Zero to Sixty: The Motorcycle Journey of a Lifetime

by Gary Paulsen

Nearing sixty, diagnosed with heart disease and feeling his mortality, Gary Paulsen buys his first Harley-Davidson and rides from his home in New Mexico to Alaska-and from the present into his past, through the landmarks of a singular life. Paulsen's journey is peopled with familiar faces, from the tough cop who saved him from juvenile delinquency to the prostitute whose career advice stopped him from quitting the army. And the work he does while on his bike-the work of mapping his life to find meaning-is of a piece with the pure sweat and muscle of youthful days spent on farms in Minnesota, or at the bottom of septic tank pits in Colorado, or wrangling dogsleds through the Alaskan wilderness. Amid the silence and beauty of running the road on his Harley, Paulsen celebrates the comforts of hard work, the thrill of challenge met bravely, and the peculiar joys of life lived to its fullest.

Genres: Nonfiction, Motorcycle, Travel, Biography

179 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Reviews

[Ethan’s Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. I love a good motorcycle adventure. I was hoping for some more insights of what makes men/women ride. I know everyone’s story is different. I guess I just wanted a poetic tale of what makes a biker tick. Why does strapping a death machine between your legs make you feel so free. Personal questions I ask myself every time I get on my Harley. In a odd way it does… the last line in the book says, “the run would never end”. I guess that’s true. The search of what you’re looking for is/will always be out of arms reach. That’s what keeps you getting back on the bike. The search for something that’s never obtainable but experienced.

[JDK1962 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed.

Paulsen's not a bad writer. He does a passable Hemingway imitation, but then again, there's lots of Hemingway out there, and he did it better, so why bother?

I think I have two main objection to this book, and both deal with motorcycling. And I say this as someone with several tens of thousands of miles on motorcycles myself.

-- For a book ostensibly about "the motorcycle journey of a lifetime," he spends amazingly little time on the motorcycle journey. The book should have been called "A Harley Runs Through It." Which leads to my second objection.
-- If you are a motorcyclist who has never bought into the Harley mythology, you're going to find many of the motorcycling bits of this book incredibly tedious, like a Christian trying to convey what Jesus means to them. If you're a Harley person, you're probably smiling and nodding at his descriptions, and if you think the Harley sound is the equivalent of mechanical flatulence, you're just wishing that he'd written a different/better book.

Not a keeper.

[Marc · Rating 2 out of 5]

He rode to Alaska on a Har_ D_on. A good idea coupled with a dumb idea. It's generally not a bad read. I love a good ride tale. He even offers some interesting insights to the human condition observed in Japan (etas-invisible work & the people that toil in it; those that look down on them). Contrast that with usual cliche Yank biases and narrow world-view that muddies the narrative elsewhere (Mexicans; Indians etc).

He tells us about some of his earlier machines: 150 Honda; CB77 Super Hawk and others (interesting). But American guys just can't get past the insecure need to get a HarDon (boring!). I have been to Alaska twice so I get the fascination with the place.

I am left with the following feeling about the author: Americans seem to think they should be able to take credit (personally) for the collective ingenuity produced by their nation-a nation of individualists that won't acknowledge the value and place of common good-but take credit for its legacy. Oh Well.

[Cayden Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the book Zero to Sixty: The motorcycle Journey of a Lifetime by Gary Paulsen it starts off as Gary at his job and he is always late because he has to walk everywhere he goes because he has no vehicle. His boss realizes this and gives him a old motor bike for him to have. Gary immediately loves the bike and saves up all his money to buy his first motorcycle. All is good until Gary figures out that he has heart disease. He knows he doesn't have a lot of time left so he is going to make the most of it. He plans on taking his new Harley that he bought and traveling from New Mexico to Alaska. This book is about his journey and all that happens when he travels.

I liked this book because it was very interesting reading about how he goes from New Mexico to Alaska on a motorcycle. I gave it three stars because at some points in the book it was boring because he would talk for a long time. But overall the book was good.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

(note to elementary school librarians - don't put this next to the tucker novels.)

