Product Description

Take a BMW motorcycle, over a million miles, and Mark Edmonds. Distill for thirty-five years. Result? You get an insightful compassionate (and passionate) view of America and what it means to all of us who are just passin' "through." From a slum in Detroit to a backwoods church in Alabama, you'll breathe the air of what it means to be an American---The lovely and not so lovely. Edmonds' assessment of himself as he rides his own pilgrimage, just passing through.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121648 in Books
• Published on: 1998-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Review
" ...The stories are mostly humorous, typically down and dirty, and the commentary can get pretty wicked at times. Florida, for example, is 'overpopulated by the inconsiderate senile elderly. But somehow he never comes across to me as mean-spirited, and I thought his stories were insightful and compassionate. -- Jim Buford, Montgomery Advertiser

About the Author
Mark Edmonds-Tiger-rides a BMW motorcycle as often as he can. When he isn't riding it, he's hunting with his dogs atop his horse Nokomis. Gather 'Round Me, Riders, his tape of epic motorcycle poetry, is available from White Horse Press. Tiger teaches at St. Leo College in Flordia.

Customer Reviews

Excellent book sharing the joys of riding and living
This book is so well written you actually DO hear a voice in your head as you read each line telling you these stories. Knowing many riders and being one myself, I've heard many (and seen some) similar stories.
Riders are a different breed. Mark does an excellent job of expressing the heart and soul of the joys (and agonies) of motorcycling. If you've never ridden, read this book to see if you're really up to it. You'll appreciate the insight.

A Homerian million mile odyssey on a BMW
Every once in a while, a writer comes along that provides a wholly unique insight into what makes their world tick. Their adventures hit home with a tapestry of humor, pathos and down-home wisdom. They also just plain entertain. Mark Twain, Johnny Cash, Garrison Kielor, Woody Guthrie come to mind. But now, you can add the name of Mark Edmonds to that exclusive list. When not teaching Writing at St. Leo University in central Florida, Dr. Edmonds, or "Tiger" as he's known to friends, climbs aboard his weathered BMW, and continues to tour the United States from border to border, and coast to coast. His newest book, Long Rider, details a million mile odyssey over a 35 year stretch that also includes journeys into Canada, Mexico, Belize and others. Not only are the stories riveting, they are written in the genuine style of an American Gulliver. This book is not to be missed! For bikers, and non-bikers alkie, this is definitely one for your library, and the cab of your Peterbilt. Mark has written and recorded a companion audiocassette tape of Epic Motorcycle Poetry called, "Gather 'Round Me Riders." His gravelly, coffee-edged, seductively smokey voice tells captivating tales of the road, highlighted with the compelling production of the night he met the devil in a rain storm.

Great reading
I am also an old longrider, but this fellow has been places I have yet to visit. This is a stroy of the sights, sounds, and senses of riding long distances with various people to diverse locations. I would galdly accept an invitation to ride with the author.