book recommendations?
#1
Thread Starter
Mettle to the Pedals
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Central Indiana
Bikes: Giant Cypress hyrbrid, Giant OCR2, Giant OCRc2, Giant Suede (wife's)
book recommendations?
Hi folks-- (newbie here)
Can anyone recommend good books/travelogues on touring? I've found a few on-line travelogues, but would really like to read some top notch books (especially with good humor).
Thanks in advance.
Dewbert
Can anyone recommend good books/travelogues on touring? I've found a few on-line travelogues, but would really like to read some top notch books (especially with good humor).
Thanks in advance.
Dewbert
#2
Badger Biker
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 974
Likes: 1
From: Beloit, Wisconsin
Bikes: Cannondale Saeco CAD-3, Surly Cross Check
Here you go:
Hurt City by Bob Voiland
Over the Hills by David Lamb
Freewheelih' by Richard Lovett
A Crossing by Brian Newhouse
Roll Around Heaven All Day by Stan Purdum
Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage
A Bike Ride by Anne Mustoe
Bicycling Across America by David Heston Fenimore
Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America? by John Seigel Boettner
We Passed This Way by Dick Swinnerton.
Hurt City by Bob Voiland
Over the Hills by David Lamb
Freewheelih' by Richard Lovett
A Crossing by Brian Newhouse
Roll Around Heaven All Day by Stan Purdum
Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage
A Bike Ride by Anne Mustoe
Bicycling Across America by David Heston Fenimore
Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America? by John Seigel Boettner
We Passed This Way by Dick Swinnerton.
#4
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: San Jose, CA, USA
I read "Cold beer and crocodiles" but I dodn't remember the author's name.
It's about a guy who rides around australia. The writer is pretty good, but I was hoping for something a little more like Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintence, except with the tour being on a bike instead of a motorcycle. After reading cold beer and crocodiles, I read Zen agian...that's a great book.
It's about a guy who rides around australia. The writer is pretty good, but I was hoping for something a little more like Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintence, except with the tour being on a bike instead of a motorcycle. After reading cold beer and crocodiles, I read Zen agian...that's a great book.
#8
Dude On Bike
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Spartanburg, SC
Bikes: Raliegh C40 Hybrid Bike. Cannondale R900 Triple. Schwinn World - Fixie Conversion
Originally Posted by Bolo Grubb
Metal Cowboy, I forget the authors name
Though I'm not sure what I would expect to find in an all informative book. It seems like it would boil down to a list of essentials, which might change from rider to rider or subject to change for locations. Still, I too would be interested in such a read if some of you could help narrow down the selections for us.
#9
Yes, Miles From Nowhere definitely. Also, Over the Hills (mentioned above) is quite good.
A non-biking road book, Blue Highways, by William Least Heat-Moon, is also to be recommended. He ambles about the country in a simply-appointed van, and his musings and the people he meets are good lessons in how to go.
A non-biking road book, Blue Highways, by William Least Heat-Moon, is also to be recommended. He ambles about the country in a simply-appointed van, and his musings and the people he meets are good lessons in how to go.
__________________
An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. - G. K. Chesterton
An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. - G. K. Chesterton
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 274
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From: London, Ontario, Canada
Bikes: Surly Cross Check, Trek 520, Giant VT1, Norco Scrambler, Norco Unicycle, Dirtsurfer
I really enjoyed Neil Anderson's books myself. Both are reviewed at the links below.
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...tVeeredOff.htm
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...rimeReview.htm
Bernie Howgate writes some great books as well:
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...wfieOrBust.htm
If you are looking for a book that talks about the Touring Gear and stuff you might want to check out the The Essential Touring Cyclist by Richard Lovett.
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...ingCyclist.htm
~Jamie N
www.bicycletouring101.com
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...tVeeredOff.htm
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...rimeReview.htm
Bernie Howgate writes some great books as well:
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...wfieOrBust.htm
If you are looking for a book that talks about the Touring Gear and stuff you might want to check out the The Essential Touring Cyclist by Richard Lovett.
https://www.bicycletouring101.com/Boo...ingCyclist.htm
~Jamie N
www.bicycletouring101.com
#11
cyclotourist

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,472
Likes: 206
From: calgary, canada
I'm going to put in my usual plug for Miles from Nowhere and add that I actually met the Savages whilst they were on their tour in April 1980 in New Zealand. I guess they were underwhelmed by my presence as I never made it into the book...
Okay, thats my 15 seconds of near fame.
