If Thoreau Had a Bicycle: The Art of the Ride

I don’t bicycle and know little of France, but this book is really about much larger things.Pedaling slowly to see, hear, smell, feel and taste more (every ride must have a menu!) Cramer’s bite-size vignettes share with us the simple pleasures of his non-touristy bike excursions.But what makes the book poignant are the gentle but piercing observations on the encroachments of global capitalism and its trojan horse, the automobile. And still, down in the weeds where the cars can’t go, Cramer also finds small-scale examples of resilience and resistance. Sweet, thoughtful and uplifting.

Mark Cramer cares. In caring for his own well being, Mr. Cramer cares for the environment around him. And at the same time finds adventure, nature, friendship, health, beauty, stillness, hope. Inspired by Thoreau, Cramer seeks, expresses, and demonstrates, a lifestyle that ultimately cares for mankind.P.S. Don't be surprised if you develop an affinity for chocolate almond croissants, and avocados.

Mark Cramer delivers another great book full of adventure. I am inspired by his outlook on life and his advocacy for living a healthy lifestyle. I highly recommend reading it.

“If Thoreau Had a Bicycle: The Art of the Ride” by Mark Cramer is a poem (written in prose) to the joy and wonder of exploration by bicycle. Thirty-nine stanzas (chapters) explore the sights and sounds of daily life in the city of Paris and surrounding countryside. Based on Henry Thoreau’s philosophy that less is more, Cramer set out by bicycle from his Parisian apartment every day for 39 days straight to discover (and rediscover) the world under his wheels. He found forests and farms and, most importantly, people with whom he could share his experiences, all within a 30-kilometer (18-mile) radius of his home. It was a world just waiting to be explored. As exciting as it is to read about Cramer’s adventures by bike, it is even more exciting to think about what we can find when we do the same. We don’t need to live in Paris to explore the world around us. And, although I didn’t know it at the time, I embarked on a similar set of adventures by bicycle when I moved from Seattle to Palo Alto, California, some 50 years ago in 1973. I was just out of college and starting work for an engineering firm in what was quickly becoming Silicon Valley. Every weekend I was free to explore the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley. I would head out with a general destination in mind, but with eyes open for opportunities to explore. I followed interesting-looking roads and lanes, not knowing where they would lead me. They led me to hidden mansions dating back to the late 1800s in the little town of Atherton; millions of newly hatched ladybugs at the end of Stevens Canyon Road; and an escort of escaped cows as I rode along Skyline Boulevard in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains, among other adventures. Using “If Thoreau Had a Bicycle” as a template, you will find your own set of adventures. Go read and then explore. Be your own Thoreau.

What I love about this volume is the joy the author finds and communicates in simple cycling journeys on the outskirts of Paris. Leaving the Eiffel Tower and other famous destinations to tourists, Mark Cramer ventures outward to venues wild and settled, with a mind open to surprise and discovery. His musings from a bicycle saddle on the ecological, historical, economic, and cultural dimensions of the world he encounters are rich and entertaining. Makes me want to hop on my bike and explore my own regional backyard!

'If Thoreau had a Bicycle...' is truly inspirational. After living in Paris for many years, I was blown away by the nature (Thoreau connection) and interesting but often little known sites which Mark Cramer and his bicycle discover outside, but so close, to urban Paris. He explores an intriguing, parallel world.