SPONTANEOUS REVOLUTIONS

McQuade remembers a cross-country bicycle trip—both arduous and romantic—with her husband.

The author and her husband, Clark, decided with surprising spontaneity to embark on a daunting trek: Travel from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon, by bicycle. They were radically unprepared—both over 50 and out of shape, hardly “invincible 20-year-old athletes,” and both chose to forgo the help of technology, riding without cellphones or laptops. They encountered all manner of challenges, from the quotidian (dwindling cash, swarms of mosquitos, and hard-to-master clipless pedals) to more serious ones, like a motor home that nearly killed Clark by sucking him into its colossal draft. They stopped frequently to check out local culture and cuisine and “re-experience small-town life.” They completed the trip in 122 days, riding an impressive 3,000-plus miles. The couple reveled in their freedom while traversing the country, inspiring Clark to wax philosophic about a renewed life filled with more tranquility and fewer things and obligations. McQuade writes in companionable prose, establishing a breezy rapport with the reader. The recollection abounds with thoughtful insights about her experiences, and she candidly shares her emotional anxieties, including about the weight she struggled to shed despite her daily bicycling. The memoir is especially poignant; one knows from the outset that Clark, a man McQuade describes as her soul mate, died from an intestinal disorder in the aftermath of the trip. The book isn’t perfect; it’s far too long and includes too much detail. Also, some of the lessons the author describes border on trite, although readers’ mileage may vary: “Believe in yourself. Trust your gut and don’t let naysayers, doubters, and negative nellies sap your positive energy. The greatest reward is when you take personal pride in your own success and triumphs, especially when you believe in and respect yourself.” This is principally a love story, though, and a tender one written with lucidity and self-effacing charm.

A disarmingly forthright memoir that chronicles a travel-induced transformation.