"There is something very liberating about heart disease. You get a solid, rich copper smell of your own mortality and it's impossible to keep it from affecting how you live. Life goes on around you, people have all the things happening to them that they think are vitally important-car payments, careers, lawyers, awards, families- and you KNOW, in your heart, that it's all bullshit. Heart disease gives you that freedom." pp100,101


"Hitting hail on a motorcycle doing seventy or eighty miles an hour is something very close to kissing a shotgun." p125

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never ridden a motorcycle and have no desire to, but I love a good road trip. Gary Paulsen, nearing 60, decides to buy a Harley, then decides to take it on a trip. A long trip - New Mexico to Minnesota to Montana, then north to Alaska, and finally back home. All that time out on the open road made him think back on his life. This book is as much about his recollections as it is about the road trip itself.

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that I thought this would only appeal to men, I was captivated by this book. Reminds me a bit of Travels with Charley by Steinbeck. Interesting what he learned about himself from this adventure.

[Loree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gary Paulson is the savior of reluctant readers in my classroom. I love that man, and I love his sparse poetic style, especially in the hatchet series. This book was good, but it's not his best. I'll be careful about recommending it to students without parent approval.

[Pat Forrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Gary Paulsen book for adults. He relates the story of his trip on a motorcycle through Canada and the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks but also filled with lots of stories about other times in his life and comments about life and living. Not for kids.

[P M E]

Kindled my love of long distance motorcycling.

[Arusticat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Paulsen suggests a Harley Davidson if you want to ride the Alaskan Highway.

[Kati Did · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit of a rambling old man

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and easy read. I enjoyed both the stories and the style of writing.

[Jonathan Haviley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sort of has a theme but sort of goes off on random side quests. Anyway one of my favorite authors having a sort of autobiography to some extent.

[Jake Wermske · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intriguing book full of detail. It vividly describes of a journey from New Mexico to Alaska, and the experiences that comes. It does use strong, vulgar language but the author utilizes it to his abilities, somehow making every sentence interesting. It just reels you in and in; you just can't get out. He does make some mistakes where he could add more description and not have too many run-on sentences. But he does a great job of adding detail where it is needed and describing something so perfectly I could picture it in my head.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very slight book, merely scratching the surface of Paulsen's ride up the Alaska Highway and offering a tantalising glimpse of his thoughts and feelings. After the blood, sweat and tears of Winterdance, I know he's capable of much more depth than this. (And a Harley? Please. Get a real bike!)

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My notes and quotes:

I hate birthdays – always have – as they measure the time of life, the ticking down of the clock of life and take into account nothing of the quality of that life; a kind of shallow measurement of the time to approaching death which cannot be stopped. (p. 2).

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being diagnosed with heart disease, the author decides to take a road trip. Fulfilling a dream he has always had - to buy a Harley. He reflects on things he did in his youth and life in general, includes laugh out loud stories and tearful stories as well.

[Jrobertus · Rating 3 out of 5]

a memoir of an intelligent and well traveled man. he reflects, at 57, on his life, dreams and goals. i have read several of his other books and admire his style.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not your 'typical Paulsen' book for middle school boys! A great memoir,written toward adult taste and experiences. I hate to admit it, but some of the language made me blush.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't make me laugh like "Winterdance", but it was still a decent read. Introspective, but neither deep enough nor glib enough to make it truly memorable.

[Bret · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was an alright book. strong begining, powerful meaning, great detail, just not an amazing ending. definitly a weekend reader

[Bart]

This is not the greatest book by Paulsen. I feel like he's trying to convince the reader that no one is mas macho than he.

[Paul Devall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent book covering more than just the ride. A good inspiration for a 55yo biker like me!!!

[Tamara Metz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite some less than stellar reviews, this book really resonated with me. Definitely an adult book with adult concepts and adult swear words.

[Colin Higbee]

This is the book that convinced my mom to suggest my dad and I should drive to the Arctic Circle.