Parker meets many people during this journey and this makes the book a lot more interesting than the standard long bike ride story. His journalistic skill at asking the right questions and listening to people means there are many fascinating conversations to read. In particular, he discovers how people lived through the pandemic, how their businesses survived.
Mental health is an important theme of the book. Parker doesn’t shy away from the dark moments: the insomnia, the anxiety, the fear of losing control. Towards the end of the book he reflects that everyone has a thing to keep their mind healthy:
“For me it was cycling. Without it I wasn’t human. And with every passing mile, and every fleeting smile, I’d been soothed. Not healed or cured, but placated. And that was all that mattered to me.”
This is not an account of route topography, day-by-day mileage highlights or hardcore bike-touring logistics. It is more about the experience and the detail of what it was like to travel during the pandemic. This is particularly fascinating as that time is now an important part of Britain’s history.
Parker gives frank opinions about the places he visits and he will say if he thinks they are rubbish. And if they are special his descriptions make you want to visit. I was particularly drawn by his section on the Isles of Scilly. As a result I would love to visit one day.
This book is a unique take on the traditional Lands End to John O’Groat’s bike ride. It takes place in the pandemic and focuses on the author’s inner journey. It is emotional, inspiring and adventurous.
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