And nothing, they organized in September, then in October, once in July, the last May. This time they had done the big things with a lot of collaboration from the Ducati staff of Borgo Panigale and in order not to risk any surprises they had foreseen the Scrambleranti Summer Fest for the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the beginning of the good season for par excellence. Nothing to do, while at Stonehenge people danced and sang and celebrated the summer, however, the numerous floods broke out among the many participants from many parts of northern Italy. More or less as always.
It is evident that when Giove Pluvio hears the words “gathering” and “scrambler” next to each other, he takes a conditioned reflex and opens cataracts. Put also that the undersigned had washed and glazed never before his bike for the occasion (statistically another magnet for the perturbations at every latitude) and we understand how to stay dry was particularly difficult.
The Ducati Museum
But despite everything, it was a huge success! To soften the wet arrival of the participants, Giorgio and his collaborators at the Scrambler Factory Store offered hot pasta, coffee and drinks to all, after which a free guided tour was provided to the beautiful Ducati Museum, one of those places that, like North Cape and Tourist Trophy a passionate motorcyclist should visit at least once in a lifetime. So I found myself again in pious contemplation, almost with tears in my eyes, in front of Mike Hailwood’s bike winner of the TT of 1978. And then the Supermono, the Cucciolo, the 916, the first (or the first?) Monster, the 750F1 of Lucchinelli, 1098 of Bayliss. At one point, when no one saw me, I put my right wrist near the Desmosedici’s throttle with the number 27: like certain spirits that keep hovering in the castle rooms, I hope something of Stoner is still there and be me passed by induction.
The on-offroad motorcycle ride
That I could have become fast on the bike would tend to exclude it, but a miracle really happened: when we leave the museum an explosion of sun awaits us! And with it the more than 25 bikes made available by Ducati for the test rides and a beautiful on-offroad ride through the streets and alleys of the surrounding hills. Under a sky that has become incredibly clear and with a tropical temperature (“oh, you are never content, you bikers!” Zeus must have thought), we jump in the saddle to participate in the Desert Sled Experience, and guided by the Ducati testers we venture for some beautiful dirt road that puts in difficulty more than one. A couple of broken levers and a puncture is the tribute to be paid, but everyone’s faces are happy and satisfied like children in Toyland. And speaking of children, guess who was not dodging a pool not even slaughtered and in the end, he had the dirtiest bike of all?
We return to Borgo Panigale, and under a large and providential gazebo the table is already laid with a noteworthy barbecue prepared by the adjacent America Graffiti Restaurant, while from the loudspeakers comes a great musical selection prepared by one who surely understands a lot of it (… he said breathing on his nails and passing them over his collar).
The lottery and the wet return
Frizzi jokes and noises and then … enough with the summer, it starts with thunder lightning and not to make us miss anything even the hail! Never mind, everyone inside the Store and below with the raffle. Bandanas, gloves, shirts, backpacks, bike covers, but the most coveted was the waterproof jacket, because outside in the meantime a real storm was unleashed which in the area will also cause great damage.
In a moment of distraction of Jupiter Pluvio we dress and we all go off together, he realizes it and my highway return will be those epic, where triple layers, Goretex, boots and anything else can against a really pissed-off weather, where counting the km before the next service area now makes little sense, where the only one is trusting the headlights of the car in front that proceeds at 50 per hour, but where after all the images and sounds of a beautiful motorcycle day are mentally retraced, and where it is found once more that certain motorcyclists are anything but water-soluble . Very good everyone, the next guys, and thanks!
