Across America by Bicycle

Alice and Bobbi's Summer on Wheels

By: Alice Honeywell, Bobbi Montgomery

Narrated by: Rosemary Benson

Biking from Oregon to Maine is no small feat, especially for two newly retired women who carry everything they need for three months, powered only by the strength of their legs and a desire for adventure. Alice Honeywell and Bobbi Montgomery invite listeners to follow their ride by bicycle across the United States, as they face scorching sun, driving rain, buffeting winds, equipment failures, killer hills, wild fires, and even a plague of grasshoppers.

As Alice and Bobbi pedal along their 3,600-mile journey, they test and deepen their friendship, defy their aches and pains, experience the vast and varied beauties of their country, and discover the challenges and satisfaction of a scaled-down lifestyle. And, they encounter unfailing generosity from people they meet - from the prayers of a North Dakota woman for their safekeeping, to the offer of a house in Michigan, to invitations for dinner and a place to sleep at stops all along the way. And there are incidents to laugh over, too, such as the bewildered woman who asked them, "Well, but where do you pack your dresses?"

Ride along with Alice and Bobbi as they embrace retirement with gusto and live their dream.

©2010 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (P)2013 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A heartfelt account of crossing America on two wheels from a pair of gutsy women. Alice and Bobbi prove it's never too late to put a dream into high gear, to let the road reveal a country and the true meaning of friendship." (Joe Kurmaskie, author of Metal Cowboy)

Great possibility for a good story but...

This was an epic adventure with the material for a great story. Instead, it was written and read like a most boring history lecture.

The stories of meeting some really interesting people, of falling over on the bikes, of running into each other, of rain and mud and interesting characters offering then rides. Not to mention the conversations they must have had. Instead, it was, to the effect, ”we didn't argue, and became close”.

A ghost writer might have turned this into a best seller by putting a humorous slant to the tale, and giving the two women some depth or character, or personality. By the end of the story, I knew no more about the characters other than the both liked ice cream.

unfortunately bland

Sadly, the narration by Rosemary Benson makes this milquetoast tale of two mid-western retirees crossing America by bicycle almost unbearable. The writing is clear and capable, but rather bland. But the reader sounds as if she is talking to children who can't speak English. Just awful. I believe a print copy of the book would deliver much more satisfaction.

What an experience - inspirational!

Would you try another book from Alice Honeywell and Bobbi Montgomery and/or Rosemary Benson?

If Alice and Bobbi write the book for the proposed north south trip I would like to listen to it. Hopefully Rosemary will narrate this one too.

Which scene was your favorite?

Not just once scene. I enjoyed listening to their entire trip - especially their separate thoughts at the end.

Was Across America by Bicycle worth the listening time?

Yes. I finished it in two days. I see that another reviewer said the book was boring and that he/she kept waiting for something to happen. This was a book about a life experience, not CSI or Fifty Shades of Gray. This is a story about two wonderful women in their 50s who plan a trip for two years and then ride 3,600 miles across the U.S. in 90 days. Thank you Alice and Bobbi for sharing your story.

Any additional comments?

I really liked the narrator, Rosemary Benson. I plan to look for other books narrated by her.

good listen for inspiration to ride across america

very interesting listen. narrator was really good. I found the book good due to my interest in the northern tier trail and the transamerican trail.

An interesting story...

Is there anything you would change about this book?

This was by far my least favorite narrator. She couldn't even be bothered to find out the correct pronunciation for names such as Oregon, Willamette, and REI. It was painful to listen to at times as a result. I'm guessing she mispronounced names throughout the book, but I'm from Oregon so those are the ones that grated on me.

Would you recommend Across America by Bicycle to your friends? Why or why not?

I'm not sure whether my friends would be interested in this book since I'm not sure any of them fantasize about biking across the country like I do. Also, the narration was truly bad so that alone would cause me not to recommend it.

What three words best describe Rosemary Benson’s voice?

grating, irritating, fake.

Was Across America by Bicycle worth the listening time?

I enjoyed it because I am interested in crossing the country by bike, so I'd say for me it was worth listening to. I enjoyed hearing about the mountain passes, flat tires, and riding alongside faster moving traffic. I might have preferred to hear more about those types of things and less about what they ate.

Any additional comments?

This book would have been better with a better narrator.