Book Review: Lois On The Loose

Regular readers know that, from time to time, I'll review a recent book release that may be of interest to them. Most of the books I've reviewed in the past have been about climbing, such as Ed Viestur's No Shortcuts To The Top or Cliff Willis' The Boys of Everest. This book review is about a different type of adventure altogether.

Lois On The Loose by Lois Pryce is, simply put, a fun, funny, travel book that chronicles the author's 20,000 mile journey, by motorcycle, from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. In essence, the length of the Trans-America highway. Along the way, Lois encounters unusual people, unique stretches of road, and a wide variety of police officers stretching from Canada through Central America, and continuing to the very end of the World.

The book opens with Lois returning to her job at the BBC in London, fresh from a motorcycle holiday in Europe. As she returns to the daily grind, she finds she is missing the open road, and the thrill of adventure. Her mind begins to hatch a plan that would see her quitting her job, shipping her motorcycle to Alaska, and setting off on an epic journey throughout the length of the Americas.

The book is an enjoyable read, and certainly instills a desire to travel. More than once I wanted to purchase a motorcycle of my own, and follow Lois off down the highway. The author writes with a wonderful conversational style in which you almost feel like you're listening to her personally convey her stories to you. Combine this with a liberal dash of British humor, and you have a charming travel tale that reinforces the point of most travel tales - The Journey Is It's Own Reward!

You can find out more about Lois and her adventures at her official website where you can also learn that she recently completed a Trans-African journey by motorcycle as well. After completing Lois On The Loose I can only hope that there will be a follow-up to detail her adventures in Africa. I'm one reader who hasn't gotten his fill of Lois and her motorcycle odysseys, and if you enjoy a good travel story, that is both funny and thoughtful, I have a feeling you might just fall for Lois too.