Ooops that should be 1980 not 2000. Brain weevils.
Okay, thats my 15 seconds of near fame.
Ooops that should be 1980 not 2000. Brain weevils.
Last edited by skookum; 05-25-05 at 06:23 PM. Reason: fixed mistake
#12
Life is simply timing...
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 100
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From: British Columbia - Lower Mainland
Bikes: Kona Cinder Cone (2005) / Cannondale T700 Touring (1994)
Try the following (I liked it a lot):
Magnouloux, Bernard
Travels with Rosinante; 5 years cycling around the world.
London, Grafton, 1990. ISBN 0-856-20828-3
"...this marvellousy racy account of his five-year bicycle ride around the world that took him through 45 countries, 77.000 cycled km's, 267 tyres and 199 punctures..."
And for pointers to additional books of traveling around the world by bicycle, try:
https://www.cyclingaroundtheworld.nl/index.asp
Magnouloux, Bernard
Travels with Rosinante; 5 years cycling around the world.
London, Grafton, 1990. ISBN 0-856-20828-3
"...this marvellousy racy account of his five-year bicycle ride around the world that took him through 45 countries, 77.000 cycled km's, 267 tyres and 199 punctures..."
And for pointers to additional books of traveling around the world by bicycle, try:
https://www.cyclingaroundtheworld.nl/index.asp
#13
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 521
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From: San Jose, CA, USA
Here's another, I havn't read it but i'm going to go see him talk about his journey on thursday at the Saratoga REI.
Odysseus’ Last Stand: Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad by Dave Stamboulis
Here's the link to the info about the talk for anyone who's interested. https://community.rei.com/bin/jobseve...ardtype=events
Odysseus’ Last Stand: Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad by Dave Stamboulis
Here's the link to the info about the talk for anyone who's interested. https://community.rei.com/bin/jobseve...ardtype=events
#14
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 130
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From: Central Upstate New York
I suggest you take a look at this message thread. https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/16884-books-cycling.html
Since my entry then I've acquired several books to add to the list, but have yet to update my list.
Hopefully I will get a round tuit.
enjoy
wells
Since my entry then I've acquired several books to add to the list, but have yet to update my list.
Hopefully I will get a round tuit.
enjoy
wells
#15
Originally Posted by Dewbert
Hi folks-- (newbie here)
Can anyone recommend good books/travelogues on touring? I've found a few on-line travelogues, but would really like to read some top notch books (especially with good humor).
Thanks in advance.
Dewbert
Can anyone recommend good books/travelogues on touring? I've found a few on-line travelogues, but would really like to read some top notch books (especially with good humor).
Thanks in advance.
Dewbert
Regards
Andrew & Joanne
#16
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Central Upstate New York
Time to update the list! Here are some new books to my bicycle touring collection. Let me know if you want additional information on any of them.
Wells Horton
wellsmarsha@frontiernet.net
Just the Two of Us; A Cycling Journey Across America; Norton, Melissa; 2001
Cycling Into Your Soul; A Journey out into the worold and down into the soul; Archibald, Marg; date?
The First Big Ride; A Woman’s Journey; Hanner, Eloise; 2000
A Bicyle Journey to the Bottom of the Americas; Being a true account of a bike adventure from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego; Hawkins, George J.; 2000
World Ride; Going the extrea mile against cancer; Drorbaugh, Richard; 1995
