Vagabond on a Bicycle

In this book I share with you my deepest passion in life: traveling the world — especially by bicycle. For me, a bicycle represents more than just transportation. It’s a symbol of my independence and my freedom. My bicycle is the steel stallion that has taken me on adventures through many far-flung nations. Since my teenage years, I’ve really enjoyed being outdoors, on my own, and discovering new places and meeting new people on my trusty two-wheeler.
The desire to explore the world has remained my passion for a very long time. Since those teenage years I have visited over 125 countries on 7 continents, using over 25 different modes of transportation — including the humble bicycle. To date, I have pedaled well over 100,000 miles and experienced more than 100 cultures in most of the United States, as well as all over Europe, in Australia, around New Zealand and across South Africa.
In this book I share with you stories about numerous long-distance jouneys that I have made in different parts of our wonderful world. You will learn about how I prepared for these trips; some of the mechanical problems that I experienced; how I coped with inclement weather; who I met along the way and how they affected, changed and inspired me; a description of some fascinating places that I visited; some personal dangers I encountered and how I dealt with them; what I thought and felt during moments of joy and sorrow; and what I learned about life and myself.
Thank you for taking time to read the book. I hope you enjoy it!
Jim Hendrickson