Biking Across America: My Coast-to-Coast Adventure and the People I Met Along the Way

by Paul V. Stutzman

After Paul Stutzman finished hiking the Appalachian Trail, he found himself longing for another challenge, another adventure. Trading his hiking boots for a bicycle, Paul set off to discover more of America. Starting at Neah Bay, Washington, and ending at Key West, Florida, Paul traversed the 5,000-mile distance between the two farthest points in the contiguous United States. Along the way he encountered nearly every kind of terrain and weather the country had to offer--as well as hundreds of fascinating people whose stories readers will love. Through cold and heat, loneliness and exhaustion, abundance and kindness, Paul pedaled on. His reward--and the readers'--is a glimpse of a noble yet humble America that still exists and inspires.Anyone who longs for adventure, who loves travel and stories of travel, and who loves this place called America will enjoy this book.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Cycling, Memoir, Outdoors, Audiobook, Biography

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

Paul Stutzman is a restaurant-manager-turned-captivating-storyteller who left his career after his wife's death from breast cancer. His passion and mission is to share what he learned on his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. When he is not hiking or biking cross-country, he makes his home in Ohio.

Reviews

[Kaleb Phillips · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. I had been wanting to read it for quite some time, and had only recently found it at the library. It's something that I've always been interested in, going on a grand adventure, exploring little known places, with nothing but a bike and some gear. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Well, I wish the book had more focus on that, since that is, supposedly, what it was to be about. I wanted to read about a grand adventure, and of the people that he met along the way. Instead, I got a lesson in his religion, which seems to be the primary focus on the book.

Nearly every page has a reference to his god, and every single thing that happens, every coincidence, big or small, is his god's work. Nearly every person that he meets, he preaches to about his god. Every thing that happens is a lesson from his god. And how does he feel about those who aren't followers of his beliefs? Well, they just need to be told the word of his god. He pushes his beliefs onto others, and throughout the book, he judges everyone he sees. Including multiple people based only on their looks, deeming them to be undesirable. Although he knows this, and makes a point that he shouldn't be so judgmental, right before being horribly judgmental again, and blaming it on growing up in a small town.

I had actually given up on the book twice during my checkout time from the library, but picked it up again because when he wasn't ranting about his religion, there was some incredibly detailed descriptions of his time on the road, though few and far between, and they were amazing. The dangers that he faced on the road, some of the people that he met, etc. Unfortunately that seemed to be only about 1/3 of the book, and where he could have spent more time elaborating on the places, scenery, and people, he instead decided to fill a book about coast to coast cycling with his personal religious beliefs. Please note, I don't care about a person's religion, no matter what it is, or who they are. And that is the point, I just don't care, and it has 0 bearing on what the book seemed to be about. It just gets so exhausting, rolling one's eyes every page while trying to skim through to the next relevant part. But I digress. If you can trudge through it, there is some great writing, and a great travel story to be told. As for myself, I don't believe I will be checking out any more of his books, which is a shame.

He mocks and judges everyone he meets, and then has the nerve to call other people snobs and self important. The unfortunate reality is, the guy is an immature hypocrite who reflects his own personal misgivings and frustrations out onto other people instead of dealing with them, sometimes even coming across as just a plain asshole.

It earned my first, and probably last one star review, and should honestly have been named, "I Rode a Bike: My coast to coast journey of hypocrisy and complaining, and the godless plebeians that I judged and mocked along the way.

I have to wonder if this book was ever meant to be about a cross country bike ride, or if instead instead it was a means for him to publicly mock and belittle people, and to talk about himself and his beliefs while using his achievement as a sort of glorification. And don't get me wrong, the feat of biking across the country is incredible, and I applaud him for it. Truly it is an achievement and deserves praise, I just wish I could have read a book about it.

[Jessaka · Rating 1 out of 5]

People in this book who are not like the author are sometimes called “eccentrics” and said to be in "religions that do not believe in a hellfire", but we are warned, "Yes, there is a hell."

So basically this is not really a book about one man’s true adventure, although that comes into play. What it is, is a book on Christian values, views, a whole lot of preaching and praising God. God has helped this man through thick and thin, so it is also about blessings. We can all use blessings, but we all don’t need preachings.

