Take our Stuff Please (a.k.a. A Cycling Book Giveaway)

Days are short and cold in Vermont, so we’ve been focused less on outdoor activities, like building our teeny house, and more on indoor activities, like building my bicycle, finalizing our gear list for our tour, and sorting through the last of our stuff to sell or give away.

While sorting through our things we found CYCLING BOOKSLots of them.  So, we thought, why not offer a couple as giveaways on our blog?

Some are inspirational – stories of other cyclists touring the world.  We read these books to each other, a little each night, over the last few years while working, saving, and dreaming of fulfilling our own cycling tour.  Some are educational – offering tips and tricks on cycle touring, how to repair bicycles, or showcasing photos of bicycles throughout history.  So, surely, you’ll see something you want (come on, you know you want to take our stuff!).

If you do want one of the books listed below or you know someone who might enjoy one, leave a comment telling us why you like to ride your bicycle by Wednesday, January 12th. 

That’s it!  We’ll randomly choose three people who respond by the deadline, contact you to find out what book you would like, and will mail it to you (first contacted, first served….so if your book is chosen by the first person we contact, you will have to choose another book).

*****

  Bicycles: Le Biciclette (softcover) 1989
By Fermo Galbiati, Nino Ciravegna, Cesare Gualdoni (photographer).
Small book showcasing photos of rare and unique bicycles.

*****

             The Wind in My Wheels: Travel Tales from the Saddle (hardcover) 1992
By Josie Dew
“As a young girl, Josie Dew developed an overpowering urge to travel. She also, rather inconveniently, developed a lifelong aversion to cars. Along came her first bicycle, and she has never looked back. Four continents, 36 countries, and 80,000 miles worth of astounding adventures, eccentric characters, varied cultures and ever-enduring optimism are the result of her travels.”

*****

 The Bicycle Touring Book: The Complete Guide to Bicycle Recreation (paperback) 1980
By Tim & Glenda Wilhelm
“The Wilhelms draw on their extensive cycling experience to offer tips on choosing and riding a bicycle and guidance in planning, undertaking, and enjoying touring, from the short trip around town to the exotic excursion.”

*****

Bike Touring: The Sierra Club Guide to Outings on Wheels (paperback) 1979
By Raymond Bridge
“comprehensive resource for bike touring and all road biking in general”

*****

 A Ride in the Neon Sun (paperback) 1999
By Josie Dew
“The third in her series of cycling books sees the author riding east across Australia, China, Korea, Borneo, Indonesia and Malaysia. The journey encompasses the Orient – the old, the modern, and the futuristic, beginning with a tour of Japan.”

*****

  Richards’ Ultimate Bicycle Book (hardcover) 1992
By Richard Ballantine and Richard Grant
“With over 700 specially commissioned, full-colour photographs of the latest machines and accesories, Richard’s Ultimate Bicycle Book freatures all the most popular types of bike – from tandems to mountain bikes, and from professional racers to bikes of the future.”

*****

 Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey (hardcover) 1997
By Göran Kropp
“The extraordinary account of one man’s 7,000 mile cycling trek to Everst and his oxygen-free ascent to the summit.”

*****

The Bicycle Repair Book: The complete manual of bicycle care (softcover) 1985
By Rob Van der Plas
“Step-by-step instructions with detailed illustrations and practical troubleshooting guides…”

