Belize Book

"It's not about the bike," as Lance Armstrong would say. This book is about Daryl Farmer twenty years ago and Daryl Farmer now, looking back on his headstrong naivete when he biked a loop around the West with no cell phone, no bank card, and little regard for food or planning. The older Daryl Farmer is looking to reconnect with his past and with the West of his dreams when he sets out to ride that route again. I read this one slowly, feeling like I was going along for the ride, bit by bit. It is an entertaining trip, if one is fond of slow reflection. Farmer captures the West for the wacky place it is, paying attention to the subtle nuances of its terrain, its plants, its animals, and its people. On a bicycle, he notices details that others would miss - and somehow his journal was so detailed that he was able to capture all of those details in this book, too. A fun read for those who enjoy travel, adventure, the American West, and of course, bicycles.