Rider’s Profile – Amerivespa series: Steve Williams

A series about American Vespa bloggers wouldn’t be complete without seeing the name of today’s featured rider. His blog was named the “Best motorcycle or scooter blog” in the 2007 Rider’s Choice Awards by the Motorcycle Bloggers International (MBI) — an association of riders who write and maintain motorcycle blogs, which we’re both a part of.

He is a photographer by profession as evident with the scenic and postcard-ish images found throughout his blog. He has (wittingly or unwittingly) created a signature style of photographing a Vespa. In fact, in one out-of-town ride during a certain stretch where I had the chance to be by my lonesome, I took a few pictures with his style in mind. Understandably, my shots turned out way inferior since I lack the talent and all I had was a cellphone camera. Still, I hope to post those images in the future as an homage to this guy’s artistry.

Just how good a photographer this guy is? I’ll let his picture do the ‘talking.’

His photographs are usually like the one above: a rural landscape with only his Vespa. Strangely, his images feel so alone but never lonely; instead you get some sense of serenity and contentment. If I were to describe his pictures in a word, I’d say: SOLITUDE.

But his blog is famous not just because of his stunning photographs. He’s a good storyteller as well. I’m just glad he agreed to participate in this series. On with his profile…

rider’s name: Steve Williams
also known as: VESPAsfw3 in the Modern Vespa forum
ride: 2006 Vespa GTS 250ie
homebase: Central Pennsylvania
dayjob: Photo Editor/Photographer
blog: Scooter in the Sticks (I have always wondered what “in the sticks” in his blog title mean. It just didn’t make sense to me. I only found out now, while preparing for this feature, that it’s a idiom which means ‘rural’ or ‘a long way from any metropolitan area’* ~John)

more about the rider:

I’ve been riding slightly longer than I have been blogging. I rode dirt bikes as a kid but did not start riding again until I was in my early 50s. My plan was to purchase a new Triumph Bonneville but a got distracted by a friend’s Vespa ET4 and ended up with a Vespa of my own. The Vespa has become a near perfect fit for me in terms of form, function and spirit.

more about the blogger:

Scooter in the Sticks (the name created by my wife Kim) started out as sort of a lark. Like the Vespa, the blog ended up meeting a variety of needs for me creatively and I have not looked back. I continue to explore what riding is and does for me, examination of the landscapes I ride in, and generally learning how to stay in touch with what is important in my life. Regular readers will know that part of that means year round riding in almost any weather, solitary riding as opposed to any social riding, and photography related to whatever might be happening while on the road.

I continue to experiment on my blog with different ways to express ideas and feelings that come up on the road. At times Scooter in the Sticks is like a personal journal and other times straight information about a topic of interest. What has been a surprise to me is the engagement of readers and their responses to what I am offering. Through them a lot of doors and paths have been opened that would have otherwise remained hidden. I am grateful for the support I receive on a daily basis.

I am in the early stages of formulating a photography and writing project of some kind and am working hard to figure out how riding fits in. Time will tell.

thoughts about the upcoming Amerivespa?

It’s unlikely that I will participate in the 2007 Amerivespa. Being in Seattle that puts it thousands of miles away. Even if I wanted to attend I don’t have the time to ride that far and back. And I wouldn’t go any other way. The decisive factor though would have to be my general lack of interest in social functions that involve more than two or three other people. I wouldn’t say I am a loner but am probably not far from it. When I think about riding I think of the Vespa and I alone on the road. I have a strong need to be alone and riding helps fill it.

- – - – - – - – - -

When I learned that Steve wouldn’t be joining Amerivespa, I was actually in a quandary if I should include him in this batch of Rider’s Profile or if I should do his feature some other time. But this series highlight not just the four-day day event, but also to present the different personalities that make up the American scootering scene. The hard work these riders put in their respective blogs are indeed worth celebrating!

It’s now July 5 in Manila, but it’s still the day before in the USA. To all the readers on that part of the globe…

Happy 4th of July!

-o-
{▫}
J0HNRANA

john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com