Forty to Finish: Cycling to Victory on the TransAmerica Bike Trail

by Larry Walsh

Overview

"Bicycling enthusiasts will find here an enjoyable depiction of the sport and its devotees' yearnings...well-observed and engrossing account of competitive bicycling and its spiritual overtones." -Kirkus

"Lovers of sports stories and tales of endurance will appreciate this memoir of cycling across the United States." -BookLife

"Forty to Finish is a must-read...a remarkably profound and healthy book that redirects one's focus from materialistic concerns and social media content to the wonderful natural environment around us." -★★★★★ Manhattan Book Review

"Larry Walsh's Forty to Finish is a straightforward, quietly dramatic memoir of a 4,192-mile bike race from Oregon to Virginia, a love letter to America, and a story of hard-won victory." -IndieReader

Fans of Cory Mortensen's The Buddha and the Bee and Paul Stutzman's Biking Across America will enjoy Forty to Finish!

Embark on a cross-country cycling adventure in this exciting sequel that finds author Larry Walsh on yet another solo trek across America. Here, Walsh brings readers along for the ride of a lifetime: 4,200 miles, cutting across ten states, from Oregon to Virginia. The Trans Am Bike Race is so grueling that less than 300 solo riders in the last decade have crossed the finish line. But Walsh did just that. Reaching the Yorktown Victory Monument, however, is just a small part of this tale.

In this inspiring follow-up to Suit to Saddle, we find Walsh a year removed from his fortuitous layoff that spurred his first cross-country voyage of self-discovery. This time we join the Army veteran on another exhilarating pilgrimage that's sure to reawaken that long-dormant sense of adventure, broaden horizons, and challenge the default notions of the American people. All the while, Walsh inspires readers to reconnect with their own goals and ambitions, proving that even the most daunting journey is possible with determination and faith.

Meet colorful folks from across the country as Walsh cycles through over 300 towns, and experience the ever-changing countryside, from scaling mountains to pedaling through sacred Native lands. This love letter to the American road is sure to light a fire and set readers on the course for their own unforgettable journey. For anyone feeling obsolete or past their prime, Walsh proves it's never too late to start the race of a lifetime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647046156
Publisher:	Cabin Fever Press
Publication date:	10/13/2022
Series:	Suite to Saddle , #2
Pages:	354
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.74(d)

About the Author

Larry Walsh is a US Army veteran and has almost thirty years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. In 2018, Walsh left the corporate world to cycle into the heart of America and it changed his life forever. A family man, a veteran, and a dreamer, Walsh is the proud father of three beautiful children, and lives in Morris County, New Jersey, with his wife Kelley.

Editorial Reviews

2022-11-22
A man encounters lofty mountains, dusty plains, vicious animals, kind strangers, and enervating doubts on a cross-country bicycle race in this twisty travelogue.

After losing his pharmaceutical sales job, Walsh entered the 4,200-mile TransAmerica Bike Race from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia. At 57 years old, with little training and a heavy, steel bike—dubbed Tank—that was outclassed by the weightless carbon-fiber rides of competitors, he hoped not to win but to finish in under 40 days at a still grueling pace of 100-plus miles a day. His account emphasizes the vulnerability of the bicyclist’s body as he wore himself out on climbs; kept a wary eye out for storms and places to shelter; survived close calls with reckless drivers; whistled past grizzlies and buffalo only to fall prey to a yappy white dog; turned gaunt from burning 7,000 calories a day; and coped with debilitating saddle sores. (“I stripped down, buck naked, lathered my butt with Desitin, and doused it with baby powder.”) It’s also a vivid homage to the friendly small towns and historical sites Walsh passed through and to the subculture of bike race fandom, from the church hostels that gave competitors beds to the “dot watchers” who tracked their GPS signals and greeted them with provisions. And the volume offers vexed insights into “the true meaning of life.” Starting off with the urge to follow his “passion,” the author had “lost that spark” by the time he reached Eureka, Kansas, where he found himself “grinding at the monotonous sameness of it all” before bedding down in a cockroach-infested motel room. Routine travel arrangements take up excessive space in the book, but Walsh’s prose is often colorful and evocative, whether it’s painting gorgeous landscapes—“As day succumbed to dusk, the rugged terrain, deep-set ravines, and rocky cliffs grew more prominent around me, like monsters coming to life in the dark”—or banal threats. (“Armies of bugs filled the air, battering me incessantly. Eighteen-wheelers sped by, forcing me to the shoulder. I was compelled to ride over road debris on the shoulder because I didn’t feel safe swerving into the traffic lane.”) Bicycling enthusiasts will find here an enjoyable depiction of the sport and its devotees’ yearnings.

A rambling but well-observed and engrossing account of competitive bicycling and its spiritual overtones.

Kirkus Reviews