Steve and the Tiger, Riding the Americas by Steve Stewart [Book Review]

We met Steve (an adventure bike rider) and the Tiger (his 800 XC motorbike) at the Adventure Overland Show last month. He was one of the many travel authors there to share their overlanding exploits. With an hour long slot dedicated to his expedition Steve also had a small stand selling his book. These words detail the expedition from the southern tip of Argentina all the way north to Canada.

His book describes everything that could be thrown at you on an adventure biking expedition. There are tales of sun, sand, snow, ice, gravel and a few stretches of smooth tarmac road. From the highs of the Andes in Peru to the infamous ice roads of the Dalton pass. This trip has it all, not to mention the emotional highs and lows of solo riding, extreme weather, poor visibility and self-reliance.

Steve at the Adventure Overland Show

At the Adventure Overland Show we spent some time speaking to Steve — our curiosity leaving us with many questions about his tale. His route is almost identical to one of our two sabbatical plans in three years time. There’s a lot we have to plan and consider, and what better way to do so than by picking the brains of someone who’s already been there. Plus we couldn’t miss ogling at his bike, admiring the many stickers that covered its red body and showcase the countries he visited. Those stickers are a glimpse at the kind of experience we’re hoping for.

I bought his book as part of our research and it’s been quite the eye-opener. It’s illuminated some of the realities and practicalities of adventure overlanding. His presentation about the trip let us know the real Steve — his charismatic and down to earth character. He was also very open in sharing the highs and the lows of such an adventure. I also savoured his photographs of South America — reminiscing about my own trip there several years ago.

After the presentation, we got talking with Steve once more. We learned more of his backstory — life in the Army and the events that led to taking on such a challenge. With the right opportunity Steve grabbed it by the horns and decided to embark on this once in a lifetime expedition. This quiet chat also allowed me to probe Steve on his experience of self-publishing. It’s given me a few ideas to work towards so perhaps there’ll be some new goals to plan for the new year.

Steve and the Tiger, Riding the Americas — the Book

His self-published book is a real account of the details of the trip — the route, the miles covered, the sights and the people he met along the way. There’s also plenty of facts about motorbikes with many of the services or fixes peppered throughout the book. So if motorbikes are your thing or you’re planning an adventure ride yourself there are definitely some tips to pick up. Do also check out the stat’s at the end of the book. This showcases the exact number of miles, cost of fuel and all the issues he had to fix or parts he replaced on the bike.

Due to this style of writing it’s a little less of a story than some travel books you may read. This book feels more like the practical side of adventure. But sometime I wanted more. I wanted to see more of that charismatic man we’d met and see his personality truly reflected in the pages of his book. For example we’d meet characters along the way or hear of some of the real struggles but it all seemed top level. I wanted to hear more, to learn how the characters really felt, what impact events had and what was learnt. Steve’s character was abundant in person but sometimes it didn’t come through in his writing — a bit of a shame.

What did I learn from reading Steve and the Tiger, Riding the Americas

If you’re researching or planning a trip this is an interesting read and there’s lot to be learnt from Steve’s experiences. Aside from notes on how to’s, watch out’s and ideas for routes I also learnt that:

• For me learning about culture and history and documenting that alongside my experiences is key. It’s the combination of it all that I love — both learning, growth and self development.
• The commando qualities of courage, unselfishness, cheerfulness in adversity and determination. Steve describes ample examples of this throughout his six and a half month trip. These are qualities I hope to embody and have learnt I should keep these in the forefront of my mind more often.