Traveling Light

In July, 1990, three women friends from California join RAGBRAI: The Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. Addie, a hard-driving saleswoman, has not been back to her home state since a painful exit thirty years ago. She commits to the ride because the route goes close to the farm where she grew up. She carries with her deep resentment of her father, who sold the farm rather than allowing her to take it over. And, a letter from the son she gave up for adoption.Mag shares Addie's Iowa heritage, but has none of her self-confidence. Although she trains for the ride with her friends with no intention of actually joining the ride, she changes her mind after a confrontation with her estranged husband. She's haunted by a recurring dream that leaves her fearing for her sanity.Claire, a native Californian, grumbles about visiting a part of the country she only wanted to see from the window of an airplane on her way to somewhere else. A college professor with an analytical view of the world, a passion for houses, and a penchant for flighty men, she sees the ride as a means to recover from her latest failed relationship.Ten thousand strong, RAGBRAI is a traveling international city. Riding the blue highways and camping in small towns along the route, the friends confront rough terrain, inclement weather, their own physical limitations, and major life issues. In the process, they learn from one another, from the past, and from the land.Editor's Note: Rose Hamilton-Gottlieb writes a powerful novel that employs a sensory-based narrative to describe the astonishing experiences and relationships of three women traveling across Iowa by bicycle (RAGBRAI) in the summer of 1990. A combination of romance, mystery, and travelogue all rolled into one. Read more