The Lead goat Veered Off; A Bicycling Adventure on Sardinia; Anderson, Neil; 2000
Pilgrim on a Bicycle; Coast to coast in search of community; Johnson, Barbara Mary; 1982
On the Trail of Marco Polo; Along the Silk Road by bicycle; Fotheringham, Brady; 2000
Around the World On a Bicycle; Stevens, Thomas; 2001 (originally published in1887)
These I have listed in the forum in the past:
Two Wheels North; Bicycling the West Coast in 1909; Gibb, Evelyn McDaniel; 2000
2 Wheels 2 Years & 3 Continents; A Bicyclist’s Dream Fulfilled; Galen, Ralph W.;1977
Cold Beer and Crocodiles; A Bicycle Journey into Australia; Smith, Roff; 2000
A Bike Ride;12,000 miles around the world; Mustoe, Anne;1992
The Adventure of Two Lifetimes; Goetz, Pegy Newland and Brian Goetz;2001
Computing Across America; The Bicycle Odyssey of a High-Tech Nomad;Roberts, Steven K.;1988
Metal Cowboy; Tales from the road less pedaled;Kurmaskie, Joe;1999
Where the Pavement Ends; One Woman’s Bicycle Trip Through Mongolia, China & Vietnam;Warmbrunn, Erika;2001
Spokesongs; Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents;Weir, Willie;1997
The Trail to Titicaca; A journey through South America;Attlee, Rupert;1999
Following the Sun; A Bicycle Pilgrimage from Andalusia to the Hebrides;Mitchell, John Hanson;2002
A Crossing;A Cyclist’s Journey Home; Newhouse, Brian;1998
Riding the Desert Trail; By bicycle to the source of the Nile;Selby, Bettina;1988
Cycling Adventures of Coconut Head; A North American Odyssey;Schredd, Ted;1996
Against the Wind; A Maine to Alaska Bicycling Adventure;Basch, Marty;1995
Free-Wheelin’; A Solo Journey Across Ameerica;Lovett, Richard A.;1992
Africa Trek; A Journey by Bicycle through Africa;Buettner, Dan;1997
The Impossible Ride; The Story of the First Bicycle Ride across the Amazon Jungle;Sutherland, Louise;1982
Over the Hills; Lamb, David;1996
Stealing from a Deep Place; Travels in Southeastern Europe;Hall, Brian;1988
Pedaling the Ends of the Earth; Four young me come of age in a great bicycling adventure stretching from Spain to Japan;Duncan, David;1985
Himalayan Passage; Seven months in the high courtry of Tibet, Nepal, China, India, and Pakistan;Schmidt, Jeremy;1991
Short Summer in South America; Sanders, Nick;1989
Hurt City;;Voiland, Bob;1994
Cycling to XIAN and other excursions; Travels by bicycle through China & Tibet;Buckley, Michael;1988
Seeing Myself Seeing the World; A Woman’s Journey Around the World on a Bicycle;Vantress, Sally;1990
Changing Gears; Bicycling America’s Perimeter;Schnell, Jane;1990
Round Ireland in Low Gear; Newby, Eric;1987
Lone Traveller; One Woman, Two Wheels and the World; Mustoe, Anne;1998
The Masked Rider; Cycling in West Africa;Peart, Neil;1996
Travels in a Strange State; Cycling across the USA;Dew, Josie;1994
We’re Outta Here!; How to plan and take the trip of your dreams;Wooten, David;1997
Three Men on a Bike; A Journey through Africa;Spowers, Rory;1995
The World up Close; A cyclist’s Adventures on Five Continents;Nasr, Kameel B.;1990
Six Years After D-DAY; Cycling through Europe;Alsmeyer, Marie Bennett;1995
Ride with the Wind; The Adventures of a Grandmother who Bicycled around the World;Hamlin, Charlotte;1997
Roll Around Heaven All Day; A Piecemeal Journey Across America by Bicycle;Purdum, Stan;1997
The Long Ride; Sumner, Lloyd; 1978
Two Wheels around New Zealand; A bicycle journey on Friendly Roads;Bischke, Scott;1989
The Road of Dreams; A Two-Year Bicycling and Hiking Adventure around the World;Junek, Bruce B.;1991
Ironhourse Rider; A Coast to Coast Bicycle Odyssey;Turner, Bo;1996
Wells Horton
wellsmarsha@frontiernet.net
Just the Two of Us; A Cycling Journey Across America; Norton, Melissa; 2001
Cycling Into Your Soul; A Journey out into the worold and down into the soul; Archibald, Marg; date?
