My favorite bike riding is in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. The Driftless Area opened my eyes to the massive forces that formed the land we live on. And that landscape, in turn, dictates where we build our cities, layout our highways, escape for recreation and raise families. The bicycle gave me that perspective. It is a unique vehicle, capable of covering enough distance to get the larger perspective of the landscape, but at a slow enough pace to take in the details.
Over the decades I’ve written about many of aspects of bicycling including touring, commuting, racing, day rides and mountain biking. I’ve also created a lot of bicycle maps and books, but I’ve never written fiction. More accurately, I wrote fiction, but never got it published.
Fiction is challenging. It has to engage the reader, carry a story and create characters who are realistic. But fiction is also liberating. It gave me the freedom to create a sense of awe about the glaciers that changed our landscape without resorting to mind numbing details. It allowed me to tell the stories of bike rides, but adjust the details to capture the essence of those rides. Through fiction, I could show that bike riders aren’t just bike riders. They’re real human beings with goals, quirks and challenges.
“On His Own Terms” is my attempt to capture the essence of bicycling while telling a story. I don’t know if I did it successfully. That’s the role of readers. If you choose to read “On His Own Terms,” I’d love to hear your honest feedback. Contact me at doug@bikeverywhere.com and tell me what you think of the book.
