Purple Mountains: America from a Motorcycle [Paperback]

Notch Miyake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2001

Spinning out the steady rhythm of the yellow line in his wake, author Notch Miyake takes advantage of a change in his circumstances to experience the United States from the seat of his BMW GS. In intimate contact with his environment, Miyake takes a close look at the subtle textures and colors that make up contemporary America, his perceptions sharpened by lonely miles amidst the awesome splendor of the land. Fellow motorcyclists will nod in recognition at Miyake's narration of the many scenes familiar to solo travel by motorcycle. What results is a true portrait of America that is adventurous in scope.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...his text becomes rich with metaphors that seem right on target and are quite entertaining." -- Friction Zone

"Finally, a book that we love...the energy that propels this book is unstoppable..." -- Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly

"Notch grabs your attention with the promise of a well-written travelogue. But he delivers more." -- BMW Owners News

"Purple Mountains is by far the best book to capture riding and what it is all about!" -- BMW rider from Marcellus, NY

"You want a nice read? Get this book." -- Rider

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Whitehorse Press (October 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1884313280
• ISBN-13: 978-1884313288
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,801,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Mints on the Pillow for this Motorcycle Rider, April 7, 2002

By 

David Lum "Likes electronics." (Pittsford, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Purple Mountains: America from a Motorcycle (Paperback)

After reading "Purple Mountains", I began planning my first long trip on a motorcycle. Up to now, I've restricted my riding to a one-day journey.
This author grew up in Hawaii - where long motorcycle trips are close to impossible. But through his eyes you will see the richness of the land and people of America like you have never seen them before. Author Notch Miyake describes his three month solo journey around our country. But it is not a travelogue.
Instead, Notch uses all five senses to help you feel how riding a motorcycle around our country (not our cities) can bring depth to a person's life. Four things the author avoided: cities, expressways, hotels, and fast-food. Rather, he took the crooked road - the less traveled road - to experience America like few others have.
Campgrounds and mom-and-pop restaurants are the background for most of his people encounters. This way, he was able to exchange stories with local people - some motorcycle riders - but mainly people who wished they could break out - and be a touring rider.
After reading Notch's revealing book, you will want to escape from the "Disney World Trail", and other top tourist destinations, and see the breadth and depth of America's people and the beauty of their land.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Purple Mountains, June 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Purple Mountains: America from a Motorcycle (Paperback)

This well-crafted, literate, and beautifully edited work is a personal story that, viewed broadly, is a deeply patriotic celebration of America. No flag-waving or speeches. Just the opportunity to pursue a big dream...of a man on a motorcycle, across the United States. Massive expanse, individualism, and freedom: the combination is uniquely American. Those who need help planning and cannot think for themselves should look elsewhere.

What differentiates and distinguishes this excellent work are reunions, reflections and the use of color. The reunions with family and friends often meld with the reflections (thanks to the discipline of daily journal entries), yielding the opportunity to reveal his American experience along with his Japanese roots in Hawaii (where the dream started). What could be more Japanese-American than the image of a teenage boy of Japanese parents flying low around Hawaii on a motorcycle? Bikers always feel more alive on their machines, and being alive, as C.S. Lewis puts it, we have "the privilege of always moving, yet never leaving anything behind. Whatever we have been, in some sort we are still."

And he is a brave man. Mr. Miyake does not dwell on his (meritorious) Naval service in Viet Nam, but merely uses it modestly to amplify the relationship he has with those fellow vets he will visit.

The third distinguishing feature is the use of color, and it is striking. Miyake paints America. No one could fault him if he emphasized the black of asphalt or somber earth tones, sort of a unifying strip of color for his journey. But the dominant color of the book - irrespective of the title - is green. And it is probably a tip of the hat to F. Scott Fitzgerald. Miyake is his own man, and has traveled from Rochester, N.Y. to Alaska and back, the twin magnets of wife and hearth drawing powerfully.

All this folds up neatly into a well-made origami of an American eagle, perhaps a symbol of who he is...a best-blend of Japanese and American culture and values, strong accent on American.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Author has (still) untapped talent, August 23, 2006

By 

Cynthia Norman "freedom!" (mill valley, ca) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Purple Mountains: America from a Motorcycle (Paperback)

This guy seems to have the potential of doing some interesting writing. This book didn't quite hit the mark, however. For example, he is riding the Alaska Ferry down the inside passage and doesn't tell us about the scenery, more about himself and a few mildly interesting other people and alot about the food he eats along the way. Ho Hum.
I'm waiting for his next book because I think he has it in him..somewhere!