I told myself that since the story is good, I will just have to skim over the religious comments, but guess what? You can’t. They slip upon you like a thief in the night and they wear you down so much that you want to toss this book into the fires of hell itself. But somewhere along the "4 more hours of the book to read" mark, his trip became much more interesting, and so I let go of some of his comments about Jesus and hellfire. Without all his preaching, I would have given the book 4 stars. But this is who he is, isn't it?

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travel memoirs are one of my favorite genres. Paul Stutzman, author of Hiking Through, has written another enjoyable one. His first explores his trip from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail after his wife passes away. He contemplates life, God, and the trail. It’s an excellent read. Some years after his northbound trip on the AT, he’s at it again. This time he’s biking 5,000 miles from Washington to Florida. In Washington, he writes,
Here at the northwestern tip of America, I had once again pushed far beyond my comfort zone. I was no longer able to come round the bend of the road at day’s end and see the welcome security of home. I had no idea where this day’s end would even find me. (15)

The narrative flows in Biking Across America. It reflects the pace of his trip, which makes it both a delight to read but also it seems to lack some of the contemplative depth of his previous book. I wanted more stories and more interaction with people. Paul is at his best when he’s exploring the human element of his own story and the story of those he interacts with. For example, he writes about a family who interacted with who was basically homeless and barely making it by recycling bottle caps.
I helped Joey carry his bounty into the processing center where the bottles and cans were weighed and separated. As I left, I thought about how fortunate we are in Amish country. People who find themselves destitute and homeless might be in those circumstances because of their own bad decisions or circumstances beyond their control. But whatever the reasons for their sad situation, it looked to me as though Joey and his wife had no support system whatsoever. In Amish country we have roots. We have several generations of family who care about us. We have churches that want to help. Granted, folks in small towns probably know more about you than you really want them to know—but isn’t that better than having no one who cares? (43)

My favorite section arrives as he rides through desert in Nevada. You have a lot of human stories and it’s a section of the ride where he experiences intense loneliness because of the landscape. It’s a testament to the importance of community, a theme he explores throughout the book.

If you’re a travel memoir fan as I am and looking for some light, enjoyable reading, Biking Across America is your ticket. Also, if you’re intrigued and haven’t explored this genre, Stutzman’s books are a great launching pad.

Originally reviewed at www.graceforsinners.com

[Jeff Rosendahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like others, I have to criticize the religiousness of this book. I had hoped for a bike touring book, with descriptions of the ride, the people, the places, etc. Instead I got a book which was more self-justifying evangelical christian preaching and "I covered 92 miles today." The premise is good...after his wife's death and quitting his job and hiking the Appalachian Trail, the author decides to do a NW Washington to Key West bike ride. But he is judgmental of everyone he meets along the way, does a poor job describing his surroundings, and preaches his version of God on nearly every page. Plus, he makes poor decisions during his ride, fails to plan properly, and tells stories baldly. Skip this one.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a story of a cross-country bike ride, a man's journey to meet people, and his experiences sharing his faith.

There were a lot of interesting personal experiences as he rode across the country, which kept the pacing of the book moving along. There were also a lot of experiences where he believed that God had him meet people along the way to minister to them, and I'm inclined to believe him.

All in all, I enjoyed this book a bit more than the AT hike book.

[Kris Holland · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very religious book. I hadn't read reviews and didn't realize this, so I was expecting something different. Other than what I felt was an over-abundance of preaching, it was an interesting read about a guy who bikes cross country.

[Tom Bilcze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon and Goodreads know that I read a good bit of books about touring by bicycle. Both insisted that I read this book for some time. A Goodreads friend recommended the book this past week, I purchased the book immediately, something odd for me to do. The author might say it was not a coincidence.

This book is a different animal than most bicycle touring books. It is the story of how a bicycle and the author's faith helped him see America from a new perspective. The book chronicles his journey across the United States on a bike. Interwoven in this story is the story of his faith guiding his journey. His devotion to his Mennonite faith shows as he relates his experiences on the bike to scripture.

