Across America by Bicycle

by Honeywell, Alice

• ISBN13: 9780299248840
• ISBN10: 0299248844
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-10-12
• Publisher: Univ of Wisconsin Pr

Summary

Biking from Oregon to Maine is no small feat, especially for two newly retired women who carry everything they need for three months, powered only by the strength of their legs and a desire for adventure. Alice Honeywell and Bobbi Montgomery invite readers to follow their ride by bicycle across the United States, as they face scorching sun, driving rain, buffeting winds, equipment failures, killer hills, wild fires, and even a plague of grasshoppers. As Alice and Bobbi pedal along their 3,600-mile journey, they test and deepen their friendship, defy their aches and pains, experience the vast and varied beauties of their country, and discover the challenges and satisfaction of a scaled-down lifestyle. And, they encounter unfailing generosity from people they meet-from the prayers of a North Dakota woman for their safekeeping, to the offer of a house in Michigan, to invitations for dinner and a place to sleep at stops all along the way. And there are incidents to laugh over, too, such as the bewildered woman who asked them, "Well, but where do you pack your dresses?" Ride along with Alice and Bobbi as they embrace retirement with gusto and live their dream.

Author Biography

Alice Honeywell, a retired editor, is a writing consultant in Madison, Wisconsin. She is a member of Dane County’s Bombay Bicycle Club and has led a number of tours for the Sierra Club’s National Outings Program and other groups. Bobbi Montgomery, a retired English teacher, supervises and trains teachers throughout Ohio. She is a member of the Gears4Beers Cycling Club and Cincinnati Cycling Club. The authors are dreaming of another cross-country bike trip, this one from north to south, border to border.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. 3
Through the Columbia River Gorge: Oregon and Washington	p. 11
Over the Western Mountains: Idaho and Western Montana	p. 49
Across the Northern Plains: Eastern Montana and North Dakota	p. 97
Through the Upper Midwest: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana	p. 143
Along Lakes Erie and Ontario: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Western New York	p. 193
Over the Adirondacks and across New England: Eastern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine	p. 229
Reflections	p. 261
Frequently Asked Questions	p. 269
Equipment	p. 279
Roadside Finds	p. 287
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