driving is good enough for me.
- Helmet, one word: Bugs. There are more bugs in the air during the summer months and they hurt your face. A full face helmet might be too hot for you, but try to get a helmet that has a visor that protects at least till your chin area. Trust me that a big bug hitting your face at those speeds isn't fun.
- Tissue or towel, this item is good to have around if you like to clean up during rides. Stuff gets on your face when you ride, depending on your helmet. Tissues help with this. Those wet towelettes are great way to cool down and clean off at rest stops also.
- Little snack, this isn't a must but you never know if you'll get hungry. Depending on the length of your trip, not as important as the others.
That is my basic list of things I try to always keep in the vespa seat bucket out on rides, beyond what I keep in my bag of course (insurance, driver's license, ECT.). All of this usually fits, with room to spare, in the seat bucket and doesn't get too hot from the engine. It really isn't that much once you pile it all together and shouldn't take up that much extra space, so bring it along!
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Is there anything that you would add to the list that you find useful out on summer rides? Share the wealth below in the comments, as your tips might help other riders as well.
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