I am on a somewhat rocky spiritual journey and often find myself on a bicycle journey. I thank God for putting me on the bike so that I can explore new people and places while getting a deeper understanding of the world around me. Paul’s journey reinforced my beliefs and gave me the spiritual push to live a life more driven by faith. My favorite takeaway from the book is this simple quote. “The unknown often scares and worries us, but most of our fears never come to fruition.”

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: BIKING ACROSS AMERICA
Author: Paul Stutzman
Publisher: Revell
May 2013
ISBN: 978-0800721787
Genre: Memoir

Discover the heart of America on this life-changing, cross-country bike adventure

After Paul Stutzman finished hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, he found himself longing for another challenge. Trading his hiking boots for a bicycle, Paul set off to discover more of America.

Starting at Neah Bay, Washington, and ending at Key West, Florida, Paul traversed the five-thousand-mile distance between the two farthest points in the contiguous United States. Along the way he encountered nearly every kind of terrain and weather the country had to offer--as well as hundreds of fascinating people who represent the challenges and triumphs of the entire country. Through cold and heat, loneliness and exhaustion, abundance and kindness, Paul pedaled on. His reward--and yours--is a glimpse of an amazing country that inspires us all.

If you long for adventure, love to meet new people, and love this place called America, get ready for the ride of your life.

I had the opportunity to read and review Hiking Through, and I thoroughly loved it. When offered the chance to review BIKING ACROSS AMERICA I jumped at the chance. I picked it up today, knowing my review of the book is due in four days. I figured I’d read a chapter or two and then do my job.

Wrong! I inhaled BIKING ACROSS AMERICA, while my son reminded me multiple times about his desire to read this book. I quit only to do what I had to do, and go to church (as a pastor’s wife, reading a spell-binding book is not a good excuse to stay home) and finally finished the book at 10 p.m. All I can say is WOW. If you read one book this year, it has to be BIKING ACROSS AMERICA. Awesome book. I wish I would’ve known Mr. Stutzman would be less than two hours from me on his journey and I would’ve driven up to meet him. Mr. Stutzman, if you are reading this review, I’m glad you chose to sell your rights to Hiking Through and allowing us to travel these journeys vicariously through you. Don’t miss BIKING ACROSS AMERICA or Hiking Through. $12.99. 226 pages.

[John Gerbracht · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is about the author's bicycle ride across the United States. You're going to read other reviews of the book where they talk about how the author's religion appears throughout the book and it should be mentioned. On the whole, his religion and his talk of God is more of a distraction. It didn't enhance the story at all. If fact, when you listen to his perspective on people and issues, he seems to have blinders on. And I do attribute it to his religion and upbringing. Don't even get me started on his justification of breaking rules at various times through the ride. What disappoints me most is that I never got the impression he had fun doing the ride. I wanted to vicariously follow his travels, but I couldn't do that with enjoyment.

He didn't even talk about the training for the ride. He didn't seem to make plans for the ride. He barely talked about the sights along the way. What was the point in traveling 5,000 miles if you're not going stop and see the sights? We don't even know what equipment he brought along with him on the ride.

I'm not certain who the audience of this book is. It's not bicyclists. It might be people interested in hearing about America, but there are other books that do it better. I spent $2.50 for the book and I would say I got my money's worth.

One last point, the author did not include a map. If you're going to cover 5,000 miles, how could you not include a map? The author's blog does include a small map, but come on, put one in the book.

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very preachy and religious book. If I had known how Jesus-y it was going to be, I definitely would’ve skipped it. But despite getting Jesus shoved down my throat every five seconds, I’m still hella impressed by the author’s athleticism. Paul Stutzman is a middle aged Mennonite Christian who biked 5,000 miles across America, from the northwestern corner of Washington state to the southeastern tip of Florida in Key West. He contended with heat, exhaustion, loneliness and desolation during his travels. Kudos to him for having the physical and mental fortitude required to complete such a journey.

If the author had toned things down in the Jesus department, I probably would’ve given this book 3 stars for his cycling accomplishment alone. And had I not been so impressed by his feat of athleticism, I would’ve given the book 1 star because I really didn’t enjoy all of the obnoxious proselytizing. So I settled on 2 stars because hey, the dude biked FIVE THOUSAND miles and lived to talk about it.

