While not a book, the Lovely Bicycle blog reads like an anthology collection of essays on cycling. And she occasionally reviews books on cycling. Her philosophy is comparable to that of a cycling tourist - non-competitive, in it for the joy of cycling for its own sake, with a generous respect for appreciation of the machines and accoutrements as important ingredients in that pursuit.

Rather than reading, or watching documentaries, done from a hobby/pursuit-specific perspective, I prefer more generalized perspectives on the process of the journey.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance remains a classic. I read it when I was 15 and one particular lesson stayed with me, regarding pragmatism vs the sort of puritanism that infects so many niche pursuits. Pirsig wrote about a motorcycle trip with a friend who had a new BMW and was so suckered by notions of purity and correctness that he wouldn't accept, as a simple solution to fixing a loose handlebar, a shim made from cutting strips of an aluminum can found along the roadside. Decades later, I've lost count of the number of shims and other expedient bits I've made from aluminum cans. But the book isn't just about the vehicles, but the journey and coping with our fellow humans along the way. His anecdotes about the strained relationship with his son are equally poignant.

The "Enjoy Every Sandwich" tribute to Warren Zevon attempts to express a similar "Be here now" philosophy, but in such a simplistic manner and lacking the power, irony and acute self-awareness of Zevon himself that I'd rather just listen to the original versions while keeping in mind the intent of the tribute project.

While mostly fictitious, Carlos Castaneda's "Don Juan" books remain powerful commentaries on the human journey, both in terms of the literal physical journey from place to place, and the way we are affected and changed by our physical journeys. The long hikes through deserts and mountains recounted in loving detail in the books compares well with long distance bicycle rides, including the blurred lines between total exhaustion and the endorphin rushes that keep us going - which parallels well with the references to mind altering substances and experiences in Castaneda's stories. If you can read only one, "Journey to Ixtlan" is a pretty good excerpt and summation of the entire series.

Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon might be an interesting addition to this list, although I never finished the book back in the 1980s. I'm not sure whether the book didn't quite grab me, or whether life interfered with finishing the book.

Most of Tolkien's middle earth stories are fundamentally journey stories. Whether you're traveling alone or with one or more partners, almost every conceivable personality and adventure written about by Tolkien has its analog in any real life journey. The "Speak, friend, and enter" password at the Doors of Durin is a valuable lesson for any traveler who encounters problems, puzzles and riddles along the way.