July 18, 2026 Central Virginia Guzzi Lunch Report
Michael S. Jones
Greetings, Moto Guzzi friends. Today twelve people gathered at Nick’s Italian Kitchen in Buena Vista, VA, to enjoy good Italian food and talk about good Italian (and other) bikes. They were Lannis Selz on his big 1200 Stelvio NTX, Stu Stocker on a V85tt Travel, Mike Irace on another V85tt, John Howard on his V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale, Bob Corefield on his V100 Mandello S, Tom Bennett on a beautiful red V100 Mandello Wind Tunnel Edition, me on my rusty but generally trusty Moto Guzzi Convert, Dave Phillips on his KTM 390 Adventure, Ben Corefield (Bob’s son) on a KTM 890, and Larry Echoles, Al Chappell, and Peter Grower in various cars. Then we were pleasantly surprised to be joined by three other European bikers who happened to stop at Nick’s for lunch; I didn’t get their names, but one was riding a fairly recent looking BMW touring bike, the second was on an antique BMW, and the third was on a very new looking single-cylinder Triumph. So all 12 bikes present were European – very interesting! (I heard that the Triumph was actually made in India, though.)
Although it was a hot day, everyone seemed to be in a good mood and folks stayed in the parking lot chatting for quite a while. Inside the waitress was very attentive and, by all accounts, the food was very tasty. My eggplant parmigiana sub was pretty much perfect, just as it was when we ate at Nick’s last year. I still think Sanzone’s is the best: their fresh-baked roll is very good – but as I recall, it’s a little smaller than Nick’s. Nick’s sub was nice and big. I’ve got to say that I certainly enjoyed being part of the Guzzi lunch after a hiatus of six months!
Afterward many of us lingered in the parking lot talking until we noticed storm clouds rolling in. Lannis and I were the last to leave, and as we were donning our helmets, rain drops started to fall. We headed south-east on 501, but before we got far the skies opened up and we got drenched. Happily, it lasted less than ten minutes. Eventually Lannis took 130 while I continued on 501 to Lynchburg. I passed through another light shower but was mostly blown dry by the time I reached home. What a nice day. 😊
Wishing all of you a good July and looking forward to seeing you in August,
Mike
"The heart has its reasons which reason does not know." -Blaise Pascal
"With man, instinct and reason avoid each other with adversity, yet, by repudiating each other they lure each other to reach mutual correction." -Lucian Blaga
"Human reason has this peculiar fate that in one species of its knowledge it is burdened by questions which, as prescribed by the very nature of reason itself, it is not able to ignore, but which, as transcending all its powers, it is also not able to answer." -Immanuel Kant
"For there are some who have such a presumptuous opinion of their own ability that they deem themselves able to measure the nature of everything…. So that the human mind therefore might be freed from such presumption and come to a humble inquiry after truth it was necessary that some things should be proposed to man by God that would completely surpass his intellect.” Thomas Aquinas