[Susan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Perhaps it was because one day I'd like to take my own journey across the US by bike. Perhaps it was because the author rode through many towns and cities I've already ridden through. And, hey, we've both been to the Lizard Lips Cafe in KS. I really appreciated that in everything, Stutzman gives praise and glory to God. It was refreshing to read a travelogue that was also unabashedly sharing the gospel and the author's personal spiritual journey.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a FUN book. Having traveled many of those roads, you could envision his adventures. ALMOST made me want to follow in his footsteps.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adventure cycling is thrilling, but this is misadventure without any humor and without the redeming value of lessons learned.

[Steve Garnham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much bibling and not enough cycling...should have been titled "My travels across America with God" That would have given us a heads up...

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review title: Heels to wheels

Stutzman wrote his first book Hiking Through about his Appalachian Trail hike after he quit his job in search of peace and comfort in the wake of his wife's death from cancer. In this followup, in fulfillment of a promise he made to himself while enjoying the Fourth of July in a town along the trail, he describes his bike ride across America. This ride, encompassing the two most distant points in the 48 contiguous states from far northwest Washington to Key West, covered more than twice the distance and took about half the time as his Appalachian Trail trip.

Perhaps that accounts for the much shorter book this time around. While the trip extended nearly 5,000 miles, most of it was on solitary days of riding from 50 to 100-plus miles per day (one marathon 24 hours saw him cover 180 miles due to bad weather and an unfortunate decision). And unlike the charted and well-traveled Trail, Stutzman's bike path was mostly on highways most used by cars and not bikes traveling his way. There were fewer people to talk to, so there are fewer stories to tell. He's a good storyteller, so I was left wishing for more.

One aspect of the journey which comes up often is the solitary nature of biking long distance. Stutzman writes poignantly of the loneliness of the long-distance rider, which sometimes left him depressed and turning toward doubt and self-pity. It was at those times on his ride and in the book that he turns introspective and talks about his Christian faith. He never preaches at readers, just talks to them, and his sincerity comes through on the page.

One of the few times when he had biking company makes for one of the best sections of the book. At a lonely outpost in the Nevada desert, he ran into small group biking cross-country for a political cause. They were organized and followed by a support vehicle, so Stutzman rode across Nevada and Utah with the group as they rode in the early morning hours before dark to avoid the summer heat. The interactions between Stutzman and the members of the group provided safety and support on the long deserted stretches of highway and good material for the book along the way.

I rated this three stars, one less than Hiking Through, because there just wasn't quite enough for me. What is there is good, so it satisfies the maxim "Always leave them wishing for more" -- and wondering how and where he will journey and write about it next time.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great idea for a book. It was fun to read about someone’s decision to turn his life upside down and set out on the (second) adventure of his lifetime (read “Hiking Through” for his first). Paul Stutzman challenged himself to ride his bicycle the whole way across America with the aim of meeting as many different people and having as many new experiences as possible.

I am a cyclist. I love the thrill of discovering new routes to ride, especially with picturesque scenery. Reading Biking Across America gave me the chance to experience Stutzman’s adventure second hand on cold, wintery evenings over Christmas 2021. Sometimes, I felt I was living through the experiences with him, especially when his delight was so obvious. I love the idea of following in his footsteps one day and planning a “big ride”, over multiple days (although perhaps not quite across the whole of America - I have no desire to bike through miles and miles of desert).

I also loved the idea on focusing his book on all the interactions he had with people he encountered along the way. This was a really rich addition to his descriptions of the routes he took and the land and cityscapes he passed through.

Despite my enjoyment of Stutzman’s ideas and encounters, there were several elements to this book that made it less appealing for me. Firstly, he writes from a very strong Christian perspective throughout, so if that is going to bother you, I would give it a miss. I am a Christian myself, but even I found his commentary quite extreme - I guess everyone has their own approach to evangelism. Secondly, Stutzman falls into the “older, white Christian male” category of people I struggle to tolerate. From time to time there were derogatory comments that niggled me - for example, on page 70: “I had worked with enough women over the years to know when a battle is futile”.

All in all, this was an enjoyable account of a man’s rather remarkable bike ride. For future editions, perhaps a printed map of his route across America could be added? That would be a nice touch at the beginning of the book and interesting for readers to refer to.