The First Big Ride; A Woman’s Journey; Hanner, Eloise; 2000
A Bicyle Journey to the Bottom of the Americas; Being a true account of a bike adventure from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego; Hawkins, George J.; 2000
World Ride; Going the extrea mile against cancer; Drorbaugh, Richard; 1995
The Lead goat Veered Off; A Bicycling Adventure on Sardinia; Anderson, Neil; 2000
Pilgrim on a Bicycle; Coast to coast in search of community; Johnson, Barbara Mary; 1982
On the Trail of Marco Polo; Along the Silk Road by bicycle; Fotheringham, Brady; 2000
Around the World On a Bicycle; Stevens, Thomas; 2001 (originally published in1887)
These I have listed in the forum in the past:
Two Wheels North; Bicycling the West Coast in 1909; Gibb, Evelyn McDaniel; 2000
2 Wheels 2 Years & 3 Continents; A Bicyclist’s Dream Fulfilled; Galen, Ralph W.;1977
Cold Beer and Crocodiles; A Bicycle Journey into Australia; Smith, Roff; 2000
A Bike Ride;12,000 miles around the world; Mustoe, Anne;1992
The Adventure of Two Lifetimes; Goetz, Pegy Newland and Brian Goetz;2001
Computing Across America; The Bicycle Odyssey of a High-Tech Nomad;Roberts, Steven K.;1988
Metal Cowboy; Tales from the road less pedaled;Kurmaskie, Joe;1999
Where the Pavement Ends; One Woman’s Bicycle Trip Through Mongolia, China & Vietnam;Warmbrunn, Erika;2001
Spokesongs; Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents;Weir, Willie;1997
The Trail to Titicaca; A journey through South America;Attlee, Rupert;1999
Following the Sun; A Bicycle Pilgrimage from Andalusia to the Hebrides;Mitchell, John Hanson;2002
A Crossing;A Cyclist’s Journey Home; Newhouse, Brian;1998
Riding the Desert Trail; By bicycle to the source of the Nile;Selby, Bettina;1988
Cycling Adventures of Coconut Head; A North American Odyssey;Schredd, Ted;1996
Against the Wind; A Maine to Alaska Bicycling Adventure;Basch, Marty;1995
Free-Wheelin’; A Solo Journey Across Ameerica;Lovett, Richard A.;1992
Africa Trek; A Journey by Bicycle through Africa;Buettner, Dan;1997
The Impossible Ride; The Story of the First Bicycle Ride across the Amazon Jungle;Sutherland, Louise;1982
Over the Hills; Lamb, David;1996
Stealing from a Deep Place; Travels in Southeastern Europe;Hall, Brian;1988
Pedaling the Ends of the Earth; Four young me come of age in a great bicycling adventure stretching from Spain to Japan;Duncan, David;1985
Himalayan Passage; Seven months in the high courtry of Tibet, Nepal, China, India, and Pakistan;Schmidt, Jeremy;1991
Short Summer in South America; Sanders, Nick;1989
Hurt City;;Voiland, Bob;1994
Cycling to XIAN and other excursions; Travels by bicycle through China & Tibet;Buckley, Michael;1988
Seeing Myself Seeing the World; A Woman’s Journey Around the World on a Bicycle;Vantress, Sally;1990
Changing Gears; Bicycling America’s Perimeter;Schnell, Jane;1990
Round Ireland in Low Gear; Newby, Eric;1987
Lone Traveller; One Woman, Two Wheels and the World; Mustoe, Anne;1998
The Masked Rider; Cycling in West Africa;Peart, Neil;1996
Travels in a Strange State; Cycling across the USA;Dew, Josie;1994
We’re Outta Here!; How to plan and take the trip of your dreams;Wooten, David;1997
Three Men on a Bike; A Journey through Africa;Spowers, Rory;1995
The World up Close; A cyclist’s Adventures on Five Continents;Nasr, Kameel B.;1990
Six Years After D-DAY; Cycling through Europe;Alsmeyer, Marie Bennett;1995
Ride with the Wind; The Adventures of a Grandmother who Bicycled around the World;Hamlin, Charlotte;1997
Roll Around Heaven All Day; A Piecemeal Journey Across America by Bicycle;Purdum, Stan;1997
The Long Ride; Sumner, Lloyd; 1978
Two Wheels around New Zealand; A bicycle journey on Friendly Roads;Bischke, Scott;1989
The Road of Dreams; A Two-Year Bicycling and Hiking Adventure around the World;Junek, Bruce B.;1991
Ironhourse Rider; A Coast to Coast Bicycle Odyssey;Turner, Bo;1996
#17
Mad bike riding scientist




Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 29,137
Likes: 6,183
From: Denver, CO
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Two of my favorites are from the 19th century
The Wonderful Ride by George Loher, Harper and Row, 1978
Wheels of Chance by H.G. Wells, Breakaway Books. Very funny fictional account of touring by THE H.G. Wells
And for on-line content there is always https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/. Lots of good stuff there. I'm told that one guy's stuff is really funny but I know the author personally and I think his stuff is dreck
The Wonderful Ride by George Loher, Harper and Row, 1978
Wheels of Chance by H.G. Wells, Breakaway Books. Very funny fictional account of touring by THE H.G. Wells
And for on-line content there is always https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/. Lots of good stuff there. I'm told that one guy's stuff is really funny but I know the author personally and I think his stuff is dreck
__________________
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!





