Two Wheels North: Bicycling the West Coast in 1909
Gibb, winner of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Nonfiction Book Award, retells this wonderful rite of passage culled from interviews with her father about his bicycle trip from Santa Rosa, California, to Seattle, Washington, with his best chum, Ray, in 1909. Peddling north to the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition with only a few dollars, these two encounter one adventure after another. In 54 days, they ride and walk more than 1,000 miles and mail accounts of their trip back to their sponsor, theSanta Rosa Press Democrat. With excerpts of these accounts heading each chapter, one has to wonder if the readers back in 1909 were gypped of this more detailed, revealing record. Adventures, written in the dialect of the times, highlight every other page--a snake attack, crossing dangerous train trestles, fending off thieves. Of course, no story would be complete without meeting the pretty girl and falling in love or interesting characters and generous folks willing to offer a place to sleep and a home-cooked meal. This book will surely appeal to all ages and is a true delight.Brenda BarreraCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved