A Crossing: A Cyclist's Journey Home

by Brian Newhouse

From Simon & Schuster, A Crossing is Brian Newhouse's book about a cyclist's journey home.

A travelogue in the tradition of Blue Highways and On the Road , this book tells the extraordinary story of one man's solo bicycle adventure across America--and the spiritual and personal awakening he experienced on his journey.

Genres: Cycling

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

Reviews

[Bob Rapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of bicycle touring books and this was a little different. As much as I like descriptions of the daily riding experience some journal accounts can get a bit dull and meaningless.
What I liked about this book was that the author described many days on the road and the characters he encountered but also added his own personal demons and issues. As much as the result of the ride is of interest so are the author’s relationships with his father, girlfriend, and religious beliefs.
I appreciated his openness and honesty with his feelings as well as the trip description.

[dirt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is supposed to be a story of riding a bike from the Pacific to the Atlantic, but it turns out to be pages and pages of ego massaging vanity.

Initially I was excited about this book because it was a bike journey with a back story. Instead of just learning about how far the author rode and what he ate, we find our way into his thoughts. Sadly, Brian's thoughts are not very enlightening. He struggles to impress his father, understand his past and present relationships, and come to terms with religion. He is so caught up in his reflections that he doesn't see anything else around him. The joys and adventures of his trip are lost. He concentrates on the finish line so much that he doesn't explore or experience any of the in-between. Brian expects to find enlightenment on his journey, but his mind spirals around the same ideas indefinitely. The book tediously goes on for 50 pages after he gets to the Atlantic.

In other words,

Boy needs to get over himself, talk to his dad, and dump that frigid bitch he calls a girlfriend. Like someone would really say he has nice legs? Look at his picture. Author's need to quit putting their damn pictures at the end of books, I don't need to see their sorry, ugly asses.

I would not recommend this book to a friend.

[Jacob Huelster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, which paints one man's internal struggles with religion, his father, and love against the background of a bike journey across the continent. I think the ending could have used an epilogue wherein we find out just how everything worked out. It's worth a read, it'll only take a day or two. Read it when you're feeling melancholy and it will maybe make you feel better.

[Mike Manor · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK read. Riding by yourself gives you time to think and Brian wrote a bit about his personal and religious relationships. I would have like more of his 'on the road' adventures.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit surprised by this book. Painted as 'a spiritual journey', I thought it would be cliched and pedestrian. It surprised me a bit, though.