Leaving Simple Behind

The real impact of cycling is the exploration, both physically and spiritually, of heading into the unknown. In this exploration, 'simple' gets left behind, but 'interesting' does not. This book is not just about cycling and competitive sports, but the spiritual journey of cycling as well. Cycling offers the best kind of freedom. Life may be unchanged after a ride, but the time to be away from everything inspires change within you. Those who think pedaling a bike is the most mindless and boring activity every invented are letting the best in life pass them by. This book can be enjoyed by competitive cyclists, endurance enthusiasts, and recreational cyclists.

The author started competing in sanctioned bike races in 1988, culminating in a tenth-place finish in the National Road Race. After moving from Upstate New York to sunny California, she switched to Ironman triathlon competitions, including the Hawaii Ironman in 1995. She spent the last 12 years of her competitive cycling career in ultra-endurance cycling, culminating in two Race Across America solo finishers. She also planned and completed thousand-mile solo bike trips to the back of beyond.