20 years ago today – Author’s preface, part 1

Jan 29, 1991: the book fair

I was at a book fair today with Michael. I went to hear an author named Bernie Howegate, who has written a book called “Tales of a Travelling Man” about eight years of traveling around the world on a ten-speed bike, a journey that began in the Magdeleine Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence ten years ago.

He was interesting and funny. He spoke more about the places he visited than the cycling itself. After the reading we went to meet him and get him to sign a copy of his book for me. I couldn’t hold back from telling him about our plans. I described how we had planned the route we expected to go and our itinerary, including how far we expected to go every day and what we would be bringing. He took in what I told him with a slightly bemused look. When he signed my book he wrote. “To Ken – bike riding is a great experience. It’s the people you meet, not the mileage you cover.”