Intrepid Travelers Nancy and Joe filed this Velo Venture report from aboard the "Cielo de Sol" en-route from Genoa to Barcelona.

So, we met this great guy on the bluff above Saturnia, a hot spring bath spot near Pitigliano.  The SURLY Troll name caught my eye.  We fell into a friendly chat.  He is from the Basque country, San Sebastian.  An ardent cyclist if there ever was one.  He rattled off the countries in which he has ridden:  All over Europe... Morocco, Turkey, New Zealand, Japan, China... his Surly frame broke there.  The company gave his a new frame, gratis..  Cheerful, friendly, and looking for a place to pitch his tent, as it was starting to rain.  Bare to the bone, slim and trim.  He stated in well trimmed English, that he had ridden 15,000 km last year and 12,000 the year before.  Had to love this guy.

Mini electric delivery vehicles get pizza to hungry Italians before the pies get cold.

Bro Joe writes that he saw this little cutie out front of a pizza parlor near the university in Sienna, Italy. The cord hanging from the car's snout id's the vehicle as a plug-in electric.  The diamond-shaped "badge" on the front suggests the manufacturer is Renault. Old and narrow streets in continental Europe were made for Lilliputian delivery cars like this one. How cool would it be if here in the States mini-electrics began to deliver orders for Jimmy Johns, Domino Pizza, Panera and other leading fast food chains.  Write your favorite CEO for action!

Too much fun for the Reilly's in Mystic, CT.

A very clever watering hole in Mystic, CT pays tribute to a significant portion of their customer base. Velosters Dan and Liz, thirsty after pedaling along the CT coastline, pop in for a cold one, then another, then ..... Well, the barkeep suggests the Reilly's left their bikes chained up out-front and Ubered home, not daring to take their wobbly chances in rush hour traffic. 

Portuguese Frozen Yogurt Entreprenuers attract Eager Customers with charming, '60's era VW "Kombi" Vans, sell Tons of Yogurt while they're at it.

 One of my best, peripatetic friends, James T and his wife Carolyn from Colorado, saw a photo of the hot dog truck on PVV. They were reminded to send this pic and story, and hoped we'd post it.

James and Carolyn just got back from an Iberian biking and hiking adventure, reporting that all over Lisbon, Portugal, one sees  these cute, chopped, 1960s-era VW Vans serving frozen yogurt.

"Upon closer inspection," James observes, "I believe the hippie era vans are made new in this style, but remain eye-catching all the same. Easily trailered behind a small truck or car. 

Uncle Frankie's Custom Made '69 Dodge Frank-Mo-Beel.

This hot dog food truck sits out-front of Uncle Frank's restaurant in Golden Valley. Just the other day my friend Jim and I were doing virtual carbon dating, and imagined the rig was from the 1940's, and "grew up" in Los Angeles.   Uncle Frank himself said the vintage was 1969 Dodge "Chinook," and had been an RV before the conversion. Summer's almost here and I'm going to keep my eye out for this sweet machine here in the Twin Cities.