He was just over twenty when he bought his first Vespa.

"I worked at Fiat, I couldn't have made a better choice," says Piero Callai, now 84, a member of the "Two Wheels" association in Maracalagonis. "I still remember it; I paid 159,000 lire for it. Then, over the years, I bought four more, and sold some. I still have five at home: four I'll give to my four children. I'm keeping the fifth for myself. I still want to ride a Vespa. Yesterday I went to Sarroch, round trip, from Sarroch to Flumini where I live: I'm 84 and I don't feel it. I ride a Vespa also for rallies at big festivals, but also for personal things. In my life, I also bought a Fiat 500, but I remain most in love with the Vespa: they changed the Italian economy back then. I'm talking especially about the 1960s and 1970s. The era of the Fiat miracle, the miracle of the Vespa in particular."

Last week, Piero Callai participated in the grand parade of Vespas from half the province at the Maracalagonis Tomato Festival. "It's always a thrill for me," Callai commented, "but then again, I still use my Vespa for travel."

Marco Siddi is the president of the "Due ruote di Maracalagonis" association. "Mr. Callai, at 84, is the oldest member. He's apparently one of the oldest Vespa riders in Sardinia, and one of the oldest in Italy. He's extraordinarily talented. Definitely a master. An example for many young people, too."

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