Here are a few pictures of me.

Name	Tom Sandstrom
Lives in	Spokane, Washington
email	Sttomcat3@yahoo.com
About:	Founder of The Spokane scooter Scene (Spokane Scooter Society)Now age 41, I have been into scooters for 20+ years. In 1989 I founded the Spokane Scooter Society which lasted until 1999. During that time I was the group's president(Even when I wanted step down!), and chief mechanic in the group's early years. Somehow the Spokane Scooter Scene,I was chiefly responsible in founding, the legacy of the scooter scene in Spokane managed to continue now 20+ years later, but are all new people as things change with time, and new people come and go. Yet I did historically made my mark in the world of scootering putting Spokane, WA on the map 20+ years ago. My 20+ year old Seattle scooter scene inspired "brainchild". It's kinda cool knowing that you were the one with the inspired idea long ago, and took the initiative/work to create a social group concept where there was none like it before in the city in which you live. But lets get this clear scooterists are some of the coolest/nicest people as we all should be as scooterists. That's the public image I always promoted when out in society, and in doing I can be proud being a 20+ year veteran "Old School" Vespa scooterist. As true Christian hearted scooterist, I always pledged to be a True, "Real" Friend. Especially to my fellow scooterists! People have told me over the years, "They don't make friends like you too often anymore. You're a rare golden nugget!" People who have known me for many years say, "Tom, you are a good guy, just you happen to be one of those types of individuals that people have to invest a little more time in getting to know you, and realizing you're OK!" Sadly many people these days can be so "Hasty", and quick to judge someone new they meet with a negative mis-understanding opinion or they blindly let thier other peers/associates form such opinions for them. An Old Wise saying that still holds true even today states, "Haste Makes Waste!" It is nice of The Minions SC to keep on thier website pics from our old group's (The SSS) photo album that I uploaded to them over two years ago now. Most of the pics go back at least 20 years. Here's the link below. Please enjoy viewing them. http://theminions.org/i_Flash/sss_album/ Having been donned with the title of being the "Godfather" of the "Spokane Scooter Scene" by many of my "Old Alternative Music Scene" friends to this day. What I did with an inspired vision/dream was beautiful, and made historical precedent with my love for these classic scooters. Minions SC, how you have hurt/mis-treated me over this past year with this "FEUD" likely sparked by mis-leading? mis-information? by one of your former head leaders, do you realize you are unknowingly committing a viciously severe attacking blow on your very soul of what you are/represent as scooterists of the Spokane Scooter Scene that you seem so proud to be in continuing our 20+ year old traditions. It is truly a tragedy of contradiction. Hopefully politics like this won't destroy your group as time goes on like it did ours. I've also posted yet another new scooter video on youtube.com Enjoy! A few of the Spokane Minions SC seem to maybe starting to gradually getting to know me on a one on one friendly approach. A few of them have now really enjoyed seeing my old SSS photo album which has 20+ years of pictures of Spokane Scooter Scene history which I am honored to share with them on a few occassions over a beer or two at one of thier favorite downtown hang-outs. So far the isolated encounters have been really cool, and peaceful. Hopefully they are noticed that I too have toned-down alot after now having successfully gotten through a Hellish last year. Long story...Let's not go there! I really hope this ridiculous "PETTY" Spokane Scooter Scene "FEUD" between "THEM"(The Minions SC), and I has a peaceful resolve in time where we all end up becoming good friends. I will not give up trying to achieve that positive goal. "THEY" have very little concept in just how much a valuable friend I could/would be to them! In reality we have alot in common (After all we're Scooterists)That means something The differences hardly worth mentioning. We like pretty much the same music (Ska, New Wave, Punk, and other Alternative Scene greats!) I'm going to keep taking it slow with them in befriending them. I tell many cool true stories of what it was like being a devoted Vespa scooterist during what I now call "The Hard Years" (Before Piaggio came back to the USA just a few years ago.) I let them know that I truly love them as they now carry the torch of the Spokane Scooter Scene I started 20 years ago, and it makes very happy that it what I gave so much of self, made many sacrifices for the sake of building friendships in starting a scooter club, it never died out in Spokane after all this time. Check Out My Scooter Videos on youtube com! Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ6RI7gxyv4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPv0y7r_zJU&feature=user http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddXlels6e0k&feature=user http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCplUqLPyQ&feature=user http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv--Ae7sang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-YzNBgPesw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryWoKU7hVHg CURRENT CONTACT: C. Thomas M. Sandstrom e-mail: Sttomcat3@yahoo.com. Phone: No Phone currently! :-( PLEASE NOTE THIS WEBPAGE WILL UPDATED FREQUENTLY, SO PLEASE KEEP CHECKING BACK OFTEN! Friendships amongst scooterists should continue to fluorish. All Scooterists should uphold a value system and respect one an other like a second family, with Lifelong Friendships. I still keep in touch with the few old SSS members with whom I had lost contact with for several years. Glad to hear from me, we have gone a few rides together for coffee/lunch/etc. Last summer, I restored SSS fellow founding member Derek's 74' 125 Primavera's fuel tank his poor scoot had'nt run for 3 years. The carb was GUMMY! But in the end, as always I got it running serviced for Derek who was overjoyed.I guess I have'nt lost my "Magic Touch" with scooters. We have gone several enjoyable rides since, and look forward to more this year. He glad to see I'm doing alot better after recovering from some hard times in recent years, got away from some "Bad Habits", got/restored a scooter again,and made impressive personal growth in comparison when we first met in 89' I believe in making friendships to last a lifetime if possible. Derek, Dee, Doug, etc. and other old SSS friends, our continuing scootering