The Long Way Home

by Ryan Van Duzer

Ever wonder how Ryan Van Duzer fell in love with bicycle travel? After finishing a two-year stint as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, Ryan decided that the best (and most fun) way to return home to Boulder, CO, would be by bicycle. He'd never done anything like this before, but his enthusiasm for adventure and love of bikes fueled his 4,000-mile journey through Central America, Mexico, and across the southern border into the US. Together with his childhood friend Jeff, they made their way through sweaty jungles, barren deserts, and up and over steep mountains. This is a story about exploration, friendship, and falling in love with the magic of the open road.

Follow Ryan on YouTube and Instagram for his latest and greatest adventures!

Genres: Nonfiction

204 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2022

About the author

Ryan Van Duzer is an outdoor adventure TV host, YouTuber, filmmaker, and motivational speaker.

Reviews

[Devin Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and engrossing travel story with great pacing. Also, bikes. What's not to love?

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found DuzerTV on YouTube during the pandemic, and was inspired by Ryan’s boundless energy and enthusiasm for bicycle adventures all across the world. Check out his channel! This book tells his origin story with an epic travelogue from Honduras to Boulder,Colorado. The first-person, conversational tone is pure Duzer with an honest portrayal of the highs and lows of adventure cycling and a moving reunion with his family, friends, and his beloved hometown Boulder. I was misty-eyed when Ryan, as much a momma’s boy as can be, swings his relieved and over-joyed mother around in circles upon their reunion!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. I follow Ryan on YouTube and watched the video about this trip. I like the insight we got from the book that we didn’t get from the video. He didn’t sugarcoat anything thing about his hardship and struggles. He showed us that we all can achieve anything that we set our mind to. Keep up the good work Ryan and stay safe out there.

[Kyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

A constant stream of “my bike ride is hard, but all these people’s lives in Central America are harder. So I should be thankful” repeated for many pages.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this guy.
He is the definition of a bad ass. His goal is to inspire people to get out of their houses and go on adventures. This was a great read, although there was a little repetition from the intro and I wish the second half was a little longer. But what an amazing story. He is an inspirational person, and I recommend following his YouTube channel.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan's boundless positivity and unmatched love for people and adventure truly shine in this epic tale of his self-supported bike ride from Honduras to Colorado. From scary weather, mechanical bike issues and the wildest bug infestation issue I've ever heard, Ryan maintains a spirit that never fails to inspire. This book had me looking at maps and dreaming about adventures of my own. A must read for adventure lovers and bike nuts everywhere.

[Marybeth S Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG. So glad Ryan wrote this book!! We ordered our copy as soon as it was available. Waited for a road trip to read it, I read every word aloud while my husband drove. It made us laugh and cry. Such an awesome story. We can't speak highly enough about the job he did to get this story on paper for us all to enjoy. This is definitely going to the top of my list for favorite books!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for a bike rider - not sure if the appeal would be as high for someone who is not. But I thoroughly enjoyed his writing and the trip. He includes all the details, the good and the bad, but his optimistic attitude prevails. Well done!

[Erinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down! Absolutely enthralling journey - I never wanted it to end.

[Nick Slighting · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5. “Ole Ole Ole!” A solid and quick read about adventure and proving yourself right. I’ve been a fan of Ryan’s YouTube channel for a while now and had to check this book out when I heard about it! Overall, I enjoyed this read, though I was already somewhat familiar with the story via the YT videos. I loved the vivid descriptions of the people, places, and especially the food! It made me hungry just reading the many passages about tortillas, beans, etc. I only wish the many Spanish speaking quotes had translations (some do and some don’t). I could understand the gist of what was likely being said, but would have preferred to know exactly what was said. I felt a little left out not knowing the full dialog between Ryan and the colorful characters throughout. Despite this, definitely worth reading! Would recommend.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book has a limited audience (endurance athletes.) As one who falls into that demographic I have enjoyed watching Ryan Van Duzer's videos so I wanted to read his book. The enthusiasm he shows in his videos is apparent in some of this book where he recounts his 4,000 mile journey by bicycle from Honduras to Colorado, U.S. His recounting of his interactions with "road angels" along the way is one of the best aspects of this book. His outlook and responses to the ups and downs of the journey seem very honest.
At times I felt he ventured a bit into some self-importance (when he expressed some less-than-favorable thoughts on those who work full-time) and there was a stretch when he could not seem to gather much positivity. Due to this, I found the first half of the book more engaging.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems serendipitous that I’m posting this review on Earth Day as Ryan self published so that he was able to ensure it was printed in a completely eco friendly way. I am not an adventurer, but I enjoyed reading about his 4,000 mile bike adventure, especially about all of the people he met along the way. I also really appreciate what he included in the epilogue. Ryan Van Duzer is a genuine human being, which comes through in this book as much as it does in the videos on his YouTube channel (also when you meet him in person). The world needs more like him!

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! Ryans unstoppable energy brings him to new horizons with a plethora of seemingly impossible challenges to overcome. There is so much insight and humanism in this book you may need a tissue at times.

Personally it's these kind of stories that keep me going and rekindle my hope for the human condition.

Thank you Ryan for writing this!

[Osman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adventurous tale; bicycling thousands of miles from Honduras to Colorado. Also a fun read, with many unexpected twists and turns along the way. If you're looking for inspiration - for burritos, bicycles, and road trips - you'll enjoy this book. Get out there!

[Scott Kummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting stuff! I didn’t know what to expect and what I got was a super interesting journey explained in a really well written book. I really really enjoyed the book, it’s stories, the messages and the lessons learned. Fantastic!

[Marc Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, as the author is even more open with his language and thoughts than he is on his YouTube videos. His observations about people and overcoming challenges are excellent. The narrative draws from thousands of interesting stories in themselves.

[Patrick Leber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read with a few stomach twisting moments. Can’t say I would take the same risks that Ryan took. But, the world needs adventurous pioneers like Ryan who know how to find “road magic.” The best moments in life are the ones we never see coming.

[John Templeton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I served with Ryan in the Peace Corps. The book was amazing and even though they were not my stories, it sparked a flood of memories for me. It was a page turner and I felt very connected to every story in every page. Absolutely loved it. Relatable for all world travelers.

[Lawrence Loewy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just rode my bike from Honduras to Colorado after volunteering 2 years with the Peace Corps. Well, actually I did not but I feel like I did after reading this book. So well written.

[michael rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this man’s energy, passion and love . Great book loved it .

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing book. It's incredibly well-written, full of highs, lows, humor, and thoughts about life. I follow Ryan on YouTube, and this book was even better than the videos.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Ryan and loved this book! so joyous and inspiring, as always. Thanks Ryan :)

[Michael Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow Ryan on line and truely loved his book

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

No crashies, no flatties and no whammies!

[Desiré De Waele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bikes.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like riding your bike for a long time like I do, you will love this book!🚴🚴🚴

[Kathleen R · Rating 5 out of 5]

So incredibly entertaining and well written. I loved this book

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Van Duzer rocks YouTube with "Out there" content. Now he brings his "road magic" to the printed page. Lovers of Ryan's YouTube channel are sure to enjoy The Long Way Home, as are readers of adventure, cycling and books of personal achievement. Ryan certainly inspires me to get out more, as I'm sure he will you, as well. Right after eating a big bean burrito, of course. Ole!