[marcus miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for something to read via Libby, saw the name "Stutzman" (a Mennonite name) and since I enjoy riding my bicycle figured it might be interesting. Stutzman shares briefly about the death of his wife from cancer and his decision to leave his comfort zone, experience an adventure, and to figure out what to do next in life. Stutzman's first book describes his hiking of the Appalachian Trail so this is his second major trek across part of the U.S. If you look at his list of later books, he's turned this into a bit of an industry.

Stutzman is from Holmes County, Ohio which according to Wikipedia has the largest concentration of Amish in the world. One set of my grandparents left Holmes County in the 1930's and my father regarded the place as the family Mecca, a place he made pilgrimage to often. My experience with folks from Holmes County is they see it as the best place in the world to which none other can compare. That attitude, with hints of superiority and judgement, comes through in Stutzman's observations and analysis of the various people he meets .

The overt religiosity is at times interesting, off-putting, and something which raises questions but it fits the Holmes County mindset fairly well. For example, in one story he shares how he gave a homeless man $20. Later he finds a money clip with an undetermined amount of cash which he interprets as receiving God's blessings for his earlier generosity. I suppose the person who lost the money clip was in Stutzman's eyes, being punished for something they had done.

It would have been nice to know what type of bicycle and equipment Stutzman used and why he chose the routes he did. His stated goal of meeting new people and seeing new sites at times seems to conflict with his desire to complete the ride, otherwise I'm not sure how to explain his decision to ride all night on one occasion. When he described his attempts to find a bicycle seat I hoped he found a Brooks leather saddle. I've had mine for the last 30 years and after many miles it fits my backside well.

[Karl O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Paul Stutzman really missed the boat on just who the audience is for a book like this. The main people who are going to read book titled "Biking Across America" are other cyclist and bike tourers, want-to-be bike tourers.

As a fellow cyclist and bike tourer, I can tell you what I wanted to know from this book is what type of gear did he use? At least three times, Stutzman talks of mailing gear home that he found to be non essential. So what gear was not essential? And what gear did he find to be essential? These are things fellow bike tourers want to know.

Stutzman doesn't even tell us the most rudimentary information about his bike. What kind of bike was it? A Trek? Giant? Specialized? Surly? What type of drive train and gearing did he use? What groupset? Once again, all basic information that fellow cyclists would like to know.

It was abundantly clear what message Stutzman wanted to tell with this book. I am also a born again Christian so Paul message of his faith in God & Jesus Christ resonated with me. But this message should have been more interwoven into details of the bike trip across America. Stutzman just completely missed the target audience. Cyclists.

[Kristine Buchholtz · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are an adventurer who ascribes to Prosperity Gospel teachings, this book is definitely for you.

I really wanted to like this book, and did genuinely enjoy some of the descriptions of sites and interactions along the author's journey.

However, I stopped reading when the author proclaimed "we are blessed because our community was created by ancestors who honored God, and our grandparents and parents passed a godly heritage on to us." The previous paragraph described society's marginalized in detail, and how none of these social ills have impacted the author's home community. The thinly veiled sanctimoniousness was really disheartening.

If the Jesus the author professes to love so much (on nearly every page) read these words, I believe He would weep. Unless there are redeeming moments to be found as the author continues with his journey, the "red text" message of his beloved guiding book are clearly lost.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book read like a self-published travel narrative. Paul Stutzman comes across as folksy and naive. He made his way across the United States on a bicycle with a notably low degree of preparation or know-how. I was dumbfounded when he said that he biked from Colorado to Alabama without once checking his tire pressure or airing his tires! But he didn't need to because God took care of him on his travels.

I don't have a Godly worldview, but I do believe the universe provides...and maybe that's the same thing? To me the episode that stood out was Chapter 5, "Danny" where two flat tires bring the author and the chapter's namesake together in one of the 'God-ordained meetings' he was seeking.

The last chapter turned up the proselytizing too high for me and dropped my rating from 3 to 2 stars. This may be what some readers are looking for, but not me.