friendships epidomizes that. I'll probably always end up fixing thier scooters when they need it, or our other original boys, Sean Nicol, who I'm proud of him and Stewart his brother's scootering "Rite of Passage" since thier SSS roots dating back to 94'. You know, I'll do it gladly as we have countless great memories together in 20 years in the SSS. Now that's what scootering is about: Making real friendships that last. There's a universal comradery honor code amongst scooterists taught to me by the Seattle Scooterists long ago. Let's All Keep The Scootering Magic Going! We are all apart of something special that goes back many decades, and is rich in tradition in its own rite. During the SSS original 10 years, I repaired and restored at least 15 vintage scooters putting them back on the road. (mine and other people's of the SSS.)If we decide to reactivate the SSS, I may have try help participating members again, acquiring/repairing scooters in building the club's membership numbers. I'd gladly do it all over again now that there far less circumstancial stressors in my life now compared to all the other numerous responsibilities I was juggling during the SSS's 89'-99' ten year stint. If the SSS comes to be again, we would also plan to hold fund raisers in which the proceeds would be donated to the Masonic/Shriner's Hospital for Children. Being Descendent Royalty of a High Ranking Mason/Shriner, my swedish Grandfather,Martin J. Sandstrom, the SSS's efforts would be a Noble Community Duty, and chairitable service for needy children's life saving operations. Back in the 1950's Shriners got to ride thier decorated motorscooters in big annual community parades. Like Spokane's Liliac parade. My love for scooters stemmed from my earlier teenage hobby of small engine repair with emphasis in single cylinder fan-cooled two-cycle engines that powered Lawn-Boy, Jacobsen, and Tecumseh lawn mowers, and snow throwers, also never having a Go-Cart! I have done 8 rides with my former 80' Vespa P.200E(Avalon 200)I restored from a basket case. from to Spokane to Seattle, and back again in the 1990's, and countless road miles of experience over these past 20 years. Being recently scooterless for 3 years due to a unexpected chain of disasterous events in my life, I within the last year acquired again a 60's Vespa "fixer-upper", and restored her to the likeness of her three red Vespa "Avalon" sisters I had long ago who are now long gone. I'm happy again with "AvalonIV". "Avalon" is the 82' album by the British ecclectic rock group, Roxy Music who's music made it's memorable impression on me while touring Seattle for the first time in 87' with my first scooter. Weird? Many scooter people affectionately name thier scooters. Now being a Computer Tech. and Computer based Film/Video/Graphics Artist, I hope to start production of a independent film series for webcast on youtube.com called "An American Scooterist" the first episode is projected to be shot this summer of 08', and cover local scootering events with video/pics!
Scooters I own: 1967 Vespa 150cc VNB Bought from Portland,OR's Ptown Scooters in Sept. of 2006, she was in rough shape, and a vicious Pink color. Learning her history, her engine was completely gone through by the Greatest Scooter Mechanic in Washington state: Seattle's Victor Voris just a year or so before she found her way to Portland and the Victor engine had low miles on it since he had rebuilt it! That was all I needed to know as the sure-fire selling point for me buying her. Being the founder/mechanic for Spokane's scooter scene's group, The Spokane Scooter Society (89'-99'), and having put approximately 15 scooters back on the road with new leases on life for thier owners enjoyment in our club, all I can say is, "If Victor went through the engine, I could'nt have done a better job myself!" I have done my series of checks, tests, and examinations on her engine. Not disappointed, and was never worried of being. It was tight, had excellent compression readings, and she runs strong like a new engine fresh from the Piaggio factory. Purrs smooth as a kitten! As of last spring, all needed body repairs were properly done(welding body tears, all dents repaired)As I envisioned her become as worked my scooter magic,I repainted her a gorgeous Red. Even with limited resources, I still did a great paint job having a modeller's skill of knowing how shoot the bike with several progressive coats with timed breaks between apps. on painting day. I cleverly custom retro-fitted her with legshield glovebox, a full original pillion seat for 60's VNA, VNB, VBA, VBB models was fitted(Being 6'3", (I hate those two-piece seating arrangements these 60's Vespas most commonly came stock with.) A new fold-up rear luggage rack with a new built-up spare tire was added, the other two tires/tubes were replaced, the rims dipped/de-rusted,and painted original chrome silver, as were engine parts to original factory colors after being totally cleaned/de-rusted(fan cover, cylinder shround, etc.). Anything of the scooter's hardware/fittings,etc.that was damaged, deteriorated, or missing was automatically ordered and replaced. I went for it as I had the $$$ to afford it at the time. Sometimes such windows of opportunity rarely happen. My attitude with her restoration was like all my scooters I once had long ago now. One by one I restored them to as close to like new condition that was with in my capability. $$$ not being an issue. I don't ride "Rat" scoots, like some people who don't keep their scoots in proper maintennance, and let add to the machine's further neglected cumulative deterioration. It's now great to see that almost everybody all over the world are restoring every Vespa or Lambretta to new condition that they can get thier hands on these days. The The "Restored" Vietnamese Vespas from all horror stories I've read, are a tragic testimony of half-assed "just the minimal to get it running" BS.Anyway I too would never buy a Vietnamese Vespa, as a "All-American Boy", I feel it to be treasonous to put American dollars into the economy of a communist government run country, and would never ponder making such a purchase for a moment. Ah, memories of those good Ol'days. Those who did listen to me seriously, and put forth the commitment the scooter needed, got a good result plain and simple: A properly rebuilt running Vespa with a new 20 year lease on life, happy they would have many years of fun,enjoyment, and becoming great friends/members in our club. The SSS. Most important I would share the knowledge with each person's I worked on Where they would learn more how to also work on thier scoot each time. Thus gaining a new "Self-Reliancy" of independence!