NW Cyclist: Buzz Book Reviews
Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Washington
By Ellee Thalheimer
Hop on your bike and explore Washington with the help of this handy guide published by Into Action Publications. This is the second Cycling Sojourner guide in the series—the first was a guide to biking Oregon.
Thalheimer offers up a full touring experience in this guide. Not only has she included a delightful spread of destinations and tips to get you from point to point on your bicycle, but has also sought out the best places to get you off your bike for a bite to eat, a sip of coffee or taste of wine.
Newbies and more experienced cyclists are sure to enjoy Thalheimer’s inspired, conversational writing and the assortment of new destinations to add to their bucket lists.
Learn more about Cycling Sojourner at www.intoactionpublications.com
Pedal Portland: 25 Easy Rides for Exploring the City by Bike
By Todd Roll
Want to get the most out of cycling in Portland, Ore.? This guidebook from Timber Press does a spectacular job of showing off the little things that make the city amazing—you know, besides the 300-plus miles of bikeway.
Pedal Portland includes a section called “How to Pedal Portland,” which gives a concise rundown of what to expect if you haven’t cycled there or if you need some reminders. Do you remember what to do when you ride into a “bike box”? What exactly is a “Copenhagen left”? If you aren’t quite sure, you’ll be glad to have read about them ahead of time.
The bulk of Pedal Portland focuses on 25 fun, accessible cycling routes tested by the author and his family. Each route includes an easy-to-read map with an elevation chart, exact distances, landmarks and interesting historical tidbits. There is also information on how to access each route via the metro bus system and good spots to park if you’re driving to your start point.
While you’re treating yourself to some fresh air and exercise, you may as well treat your inner explorer with scavenger hunts provided by the author in the book. Do you know where to find a couple of kissing donkeys? What about snail statues or bushes trimmed to look like animals? These challenges (and a key in the back of the guide) await.
Learn more about Pedal Portland at www.timberpress.com
Tour de France 100: A Photographic History of the World’s Greatest Race
By Richard Moore
The Tour de France—ever fascinating and filled with tumult—turned 100 last year. Tour de France 100 by Richard Moore celebrates the Tour’s centennial.
Hundreds of pages of action-packed prose alongside 250 photos (black and white, and color) shed light on a century of fierce competition, strife, tragedies, scandals and joys.
Tales of champions and cheaters begin with Maurice Garin, the winner of the very first Tour de France in 1903, and one of the first people to be disqualified for cheating the following year.
Moore highlights dramas and controversies, heroic athleticism and endurance, the effect of two world wars, countless crashes and injuries, deaths in the Tour, intense rivalries like that of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, the controversies of Lance Armstrong and much more.
Besides the fascinating real-life stories in the book, we love its heft and quality. This hardback volume is 11- by 12½-inches and makes a great conversation piece and keepsake.
Learn more about Tour de France 100 at www.velopress.com
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