Touring - Touring travel books

Can anybody reccomend any good touring books? I've read most of the metal cowboy's stuff, and a few others by Josie Dew. Any good reccomendations? If I can't tour right now I might as well read about it.

around the world on a bicycle by thomas stevens

Miles From Nowhere by Barbara Savage tell of her and her husbands 2 year world tour. Though not about bicycle touring, I enjoyed Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon (Yeah, he is in a car, but it is a good travel narrative).

I've read both Miles from nowhere and Blue highways. I really enjoyed miles from nowhere. I think it may have been the first touring book, that I read back in highschool.

Some classics along with Barbara Savage-Miles From Nowhere

Dervla Murphy- Full Tilt [Ireland to India on a one speed bike] and more than ten other books.
Most recently The Ukimwi Road [Riding through Southern Africa- Kenya to Zimbabwe].


Bettina Selby- Riding To Jerusalem[from London] and Riding The Mountains Down[from Karachi to Katmandu]

Bernard Magnouloux- Travels With Rosinante-five years cycling around the world

Lloyd Sumner- The Long Ride

Michael Buckley- Cycling to Xian

Anne Mustoe (A Bike Ride)

When I am looking for a touring book I dip into this list

http://www.biketrip.org/books.php

george

Two that are often missed, because you won't find them in the bicycling section at the LBS (local book store):

True Fans, A basketball odyssey by Dan Austin and
The Masked Rider, Cycling in West Africa by Neil Peart also

Joe Kurmaskie (the metal cowboy) has another: Momentum is your friend, the metal cowboy and his pint-sized posse take on America.

Almost forgot, for online journals go to: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/?o=ep

another good read online is

http://www.trentobike.org/

george

Changing Gears by Jane Schnell.

My book's not actually for sale yet but when it is I think that it'll probably be a not too yawn-inducing read to pack into your panniers.
It's called "Llamas and Empanadas", published by Penguin, and is an account of a haphazard 5,500km bike tour I made in South America a couple of years ago.
It'll be out next May in NZ, and I will be available on Amazon for those not planning a trip to the back of beyond. It may even be published in England and the States as well, but that's still undecided.
It's a bit too soon to be promoting it, maybe, but if you're interested can let me know and I'll make sure I send you a link to where you can get a copy once it's actually out.

Here's the blurb:

"Ignoring those who insisted that cycling alone in South America was not only inadvisable but possibly suicidal, Eleanor Meecham ventured apprehensively into the wilds of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Travelling on Vagabunda, her trusty bicycle of twelve years, she crossed the Andes twice, pedalled through the barren but beautiful wastes of Patagonia and ended up in Potosí, the world’s highest city.
Despite battling ferocious headwinds, the draining effects of altitude, a malfunctioning knee and rocky, sandy, unsignposted roads, she couldn’t help but be charmed by the countries she travelled through and the folk singers, teaslurping truck drivers and flirtatious policemen she met along the way. As well as developing a fascination for the stories, legends, history, people and landscapes of this colourful continent, she also acquired an addiction to the ubiquitous empanada, an irresistibly delicious Latin American pastry.
Llamas and Empanadas is Eleanor’s account of her 5000 kilometre journey. It is also a tribute to her mountaineering brother Daniel, whose fearless and determined spirit spurred her onwards when the road got too bumpy."

Hell, I'd read it.

My book's not actually for sale yet but when it is I think that it'll probably be a not too yawn-inducing read to pack into your panniers.
It's called "Llamas and Empanadas", published by Penguin, and is an account of a haphazard 5,500km bike tour I made in South America a couple of years ago.
It'll be out next May in NZ, and I will be available on Amazon for those not planning a trip to the back of beyond. It may even be published in England and the States as well, but that's still undecided.
It's a bit too soon to be promoting it, maybe, but if you're interested can let me know and I'll make sure I send you a link to where you can get a copy once it's actually out.

Here's the blurb:

"Ignoring those who insisted that cycling alone in South America was not only inadvisable but possibly suicidal, Eleanor Meecham ventured apprehensively into the wilds of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Travelling on Vagabunda, her trusty bicycle of twelve years, she crossed the Andes twice, pedalled through the barren but beautiful wastes of Patagonia and ended up in Potosí, the world’s highest city.
Despite battling ferocious headwinds, the draining effects of altitude, a malfunctioning knee and rocky, sandy, unsignposted roads, she couldn’t help but be charmed by the countries she travelled through and the folk singers, teaslurping truck drivers and flirtatious policemen she met along the way. As well as developing a fascination for the stories, legends, history, people and landscapes of this colourful continent, she also acquired an addiction to the ubiquitous empanada, an irresistibly delicious Latin American pastry.
Llamas and Empanadas is Eleanor’s account of her 5000 kilometre journey. It is also a tribute to her mountaineering brother Daniel, whose fearless and determined spirit spurred her onwards when the road got too bumpy."

Hell, I'd read it.

Sounds interesting....you can't really go wrong with llamas and empanadas can you? Throw in some cactus pics and I am sold...:D

Travels with Rosinante: 5 years' cycling round the world: by Bernard Magnouloux

I just picked up this book this weekend, and am really enjoying it.

Funny thing, but the one thing that Barbara and her husband did that really struck me as curious was the way they carried spare tires, folded and stuffed between the spokes of their wheels. Is this a normal technique, or is this something they stumbled on out of desperation?

Miles from Nowhere is the inspiration of our trip around the world. They did not have front panniers, so they must have been desparate for space. I can not imagine how they did it! They had a full size tent, all the camping gear and all-weather clothes back when the feather-weight stuff was not invented. Blows my mind.
The Road of Dreams - it does not flow too well but still good.
Josie Dew, I thought, is full of herself. "Hey look at me, I'm so brave and so cool and everyone else is stupid and lame".


I just picked up this book this weekend, and am really enjoying it.

Funny thing, but the one thing that Barbara and her husband did that really struck me as curious was the way they carried spare tires, folded and stuffed between the spokes of their wheels. Is this a normal technique, or is this something they stumbled on out of desperation?

Neil Anderson's book are fabulously entertaining to read!

Check them out at http://www.cyclelogicpress.com/