[Liz Seger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just awful. You’d think that losing your wife to cancer, walking the Appalachian Trail, and then biking across America would instill compassion and curiosity in a person. Instead he mocks those who are poor, calls anyone richer than him or who wants him to follow rules a “snob,” and talks about the death of his wife as if it were a plot event in his main character play-through. If he spent half as much time listening to other people as he does proselytizing he might learn something. He makes terrible choices throughout the trip and blames others. When good things happen it’s because of God. Everyone is beneath him and his righteousness. If I met this guy on trail I would speed way up in hopes of never seeing him again. Yuck!

[Lizzy Cunningham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guy travels the United States on bicycle- to add to the summery I would say this is a very kind Mennonite man from Ohio, who list his wife to cancer. He felt with his loss hiking the Appalachian trail (different book) and was on this journey to discover the good left in the world. Writing about some profound experiences with god and good people along the way. This is a quick read, and it was entertaining for the most part. But I was craving more adventure and less preaching. It all depends on what you are looking for. If you are someone who has lost faith in humanity and is trying to find it again and love god more this is a great read. If you are someone looking for a fast paced adventure, this is maybe not going to be your favorite.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was part of my adventure reading - and I did enjoy it.

However - it is VERY much a. A lance of both an adventure book and a Christian book. I imagine anyone that is both adventurous and religious would get much more out of it than I did. Personally, I found the religious aspects a distraction, but I tend to respect folk’s beliefs - and it was part of the author’s world view.

As such, sometimes I found the author’s views and perspectives at odds with my own.

As an adventure book though - I enjoyed it. I would not likely re-read or seek out more works by this writer, but thank him for his efforts to bring us along on t\his journey.

[Nikki Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel a little bad reviewing because I just could not finish this book. I made it a little past halfway but I just could not stomach anymore of this. I absolutely LOVED his book on hiking the AT, it was amazing and so well written. But the authors true colors shone a little stronger in this book. His views on women, non Christians and liberals are awful for a man who claims to be patient and loves all God's children. But he contradicts that constantly in this book. As a female Christian who leans left it honestly hurt my feelings. I'm sure his intent was pure but the delivery fell flat.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Paul's writing of his rides, his meeting of various people, and his insight of the "real" America was enjoyable. On top of that and even more important was his inclusion of the gospel and his acknowledgement of God in all things. Jesus is the only way and it was refreshing in this reading. My husband is not much of a reader but he also enjoyed this book. The only disappointment was that he didn't go into more detail of his interactions with some of the people he met. I look forward to reading Hiking Through at some point.

[Staci · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up as a random read. I think what caught my attention was the words "adventure" and "people I met along the way". Unfortunately, I felt like it was more of a personal journal of thoughts and reflections in his own life. I would have loved to hear more about the people he had met. Too often he would say that he encountered someone or had a conversation, but never gave details about it. I was disappointed to not have more stories to show the wide breadth of those we call Americans.

[Barb Purvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several high points were the "I've been there!" paragraphs and a few short narratives of meaningful spiritual reflection round out the 3 stars. Expectation leads to disappointment in this case; so looking forward to meeting the people he met... yet there were only a handful and it was more about his thoughts on their life circumstances. He clearly was searching to create meaning and while understanding his struggle this book focused on the travel details like miles per day, weather, road conditions, traffic, routes, bodily aches etc. I wanted to meet the America he met....

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I also loved Paul's witness of how God is working in his life. It was refreshing to read something inspired by his Christian faith and not have to be concerned with swear words, sexual situations or violence. As far as the biking trip, I was impressed with his trip diagonally across the US, but for some reason I thought he would be camping on his ride, not staying in motels along the way. I highly recommend both his book on hiking on the AT and biking across America.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rant warning!

This was a friendly, punny, moving and heartening book. It had good pacing and never got boring.

Rather than focusing on the quality of his work, many reviewers criticized Stutzman's evangelism... my feeling is that faith is part of who he is, and he would have been out of integrity if he had omitted it. Wish we all would do the same, openly and without apology sharing who we are.

[Ray McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always an inspiration

I read Hiking Through and loved the human interactions and glorious descriptions of the landscapes. I found Gods blessing in that book, and a very different blessing from this on. I'll let you read to see what your blessings are...whether you are looking for one or not.