From the quiet hamlet of Bure in San Pietro in Cariano, nestled in Italy’s Valpolicella region, all the way to the bustling streets of London — on a vintage 1994 Piaggio “Sì” moped. Not a motorcycle, not a modern scooter, but the iconic pedal-equipped model that today is mostly seen at nostalgic vintage rallies. It sounds like a whimsical tale, but for Cristian Gamberoni, 53, it’s a promise fulfilled.
A production manager in the fashion industry and a man of few words but firm resolve, Cristian set out on an adventure that began with a teasing challenge from his daughter Sara, a high school senior studying in Aldershot, near London.
“I visited her last December,” Cristian recalls. “And at some point I joked, ‘Maybe next time I’ll come visit you on the moped.’ She laughed and said, ‘You’ll never make it.’ That was the moment everything started.”
What began as a lighthearted exchange quickly turned into a mission. Cristian looked at his beloved old “Sì,” a moped he had tinkered with for short trips with friends, and the idea took hold. When he told his mechanic friend, the response was a mix of disbelief and concern: “With the Sì? Are you serious?”
After a full check-up and a tank of fuel, Cristian hit the road on April 24th. His goal: reach London within a week, spend a few days with his daughter, and return in time for work.
More than 1,500 kilometers later, he made it.
“I was doing around 300 kilometers a day,” he said. “But on the last day, I did 450. Honestly? I thought it would be harder.”
