Josie Dew is a determined cyclist. She's cycled more than 300,000 miles across six continents and forty-seven countries (some of them by accident). The survivor of several wonky knees and a handful of worn-out bottom brackets, she is still firmly fixed in the saddle. She has written six previous books about her travels.
Long Cloud Ride is her latest bike, and focuses on nine months of cycling the North and South Islands of New Zealand. We didn't realise there'd be enough land mass to cycle that long, but she managed to cycle 10,000km. That's quite a lot in our books. If that wasn't enough, she spent two months aboard a Russian container ship to reach New Zealand.
During her time in New Zealand, Josie was spat at, shouted at, honked at, and both run off and blown off the road. She got soaked, sunburnt, hailed on and snowed on and was alternately starved and over-fed, over-charged and under-charged.
There was the wildlife: the possums (both dead and alive): exotic birds such as moreporks (with their eerie call) and fantails (who decided to follow); the ostriches, who liked to chase English cyclists and the harriers, who liked to dive bomb them; the more familiar but no less frustrating farm animals, who provided sheep-jams and cow-blocks to slow Josie down.
In Long Could Ride, Josie brings New Zealand brilliantly to life. Warm, witty and acutely observed as ever, her latest adventure is sure to delight old and new fans alike.
Visit Josie's website for more info - www.josiedew.co.uk
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