Pages: 166
Format: eBook
Goodreads
In 2011, at 57 years old, Neil Hanson began a 3400-mile cross-country bicycle journey, exploring an America that can only be discovered on winding backroads from the saddle of a bicycle.
More than just a travelogue of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on a journey that is engaging and insightful, often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring. It’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble
I was asked to provide an honest review of Pilgrim Wheels: Reflections of a Cyclist Crossing America by Neil Hanson. Truth be told, this is not my ordinary genre of choice, but I wanted to step out of my comfort zone a bit and give it a try. Nonfiction novels are more my husband’s forte and I usually find it safer to stay with fictional works. Reading is my form of escapism and my preferred leisure activity when I want to get away from the stresses of life. It is true that many things can be learned from non-fiction. They can be exciting, educational, and sometimes sad. Because of the “sad” factor, I tend to stay away from them.
But Pilgrim Wheels was a surprisingly refreshing read. I’ll never cycle farther than my nearest bike trail here in Ohio, but as I read the book, I was taken to a place that was exciting and new. Part cyclist, part philosopher, Mr. Hanson, at 57 years old, traveled alone through the desert. With each chapter he provides an overview of how far the trail has taken him and the interesting people he meets along the way. The isolation offers him reflections and insights of what he has learned thus far in life, of ways he still feels he needs to change, and a unique observation of others. His writing is soothing and peaceful, open and honest.
You can’t help but giggle when the author meets the Scooter Folks, and for a moment you see the author can just be as elitist as the next guy. Here he is riding alone on a bike across the west, and these people are riding scooters with a truck following them. If they get tired, they just take the scooter and put it in a truck and drive off in an air conditioned vehicle. But the author catches himself before becoming that person. He sees that we all have a road to travel, and it was just their way of traveling. It doesn’t make it any better, or, any less valid than his trip. If it was up to me, I would do the scooter way too.
But I suppose the lesson in the case of the desert scooters, is that we all have a story. We all have differences. Perhaps those people were not physically capable of being out in the open road like the author, and it was there way of being just as free as the author, even if it was just for a little while.
Another poignant chapter was when he stopped to see one of his closest friends. This chapter was the most important to me. Although I do feel like a hermit at times, and I am not the most social of butterflies, this chapter reminds me to reconnect with friends. It can be difficult though because life just pulls you so many different ways.
I especially appreciated the quotations at the introduction of each chapter. You can tell that the author took his time picking and choosing the most appropriate quotes. There are many reasons to revisit this book when one has finished, and the quotations are one of those reasons.
You don’t have to be a cyclist to read this book. In fact I recommend it to everyone who is not able to cycle. The cycling terminology does not confuse one, and the good part is you can just live through the author. One day, I plan on taking a Scooter 🙂
Click here for a chance to win a copy of the book on Goodreads!
Leave a Reply