Welcome To The World

Welcome to the world, a new book is born. Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland went “Live” on amazon for kindle last night. It feels so good to see the book up there, out there, and ready for readers.

Two years ago I walked across Scotland, for a lot of reasons:

• partly to commemorate the ten year anniversary of my life-changing bicycle ride across America;
• partly to celebrate the popularity of the subsequent book, Just Keep Pedaling, and my subsequent redefinition as a writer and author;
• partly because I figured a vacation was a cheaper and more effective cure than modern medicine for stress relief;
• and, of course, because I’ve always wanted to visit Scotland, its land, its pubs, and maybe a distillery or two.

When I bicycled across America I did it to lose weight. I bicycled from north of Seattle to south of Miami and ended up at the same weight, waist size, and percentage body fat. And it changed my life, but I didn’t recognize that until after the book was for sale. As I described the book, I reflected on my story. Printed words have power. Others noticed them. I finally did too. Want to know more? Well, that’s why the book is out there.

I follow intuition and curiosity. It does not result in a plan or an obvious path, but in retrospect it can somehow make sense. We humans are so good at rationalization, eh?

My trip across Scotland was supposed to be a vacation and a recuperation, not another book. Yet again, travel changed my life; so, despite no great intent I ended up writing Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland. The book is as much about me as it is about Scotland. We fit well. Pragmatic and fond of history, Guinness, and whisky.

I traveled alone, without an itinerary; but, with a general goal of walking from the southwest (Stranraer) to the northeast (Aberdeen), somewhat mimicking my diagonal ride across America. For about three weeks I didn’t use a car, bus, train, or plane. I walked all of those miles (see the itinerary page for details) carrying everything in one moderate-size backpack (see the inventory page for details) without detours for sight-seeing. I enjoy witnessing today’s life that will be tomorrow’s history. Tourists visit old-time blacksmith shops. The future equivalent may be tourists visiting replicas of suburbia, business parks, and machine shops. I look at today from a guess of the eyes of tomorrow. I didn’t visit castles, but I did meet angels in unexpected places.

The true treasure is how I learned to find joy in any moment. I’m not an expert, yet; but, as I walked and thought I encountered a revelation. Every moment contains every emotion. Choose. And I did. That first moment took less than a breath, but with practice I am extending the duration amidst turbulent times. How could I write about walking across Scotland and leave out what I was like before and after such an event?

So, I introduce you to my sixth book. Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland is available as an e-book, and with time and money I may publish a paperback version. For now, fire up your kindles and walk along as I journeyed along a curious path.

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