Bicycle Across America (Paperback)

by Barbara Siegert (Author) "You ought to write a book," a fellow passenger onboard the Alaska ferry said..." (more)
Key Phrases: handlebar bags, bike trip, New York, New Hampshire, New Orleans (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Bicycle Across America chronicles five trans-America tours, provides route notes and maps, and offers suggestions on what to see and expect along the way.

From the Publisher
6 x 9 trim. 8 illus. 5 maps. LC 95-45422

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Nicolin Fields; 1st edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963707728
• ISBN-13: 978-0963707727
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #520,444 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good read - depending on who you are, May 6, 1999

By	Brian Van Den Broeke ([e-mail]) (Union City, CA) - See all my reviews

I went into reading "Bicycle Across America" by Barbara Siegert with expectations of a self-contained touring book that would give a detailed outline of 5 bike trips across the U.S. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I do not feel that it met my expectations adequately.

One of the first things that I noticed about this book was it's lack of detailed route information. Although it does outline some basic city-to-city day-to-day treks, it does not give you directions street-by-street, nor does it give you any detailed maps. The author admits for every route that "Distances are not always point to point. Some may include detours (voluntary or involuntary) and/or riding around within the tows at our starting point, en route, or at our destination." This sort of disclaimer does not do much for my confidence that this book will be there for me on a 70-plus day cross country journey.

What I DID like about this book was it's fun-to-read short stories of a couple's journey across the states. The book is laid out more like a travel-journal (or diary) than a travel guide. The author seems to open her heart and hold nothing back in passionately expressing the situations that she encountered and people she met along 5 trips across the U.S.

Another feature I liked about the book was it's "Details" section. It is written in a very personal common-sense style. It includes everything from what to bring and what to wear to where to wash your clothes, get your mail, and pay your bills.

If you are interested in reading an excellent narrative about a couple's adventures across America, this book is definately for you. If you are seriously considering a cross-country trip of your own, this book falls greatly short of what you will need.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Needs work, October 31, 2001

By	gerard murphy (Honolulu, Hi United States) - See all my reviews

Reading about this womans adventures was like listening to a senior citizen babble about her life. Every page is the same as the one before: Day 45 Today I had ham and eggs for breakfast, then we rode thiry miles. It was so hot. Then we found a place to sleep. Day 46 Today we had toast and eggs for breakfast then we rode for thirty three miles...and on and on and on.
There are no characters in the book. Even her husband who accompanies her is forgetable. There is nothing in the book that made me want to finish it - no struggles, no obsticles to overcome. She is not searching for herself or writing about whatever her mind wanders onto while she peddles all day.
It is a day by day account of how far she rode, what she ate, where she slept and riding conditions. She is probably an interesting lady and she probably has an interesting story to tell but the technical details of her travel are ovewrwhelming and make the book unreadable.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars snippets and snapshots, October 24, 1998

By A Customer

I certainly admire greatly Barbara Siegert's spunk and initiative in starting bicycle touring at retirement age. That said, however, I don't share all the 5 star enthusiasm expressed for this book. Personally, I found it to primarily consist of fragmented, bits and pieces of observations and recollections. It's an interesting read, to be sure, but certainly not a really great book on cycle touring. The "Details" section toward the end does have some useful ideas and guidance. Sorry not to have been "wowed" by this book, but I just wasn't.....