An American Cycling Odyssey, 1887
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
An American Cycling Odyssey, 1887
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Steve White
-
By:
-
Kevin J. Hayes
About this listen
In 1887 a 21-year-old newspaperman named George Nellis (1865-1948) rode a bicycle from Herkimer, New York, to San Francisco in 72 days, surpassing the transcontinental bicycle record by several weeks. He averaged 50 miles a day pedaling a 52-inch, high-wheeled Columbia Expert "ordinary" bicycle with a tubular steel frame and hard rubber tires, and he lost 23 pounds in the process.
He bicycled ever westward through sleepy villages, farmlands, and growing cities of the rapidly changing nation and trekked across uninhabited stretches of prairies and mountains that marked its shrinking frontier. Following his daily 10-hour rides, Nellis sat down and wrote letters about his adventures to his hometown newspapers and a national cycling magazine to finance his cross-country journey.
Nellis's epic journey over dirt paths, muddy roads, and occasional railroad ties was plagued by terrible weather, frightening experiences, and odd encounters; yet it was also enriched by breathtaking natural wonders and the generous spirit of many people he met.
Drawing on Nellis's letters and media coverage of the trip, Kevin J. Hayes recreates in compelling detail this amazing trip and the many ordinary and extraordinary faces of late 19th-century America.
The book is published by University of Nebraska Press.
©2002 Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska (P)2016 Redwood AudiobooksCritic reviews
Related to this topic
-
From Lukov with Love
- By: Mariana Zapata
- Narrated by: Callie Dalton, Teddy Hamilton
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,801
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4,386
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,378
If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one. After 17 years - and countless broken bones and broken promises - she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close. But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she's spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
New Favorite MZ Slow Burn
- By Brittany M on 05-13-18
By: Mariana Zapata
-
The Complete Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,441
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,415
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
-
Bigger Leaner Stronger
- The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
- By: Michael Matthews
- Narrated by: Michael Matthews
- Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,958
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,395
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,346
The bestselling fitness book for men who want to gain 25-35 pounds of lean muscle and lose as much fat or more in just 3-5 hours per week—and without giving up delicious foods or doing grueling workouts. Is Bigger Leaner Stronger a body building book that can help you pack on brain-shrinking amounts of muscle in 30 days flat? No. Is it a fitness nutrition book full of dubious diet and exercise “hacks” and “shortcuts” for melting belly fat faster than a roided hornet? Absolutely not.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Narration sounds like a Robot
- By pauly on 07-04-19
By: Michael Matthews
-
The Little Black Book of Workout Motivation
- By: Michael Matthews
- Narrated by: Michael Matthews
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 831
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 717
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 710
The bestselling fitness and self-improvement book for breaking through mental resistance and barriers, building unshakeable discipline, and keeping your goals alive when things get tough.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Diamond in the rough
- By Mike on 09-03-18
By: Michael Matthews
-
Barbarian Days
- A Surfing Life
- By: William Finnegan
- Narrated by: William Finnegan
- Length: 18 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,547
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,068
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,051
Pulitzer Prize, Biography, 2016. Barbarian Days is William Finnegan's memoir of an obsession, a complex enchantment. Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
What a Jerk.
- By ML Sadler on 03-06-17
By: William Finnegan
-
Thinner Leaner Stronger
- The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body
- By: Michael Matthews
- Narrated by: Elliott Denkers
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 793
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 658
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 648
The bestselling fitness book for women who want to lose up to 35 pounds of fat or more and gain whole-body muscle definition in just 3-5 hours per week—and without giving up delicious foods or doing grueling workouts.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
"The Ultimate Female Body", but uses male examples
- By bookWorm on 06-29-15
By: Michael Matthews
-
From Lukov with Love
- By: Mariana Zapata
- Narrated by: Callie Dalton, Teddy Hamilton
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,801
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4,386
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,378
If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one. After 17 years - and countless broken bones and broken promises - she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close. But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she's spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
New Favorite MZ Slow Burn
- By Brittany M on 05-13-18
By: Mariana Zapata
-
The Complete Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,441
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,415
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
-
Bigger Leaner Stronger
- The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
- By: Michael Matthews
- Narrated by: Michael Matthews
- Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,958
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,395
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,346
The bestselling fitness book for men who want to gain 25-35 pounds of lean muscle and lose as much fat or more in just 3-5 hours per week—and without giving up delicious foods or doing grueling workouts. Is Bigger Leaner Stronger a body building book that can help you pack on brain-shrinking amounts of muscle in 30 days flat? No. Is it a fitness nutrition book full of dubious diet and exercise “hacks” and “shortcuts” for melting belly fat faster than a roided hornet? Absolutely not.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Narration sounds like a Robot
- By pauly on 07-04-19
By: Michael Matthews
-
The Little Black Book of Workout Motivation
- By: Michael Matthews
- Narrated by: Michael Matthews
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 831
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 717
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 710
The bestselling fitness and self-improvement book for breaking through mental resistance and barriers, building unshakeable discipline, and keeping your goals alive when things get tough.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Diamond in the rough
- By Mike on 09-03-18
By: Michael Matthews
-
Barbarian Days
- A Surfing Life
- By: William Finnegan
- Narrated by: William Finnegan
- Length: 18 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,547
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,068
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,051
Pulitzer Prize, Biography, 2016. Barbarian Days is William Finnegan's memoir of an obsession, a complex enchantment. Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
What a Jerk.
- By ML Sadler on 03-06-17
By: William Finnegan
-
Thinner Leaner Stronger
- The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body
- By: Michael Matthews
- Narrated by: Elliott Denkers
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 793
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 658
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 648
The bestselling fitness book for women who want to lose up to 35 pounds of fat or more and gain whole-body muscle definition in just 3-5 hours per week—and without giving up delicious foods or doing grueling workouts.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
"The Ultimate Female Body", but uses male examples
- By bookWorm on 06-29-15
By: Michael Matthews
What listeners say about An American Cycling Odyssey, 1887
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rayc
- 09-19-21
A tale worth listening to
A tale of early cycling in America.
Definitely not fast paced. but a brilliant travelogue.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request and voluntarily left this honest review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- brad
- 04-27-20
Fantastic Journey Across America in the 1900's
This was an enjoyable read from the first to the last page. I enjoyed hearing the journey from Central, NY to San Fran. The narration was very good and the story as well. I loved hearing about the "roads" journeyed, the people met and the difficulties encountered. I also enjoyed learning about several other people that were relatable to the story. Fantastic book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Martha Doggett
- 08-24-22
Impressive achievement considering the time
Considering he did this trip on a penny farthing is impressive would’ve like to have heard more about the hinterlands . Just lacked more detail
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mary Karowski
- 02-05-20
A fascinating tale of the time and the bicycle
A bit of history that is truly engaging. This tells the tale of a young man who crossed the country from New York to San Francisco on his bike in the head of 1887 and set a new cross continent record. More so, it tells the tale of the origin of the bicycle and also gives one great insight into our country and the people that populated it during that time period. The tale is the young man and his interactions with the people he met in his journey are just fascinating. Kept me engaged and entertained throughout the whole listen. A must for anyone who loves history or the sport of cycling. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful