TRAVEL BOOK REVIEW AND INTERVIEW '20 MILES PER COOKIE' BY NANCY SATHRE-VOGEL OF FAMILY ON BIKES

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TRAVEL BOOK REVIEW:

I just finished reading Family on Bike’s second intriguing book, 20 Miles Per Cookie, about the family’s first long cycling journey together across the USA and Mexico. Astoundingly, they pedaled over 9300 miles during their one-year adventure in 2006. (Since then, they’ve made an even longer journey- all the way from Alaska to the southern tip of South America- which took them nearly 3 years).

Not surprisingly, 20 Miles Per Cookie is a fantastic tale of adventures, adversities, family bonding, exciting discoveries, and a heck of a lot of cycling.

What makes the story most appealing are the personal perspectives. Nancy, the author and mom of the troupe, includes several letters written by sons, Daryl and Davy, to their grandmother while out on the road. Very charming.

Nancy shares her worries, fears, and doubts about their escapades when they encounter hardships. She recounts their hardest moments and their most heart-warming. Many of their best experiences involved strangers they met along the way who spontaneously offered their help, food, yards, and homes to the passing travelers. The book includes dozens of personal photos from their journey as well.

If you’re at all interested in cycling through the USA, wonder what it’s like pedaling a mega-journey, or how you’ll be treated by local Americans and Mexicans while traveling through their home territories, or if you need some personal inspiration, or simply love amazing true adventure tales, be sure to check out 20 Miles Per Cookie.

Meanwhile, this travel interview gives some behind-the-scenes perspectives on the trip from Nancy, John, Daryl and Davy:

Family on Bikes leaving home

Q1. What were the major differences between cycle-touring with just you and John vs. with Daryl and Davy along?

I think the major difference between traveling as a couple and traveling as a family is that families are so well received. It’s not that John and I didn’t meet wonderful people when it was just the two of us, but having the kids along really brought out the angel side of people. John repeatedly commented on how surprised he was that people were so quick to help us out. He had never experienced reactions like that in all his years of bike touring.

If you really think about it, it makes sense. We were about as non-threatening as possible. A family with two young kids traveling on bikes. Were we really serial killers??

Family on Bikes conquering their first mountain pass

Q2. If possible, can you pick 2-3 ‘best family moments’ on your Trans-American journey?

The best moments are always the hardest to put into words. There was one moment in the San Juan Islands, when we were cycling along the coast, when Davy spied whales out in the water. We all climbed off the bikes and stood on the side of the road watching a pod of 6 or 8 whales frolic in front of us. Blackberry bushes lined the road at our feet. And then John spotted a bald eagle perched in a massive dead tree near the water. It was one of those magical moments that I never wanted to end – but the ferry wouldn’t wait so we had to push on.

Another time that was very special was at the Grand Canyon. As we lay curled up in our sleeping bags, we started talking about nuclear physics. John explained, in elementary terms, how a nuclear reaction happens, then we went in to the consequences of a nuclear accident and power sources and taking care of the environment. The conversation actually spanned three days and was one of those educational moments that can only come from having extended periods of time together.

Family on Bikes in Redwood N. P. California

Q3. What were your personal favorite spots on the trip and why?

I love the desert of southern Utah/northern Arizona. The colors… the rock formations… the starkness… I’ve traveled the world over and I think that may be my favorite location in the whole world. It’s so gorgeous!

I also fell in love with Joshua Tree National Park on that journey. Prior to arriving there, I had never heard of it – or Joshua Trees either. We saw the national park on our map and, since the boys were into collecting Junior Ranger badges, headed into the park. It was incredible.

Family on Bikes camping in Baja

Q4. What were Davy and Daryl’s favorite spots and why?

Hands down, their favorite spot was a campsite we found in Baja. As we traveled south, we would cycle until we found a tiny town (population 50 or so, but with a tiny store), then we pedaled another couple of miles before turning into the desert to camp. We were trying to kill time as we would meet John’s mom in Mazatlan, but were running early. So we started finding a nice spot in the desert to camp, then hang out for a few days. I could jump on my bike and ride to the small store every day for food and water.

So one time we pulled back into the desert and found a spot to camp next to an arroyo. The boys spent hours and hours and hours building forts and playing in the arroyo. They still talk about it now as the best campsite ever!

Family on Bikes- finish at grandmas house

Q5. Towards the end of your trip you decided to slow down your pace and cut back on your original itinerary, thus skipping a chunk of your original route. What were Davy and Daryl’s responses to that? Were they bummed out, relieved, could care less one way or the other?

I don’t think the boys cared one way or the other. They knew they were exhausted – as were John and me – but I don’t think they really even realized the extent of the change.

Family on Bikes cycling KATY Trail

Q6. How about you and John’s feelings about that?

It was much harder for us. The death of a dream is never easy and, when we made the decision to cut off the end of the journey, it felt like we were giving up on our dream.

On the other hand, we knew something had to give. We were exhausted and could no longer push like we had been. The magic was gone and we needed to do something to get it back. Our new plan worked.

Family On Bikes cycling across Texas

Q7. Were there any places you felt were dangerous or risky for cyclists? Any places you would advise other cyclists to avoid if pedaling across USA and/or Mexico? If so, where and what’s the danger?

Of course, any time you have to deal with heavy traffic, it’s scary. We tried to minimize the amount of time we spent on busy roads, but there were a few times when we had to do it. We discovered that Sundays were the best time to pass through big cities as there is less traffic.

We also cycled right along the Mexico/New Mexico border which, according to some people, could be dangerous. Again, I feel that cyclists in general, and a family of cyclists in particular, are pretty non-threatening. I’ve found that treating people with respect goes a long way.