Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-day Tours in Oregon By Ellee Thalheimer
Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-day Tours in Oregon
By Ellee Thalheimer
Microcosm Publishing 2012, 224 pages
$16.95 USD; $17.95 CAD
Reviewed by Shawn Granton
There are precious few books that are dedicated to multi-day bicycle tours, so Ellee Thalheimer’s Cycling Sojourner is a treat. Thalheimer provides an extensive sampling of rides – ranging in length from three to seven days – that venture into even the furthest eastern reaches of the Beaver State.
After reading this book, I’m itching to get out there and test these rides! It’s chock-a-block with info: all the cue sheets, elevation profiles, places to stay and so on are provided in depth. And while most of these rides are loops, she provides helpful routing information to link these small tours into something bigger.
For those used to the drier text that typically accompanies bike touring logs, Thalheimer’s rosy prose and heights of hyperbole may be a bit of a shock. Phrases like “the organic deli ... offers ... food that inspires air-humping” may come across as either cutesy or obnoxious. Don’t let this distract you. Thalheimer has gone to great lengths to craft some excellent bike tours, making the book a worthy addition to your collection. Hopefully it will inspire you to get out there and hit the road.