*****

Richards’ Bicycle Repair Manual: Everything you need to know to keep your bicycle in peak condition (softcover) 1994
By Richard Ballantine and Richard Grant
“A handy manual that shows you how to carry out running repairs and get maximum efficiency from your bicycle…”
*****
New Zealand By Bike: 14 Tours Geared for Discovery (softcover) 1994
By Bruce Ringer
*****
Metal Cowboy: tales from the road less pedaled (hardcover) 1999
By Joe Kurmaskie
“While cycling through Idaho, Kurmaskie met up with a blind man who, after tapping his cane over Joe and his bike, dubbed him a “metal cowboy.” If these 40 essays are any indication, that’s a perfect description. Like the cowboys of Old West legend, Kurmaskie drifted around the country (and the world), meeting up with interesting and eccentric people, bunking wherever he found a dry patch of ground, eating whatever he could carry or scrounge.”
*****
 The Complete Book of Bicycling (softcover) 1988 4th Edition
By Eugen A. Sloane
“…bible of cycling books…includes mountain bikes, bicycle safety, fitness and the bicycle, and more. Over 500 photos, charts and diagrams.”
*****
Detination Lapland: A Journey to the Far North (softcover) 1987
By Mark Wallington
“The true story of one man and his bike…It was a cold, bleak, British summer morning when intrepid Mark set out to travel the seventeen-hundres miles to Lapland on his bicycle.  Suitably equipped with new locknut A and pivot bolt B, a compass, a pair of sunglasses with only one lens and a Norwegian phrasebook, he was soon to discover the joys of Central Milton Keynes, win a marathon he never ran in Brassington, become stranded on the Yorkshire Dales, pick raspberries in Northumbria and finally catch a train from Newcastle – back to London!”
*****

8 comments to Take our Stuff Please (a.k.a. A Cycling Book Giveaway)

  • You lived my long year dreams, but never I will be too old to realize the dreams.
    So when I was 40, I just learned bycicling. Meanwhile I am trained well.
    Daily I do my hours of biking around, esp. in south East Asia, Thailand.
    On the bike there is a feeling of personal freedom!
    So there will be the 12th of January, when I will bike around Southern Thailand, near of Malaysian border, together with my boyfriend.

  • I love riding my bicycle because it represents freedom. It provides the right combination of miles and smiles. You see plenty but cover good distance. In February I’m setting off to cycle around England, Scotland and Wales. Originally, I was going to cycle around Europe, but unfortunately, money has not worked out. I’m happy with staying at home, at least I speak the language and so on.
    I cannot live without my bicycle, when it brakes it upsets me. I call it Big Red ’cause it has a huge 23″ frame. I love getting on the bike and just cycling somewhere, the physical side of fitness and the joy of your surroundings is fantastic.

  • Lance

    Hi. What you two are doing is amazing. Living the dream, our dreams. One day i will live the adventure too. I know its just past your cut off date, but i only just found out about you guys today. Riding is my dads favourite thing to do, he got me hooked 4 months ago. He has always told me how he wishes to cycle all these countries, but he never has. I have also fallen in love with this idea and for a month now i cant stop dreaming, thinking and planning.. plotting routes, making lists of equipment, working out how long it would take and doing loads of research. One day i will cycle somewhere far with my dad at my side. I love cycling for its shear simpleness-no pollution,just get on and go, adventure-taking the road less travelled, even if its just around your neighbourhood, beauty, all you can see and experience at a good pace.

    • Lance ~ it’s really great that you share this bond with your dad. Although the close date for the giveaway has passed, we only received two other comments so we still have a third book to giveaway……and we’d love to support your newly sparked dream, which we hope you will one day make a reality! We’ll contact you privately with the details, and thanks for visiting our site!

  • Hello there!

    I just found your site tonight! My husband and I live in NH and are planning our world bike tour as well. Our son is a senior in high school so we will need to wait 3 1/2 years before we go. We have have been plotting and planning for a long time now. We have our bikes, racks and panniers and commute when there is not too much snow in the streets. It was so excited to find your website, read about two people that feel very much like us. I have just started to read your entries and can’t wait to read more. Even though I am too late for the book give away, I will take the titles to the library to see if they can get them through interlibrary loan! Since we plan to sell or give away everything before we go we don’t buy much anymore. It drives my poor son crazy… for years now we say, “can we really use this when we are on our bikes?” Thanks for your website, Linda

    • Hi Linda,

      Thanks for letting us know you’re out there! Very exciting to hear about your upcoming adventure. 3 1/2 years will fly by!

      We totally understand the criteria you’re using in relation to making purchases. We find ourselves valuing the price of things against how many days worth of travelling by bicycle it would give us. “That’s about 4 more days that we could be on the road.” When you compare the freedom of being on the road against the gain of the purchase…..well, that “thing” often doesn’t seem worth it any longer!

      Keep in touch!
      ~Sheila & Kai

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