Read what readers have to say about Pilgrim Wheels
Reviewed by Christine Watson for Reader Views (12/15)
“Pilgrim Wheels” by Neil Hanson is a beautifully written memoir of the author’s journey by bike across the country. Not only does the author create such breath taking scenery through his words, the lessons he shares that he learned along the way are powerful and life changing. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish!
Early on in the journey, Mr. Hanson realizes that lightening his load is freeing and cleansing. He likens it to life, and how so many of us work so hard to accumulate “stuff,” making our paths difficult. Instead, when people do not spend so much of “life’s energy” accumulating things, it can be cleansing for the soul. The author also defines “edge” in a way I have never thought of before. As part of a compilation of different sources, he says “…(the edge) is a place where something is likely to begin…” He goes on to talk about how life takes place on the edge, and that means being uncomfortable and taking risks. He later ties in Helen Keller’s famous quote, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Mr. Hanson has a beautiful way of integrating incredible life lessons throughout this book, lessons that have found their way to my soul.
Not only are the life lessons powerful and impactful to the reader, I also was able to take in his physical journey alongside him, as his descriptions are breathtaking. I have never been much of a cyclist, but I have a much greater appreciation for them now. Growing up in Arizona, I was taken back to the desert as the author described his experience of riding through it. The unforgiving heat, sun, sand, and dryness reminded me of my days of running in the desert as a teenager.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Pilgrim Wheels” by Neil Hanson. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a beautifully written memoir of a cyclist, as he captures his experience and finds meaning and purpose in the big things, as well as the simple moments of life. I will keep this book to read again. It will remind me of how beautiful life is, and how much I can learn in each moment.
Reviewed by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, for Midwest Book Review
Pilgrim Wheels: Reflections Of A Cyclist Crossing America tells the story of Neil Hanson’s cross-country bicycle ride, and the many revelations he discovers in his encounters with people along America’s roads and byways. It’s a story of life changing experiences focused not on the destination, but on the journey itself. Pilgrim Wheels is a superior production, and does a terrific job of capturing the experience of a cross country bicycle ride using crystal clear descriptions.
Hanson himself provides an introduction that deftly defines his process: “A pilgrimage isn’t necessarily to anything, and not necessarily from anything. In fact, I suspect the greatest pilgrimages don’t start off as pilgrimages at all, but rather as something else. Possibly an adventure. Maybe a journey at just the right time in a person’s life. That’s what this story is about. The idea of an adventure, that evolved into a journey, and from which a pilgrimage blossomed.”
An idea that became an adventure evolved into a journey into something greater than originally conceived, and Hanson’s ability to carry both bikers and non-bikers along for the ride is part of what makes Pilgrim Wheels such an engrossing read.
Descriptions capture the philosophies and nuances of Hanson’s experiences: “I think those of us on two wheels feel a bit disconnected from the enclosed vehicles that represent the safe, status quo in the world. I like the image of a frontiersman riding out in the open on two wheels, akin to the horseman who’s part of the world he rides through, rather than a spectator who experiences the world filtered through steel and glass. On two wheels, we feel the heat of the sun on our backs, we breathe in the nuance of the scent around us. We’re experiencing the world of the road, not watching it from a climate controlled rolling theatre. We feel the wind buffeting our face or pushing us gently from behind.”
The ideal reader of Pilgrim Wheels should not expect a travelogue full of routes or places, or even an account of touring basics; but a journey story spiced with the appeal of personal observation blended with philosophical reflection: “Dave sometimes wonders if I find more joy in life than he does. He’s not saying that my life has more joy in it, but just that I seem more able to notice and savor the joy that’s there. I don’t really know if he’s right or not, but if he is, then it’s also true that Dave notices adversity less than I do. He just takes the wind shift in stride. He gears down and just keeps pedaling.”
Descriptions are powerfully written and offer readers a compelling ‘you are there’ feel that captivates the reader regardless of his or her level of knowledge about bicycling or bicycle touring: “The tailwind was a bonus that turned this day of adventure into what might be the nicest day on a bicycle I’ve ever experienced in my life.”
Pilgrim Wheels is a fine recommendation for anyone who would enjoy an armchair journey across America on a bicycle with Hanson, or who wants to prepare for the kinds of challenges a cross-country venture could bring.
Reviewed by Kirkus Reviews
…a terrific reflection on cycling as a way to balance the need to achieve with the wish to enjoy life.
A middle-aged cycling enthusiast takes a cross-country trip in this travel memoir.
