Description

---

A compelling, funny and highly topical account of a bike ride through the heartlands of America and it's endlessly surprising citizens.

As a child Simon Parker had always thought of America as the golden land. A place of adventure, culture, innovation, progress and independence. Despite one botched attempt (he blames the weather) he had never explored it as fully as he wanted.

Frustrated by the shallow headlines focusing only on Trump, guns and divisions, Simon Parker decided it was now or never. He wanted to see if the America of his teenage dreams existed. If he wanted to explore the roads of the remaining wildernesses, meet ordinary people behind the click-bait news posts, then this year - before the 2024 election - was the year to do it.

Travelling at a cyclist's pace, tag teamed by inquisitive birds of prey, staying with old acquaintances in towns and farmlands, visiting rodeos, churches, cook-outs and diners he found a land and a people of huge generosity, but also of both immense consumption, poverty and disenfranchisement. A land whose portrayal become vastly over-simplified and underestimated. A fascinating - and frequently funny - tale of one man cycling the breadth of America.

About the Author

---

Simon Parker is a British travel writer, author, filmmaker, public speaker and broadcast journalist, working across a wide range of themes and subjects. He has reported on stories as diverse as 'migrant crisis' in Greece and social inequality in the barrios of Northern Colombia. He's paraglided solo through the Andes and driven a rickshaw the length of India. His first book, Riding Out, was published in April 2022 to great acclaim. All his travels and adventures are shared with his followers @simonwiparker.