In Search Of #6
Podiobooks.com presents a travelogue from Damon Timm:
This is the story of the trials and trails of a man, a best friend, two bicycles, three states, four dispersed campsites, five tires, seven post-prandial naps, twenty-one dozen eggs, 1,100 miles, 15,000 vertical feet, and the search for a single kiss.
Prepare to hit the road. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wish there was more, and you’ll certainly think twice about eating more than four eggs a day.
March 21st, 2007 at 3:50 pm
I learned enough about cross-country biking to know it is not for me, but the learning was enjoyable. And if you do not know what a postprandial nap is, it’s time you learned about this amazing concept! Listen now!
March 24th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
If you ride at all, you will love this. Great job!
May 7th, 2007 at 12:31 am
Great narration style. I found the book hilarious and entertaining. I’m an avid biker and I’m from Oregon, and have lived in both Portland and Klamath Falls and I ran the Columbia Gorge Marathon so I was able to relate to his travels in so many places.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:04 am
If you search for this book (search for “in search of”) or find it by browsing the categories, the link to “In Search Of #6″, leading to … podiobooks.com/title/in-search-of-#6 , does not work. Actually it does work but it shows a page which looks like an empty template used for all the other books. I found the link to … podiobooks.com/podiobooks/book.php?ID=142 on this blog and this one is working, so I guess the way links “look” has been redesigned at some point in the past and the link generator does not handle the “#” char properly.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Thank for the QA, TDH. You are correct, as the # symbol completely blew the whole thing up. I’ve corrected it on the links and you can now get there with the new URL.
E.
June 1st, 2007 at 10:36 pm
I feel really lucky that this book found its way to me. At first blush, it doesn’t seem like something I’d relate to: I am a middle aged, overweight, terribly introverted (or maybe downright antisocial is a better word), totally non-athletic guy. You might think I would have little in common with these young men, no doubt with trim tummies, riding 1000 miles up and down mountains on their bicycles and generally enjoying each others’ company over the course of a month.
That’s the power of storytelling, isn’t it? A good writer can bring the rest of us along, even if we otherwise share little background or experience.
I suppose that the first writer Mr. Timm will be compared to is Bill Bryson, and that wouldn’t be an uncomfortable fit. There is much good humor here, though it’s perhaps a bit edgier than Bryson’s. There are anecdotes of the trip, bolstered by a keen writerly eye. There are little philosophical wanderings through the author’s life and childhood, each of which shine a new light on his current experience. Easily my favorite bits were the snippets from the audio log of the trip, which well illustrate the author’s sheer verbal exuberance–possibly better than do the well-written and carefully edited paragraphs set down with the luxury of time.
The center of this memoir, perhaps, is not the bicycle ride itself, nor the roadside scenery and happenings through three states that the author shares, but the friendship between these two men. They’re lucky to have each other, and we’re lucky to be given these glimpses into their camaradarie and laughter.
AND, this book is performed brilliantly. The tone is perfect. Often, I think I’d rather read a book than have it read to me, but this book is a glaring exception to that. The reading adds a whole new dimension to the experience of the book, and the understated guitar riffs set a nice tone and don’t get in the way. This book has lots and lots of personality, and is worth every minute of the hours we invest in it. Well done! Encore!
February 13th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was humorous and light-hearted. Mr. Timm expressed very well the feeling I get every time I look at Mt. Rainier (even after 30 years, it’s never lost its ability to awe).
As a long distance cyclist, living in Washington State (not too far from Enumclaw), I could completely relate to the roads, the weather, and the food fare (or lack of it), including the Sharkies. I may be one of the few other people that actually likes (and uses) them.
I’m just wondering: is #6 still around?
February 14th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
“I’m just wondering: is #6 still around?”
Yes.
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Just posted a review on my latest “Grizzly’s Growls” podcast. I hope I did justice to the book; it wasn’t my best show. Really liked it, though. I think you’ll approve of my primary comment on the book, at least.
Griz
May 31st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I thoroughly approve of Jeff’s review.
I’m back for another listen (because Damon is still funny).
July 21st, 2010 at 8:17 am
Well…I certainly never thought that I would find myself listening to a travelogue. I am usually into sci-fi, fantasy…travelogue? No. Yet, once I started listening..I couldn’t stop. I wanted to know what happened next the whole way through. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed your story, and I found the actual recorded dialogue to be a completely refreshing change of pace. Thank you for sharing your tale : )
December 20th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Self-serving, shallow, and pretentious at best, particularly the performance; grating and un-listenable prattle at worst.
Rarely do I give up on a book, but after half the book I couldnot listen any longer.
Yes, Damom just isn’t funny.
July 20th, 2011 at 6:00 am
This is one of the few podiobooks that has made me laugh out loud while driving alone in my car. A must read for anyone that’s considered a bike tour.
October 24th, 2011 at 4:03 am
This was a great book that had me laughing often. I especially liked the British accent that Damon would use to recount conversations between him and Ben. It gave me the ridiculous image of the two of them in smoking jackets and puffing on pipes talking around the campfire. Very well done!