In 2011, Hanson (The Pilgrim Way: Ultralight Bicycle Touring, 2015, etc.) surprised his friends with an announcement. He was planning a cross-country bicycle trip in which he would ride from Big Sur in California to the East Coast. It was an ambitious undertaking, but he was undaunted. Though not a professional cyclist, Hanson, 57, had enough experience and know-how, and apparently the stamina, to pull it off. A friend would join the ride in Flagstaff, Arizona. As Hanson departed from Monterey, he hoped for northwest winds to help him reach a respectable goal of more than 100 miles per day. Sometimes the winds cooperated, sometimes they didn’t, but the journey along the Pacific Coast and through redwood forests provided a picturesque and soulful beginning to a trip that had more to do with peace of mind than simple achievement. What lay ahead was the desert in summer. Across the Mojave, temperatures in June hovered around 120 degrees and there were stretches with no services for 75 miles. Good planning and precise calculations tempered the struggle, as did some interactions with business proprietors in remote locales. After the cyclist’s friend Dave Giesler joins the odyssey, the book covers some of the science of riding in pairs against the wind, and delves into personal and professional history to highlight what makes the trip important to Hanson. In southern Colorado, the story turns more meditative, inspired by the astonishing scenery, and light philosophizing gives way to a terrific reflection on cycling as a way to balance the need to achieve with the wish to enjoy life. Hanson writes his first-person adventure with enough descriptions of the pains and joys of cycling to pull the story successfully through some slow patches in barren landscapes (and plenty of truck stop breakfasts). He may be determined to accomplish his goal, but his simultaneous desire to improve himself adds a somewhat humble layer to the narrative. The tale concludes in Kansas, with a sequel planned to document the remainder of the journey.
A book about an impressive trek through unforgiving Western lands that offers a personal reflection and meditation on the art and science of cycling.
Review by Diane Wishart — 5.0 out of 5 stars More than just an adventure story!
I always enjoy reading books from people my age that do some pretty amazing things, like riding a bike across country. Neil not only does a great job of being an inspiration, but each chapter goes far beyond the technical end of the story. He talks about people he meets (which is typical of this genre) but also goes much deeper into thoughts of his own. When you ride long distances, like Neil or myself, you spend a lot of hours lost in thought. Most people never record those thoughts to discuss with others; Neil puts it all out there for the reader to also think about. Most of these books I enjoy reading but that’s it. However, I would love to sit down one day in one of the obscure places that Neil talks about finding along the route to enjoy a cheeseburger and a few beers with him. Very good read!
Review by Ramblin Rob, and Amazon Top Contributor for Cycling–5.0 out of 5 stars Neil Hanson’s writing evokes the imagination…
Perhaps the greatest line in bicycling writing was penned by this author, describing the time crossing through the American southwest desert. For those of us that have “been there”, Neil Hanson’s writing evokes the imagination that transports us all with such clarity. You feel the moment, heatwaves that eliminate off roads on a summer day as you gaze into the distance or the solitude that one seeks in a world of constant “noise”. I’m determined to meet this guy, shake his hand and say, “thanks for writing a damn good book!”
Reviewed by Richard William Ray — 5.0 out of 5 stars … a few of these touring books and this is easily the best of the bunch unless you’re looking for …
I’ve read more than a few of these touring books and this is easily the best of the bunch unless you’re looking for packing and equipment lists. This is a well written series of observations on two wheels and life by a late middle aged man. Much much more than a laundry list of destinations.
Amazon Review — 5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and interesting read
As a non-cyclist, this book gave some interesting insight and really, simply conveyed the emotions and thoughts over a long trip. It didn’t get too hung up on the practical challenges (though I would have liked to hear more about that), but rather it was a well written story about experiences and thoughts. Some reviewers seem to think too much about Mr Hanson’s views. I don’t think that is important, whether you agree with him or not, what is nice is that he simply states the things he felt, what he enjoyed, what he thought about, and how his experience affected him. This is a story of simple reflection – it is not a deep work, just the thoughts of a man on his bike enjoying his surroundings and facing his own challenges in his own way. He keeps his narrative to the point and expresses his feelings in a direct way. It was a nice, easy read and one which allows for your own reflection on situations. Enjoyed it indeed.
Review by Allen L. Borton — 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent riding AND writing
Neil Hanson is both a dedicated cyclist and a superb writer. This book, reflections accompanying the first half of his cycle journey across America, carries both sufficient cycling descriptions (touching on routes, weather, and traffic) to interest the hard-core rider, and plenty of additional reflections on such topics as life, friendship, music, and culture to pique the interest of even a reader who is not heavily invested in cycling. It begins as he shoves off from California and follows his peregrination through the southwestern United States until he reaches Kansas. Well done, Mr. Hanson! Excellent riding AND writing!
Reviewed by Kathie J — 5.0 out of 5 stars Like being there
This book kept me reading. The descriptions were vivid — of the land, the people and culture, and the riding itself. I “experienced” two things that I know virtually nothing about but find alluring — the US west and biking the open road, And the peppering of the author’s thoughts and memories, sparked by encounters along the journey, added an entertaining and sometimes emotional personal dimension. Half the country went by faster than I wanted it to.