You Can't Ride a Bike to Alaska. It's an Island!

by Mickey Thomas

'You'll never make it With encouragement like that, author Mickey Thomas, in a fit of youthful testosterone, and meticulous inattention to detail, decided to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime 3,400 mile... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 059537350X
• ISBN13: 9780595373505
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Length: 140 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

great bike touring book

I like reading bike touring books because, alas, there is more time to read about touring than there is to do it. I've read many books on the topic, some have good functional tips, some are poorly written but deeply felt by the author, many are dull. What Thomas conveys so well in this book is the mental fortitude it takes to do a long distance self contained trip. There isn't info on what kind of panniers to buy or what kind of gearing to use...but instead, what kind of emotional hardships are battled and how impactful this can be to your confidence, your pshyche, and the way you handle discomfort and facing the unknown. I don't want to make too big of a thing about it, as he didn't expressly dwell on any of these things so much as just leave you with the understanding of what a tough, adventurous, life changing trip can be like. I found it very inspirational!, and actually thought about it when riding fully loaded in 7 hours of rain in Montana this summer. Although i'm a cyclist (and a once-a-year tourer) you would not have to ride a bike to enjoy this book. and if you like it, you might also like "Once Upon a CHariot" by Iris Paris, the story of Norma Jean Belloff who established the US women's record for cross country bicycling in 1948.

Nice Account of an Exciting Trip

Having read many books about long-distance cycling trips (and written one myself), I'm a rather harsh critic of these tales. I've been burned after reading some that were little more than collected e-mails sent home during the trip. That said, I liked this story of a guy who, without much cycling experience, undertook the trip of a lifetime. It's not a book of eloquent prose, rather a very interesting account of small Canadian towns and the people he encountered. I enjoyed hearing about these remote places that I'll likely never see. He took this trip with a group years ago, before such trips had really gotten popular. His first encounter with a newfangled thing called a "Mountain Bike" brought a nostalgic smile for those simpler times. He gets in some jams, details the hardships he faced, describes some pretty awesome scenery and enjoys his accomplishments. You can feel his excitement and pride as he nears the finish line in Anchorage. No book is without its flaws, though. One of the most annoying is the way that words break when he puts photos on a page. Sor t of li ke thi s. Har d to read. But that's a small quibble really. Also, at first I felt like the book was a bait and switch, when the author was forced to hitchhike (and not bike) for many days due to leg pains. But in retrospect, his account of those non-riding days passed fairly quickly, and the rest of his riding days were interesting. SO unless you're seeking the mellifluous prose of Blue Highways, it's hard to imagine you'll be disappointed in reading about the experiences of Thomas on this ride to Alaska. [...]

Great Journey!

I felt like I was on the trip with Mickey, without enduring the pain. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

A ride of a lifetime!

What a treat! Mickey shares the ups and downs of an amazing and amusing trek across the continent. Great read and very insightful...maybe I'll dust off my old Schwinn!

A Good Story - Tell Me More

Mickey Thomas takes you on a fun journey with him to Alaska by bike. It's obvious that he had fun because the book is full of warm and sometimes ironic humor. The book is easy to read and hard to put down. The story of the group's trip is well constructed. There are interesting characters, dramatic events, funny interludes, and suspenseful developments. The book makes me want to read more of Thomas's cycling adventures.