Riding Out tells the story of when travel writer Simon Parker decided to cycle from the UK’s northernmost point, Muckle Flugga, in Shetland, to the southwesternmost point, Bishop’s Rock.
The catch? It was during the height of the pandemic. Parker barely made it to Land’s End, when Lockdown 1 scuppered his plans. When restrictions were being lifted again, Parker travelled down the the Scilly isles, and travelled northward, around Britain’s west coast.
This book is the story of that ride, but it’s also the story of people he encountered – and lost – along the way.
COVID
COVID features throughout this book, which is perfectly understandable, given the timeframe of Parker’s adventure. While it was interesting to hear the impacts lockdown had on various people along the way, I was nevertheless quite frustrated. You see, Parker was at times rather irresponsible, and could easily have spread COVID along his travels.
While we all lived through that era, and experienced first-hand the challenges lockdown brought, a great many people lost loved ones to COVID. Parker didn’t include that in his writings, and it seems as if he was trying to pretend COVID isn’t a disease that killed so many thousands. As someone who suffers from long-COVID, I didn’t take kindly to his often cavalier attitude to the disease.
The tale
Parker is a good writer, though at times it seems like he was almost forced to include too many similes in his writing. A bit like when your English teacher told you to re-write your homework essay, but include more similes, it came across as somehow forced.
Parker was remarkably honest throughout the book, and you will learn about his insecurities, and his panic attacks. He is a very resilient man, but also at times very foolish, and some of his choices left me frustrated from time to time.
Proving that this world operates on a “It’s not what you know, but who you know” basis, part of the motivation for the trip was to sell enough newspaper articles to pay his mortgage for several months. There are many people who do broadly similar adventures, but without the luxury of getting paid for writing about it. On a personal level, I will admit that left me somewhat envious.
Overall
I will recommend this book, but on the clear understanding that it might leave you somewhat frustrated at times, too. On the other hand, that might just be my view, and it remains entirely possible that you will enjoy reading every page.
You can get your copy here, or at any good bookstore.