Jan Meyer's Biker's Diary offers readers reflections of life from a decade on the seat of a bike
LANESBORO, Minn. - Originally written as a diary and published as a weekly newspaper column, Jan Meyer's new nonfiction book Biker's Diary: The Best of Ten Years--One Woman's Adventures in Life, Both On and Off Her Bicycle (published by AuthorHouse) covers 10 years of the author's life and bicycling.
Biker's Diary: The Best of Ten Years crosses the globe both physically - visiting landscapes as diverse as Lincoln, Nebraska and Bluff County, Minnesota to Norway, Thailand and Southeast Asia - and emotionally:
12 August 2002: Shock can't be anticipated. The oncologist/hematologist came in and found a place to sit down, even though that wasn't easy since my spouse, I, and my elevated leg were occupying all the chairs. That should have been the first clue.
He then proceeded to say that what he had to talk with us about was bad. And he went right into the nitty gritty: "You have acute myelogenous leukemia."
Despite the sometimes-serious content, Meyer insists the book is a light and fun read, "...incorporating humor and everyday experiences into a book about one person's philosophy of life."
About the Author
Jan Meyer started riding a bike at an early age and, like many, dropped the bike as a form of either transportation or fun as soon as she could drive. Many years later, the bike trails of southeast Minnesota and then Lincoln, Nebraska, called to her, and her bike again became both a way to go to and from places and, with enough bungee cords, a way to tote and haul anything. Good exercise was an added bonus. And then she discovered it was also a good perch for philosophizing about life.
Meyer holds a Ph. D. from the University of Minnesota, worked for United Airlines for many years, and was faculty at the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota. She spent many years as a management development consultant for companies in the U.S. and Canada, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. She specialized in crisis management: preparation, prevention, and response for companies vulnerable to highly visible crises such as airlines and oil companies, among others. In retirement, she does more of the same along with volunteer work and continuing a longtime love of writing.
