Stories from the Road: Observations from the Saddle of an Ageing Harley Paperback – 26 April 2024

This was a fascinating book, full of stories that where the author makes you feel a part of of every journey.Funny in parts, encouraging and enveloping where you could almost on the bike.Every narative is expertly written with a well construvted link to God, Jesus and faith.So Wheather your a person of faith, a faithful biker or just someone who just like reading books, this book will encourage, elate and fill you with hope.Very good easy read and very much a page turner.Highly recommended.

Nigel's life story is certainly unusual. From abandonment at birth, to adoption, to trouble with the police while at school, a short-lived apprenticeship as a baker, meeting his wife while working at a holiday camp in Morecambe, becoming a biker and next a Christian, working with the homeless and then as a teacher, and finally becoming a vicar in the Church of England. Combined with leadership in a Christian motorbike club, God's Squad. How many vicars park their old Harley-Davidson outside the church? I'm guessing not that many.This was a new kind of book to me. Firstly, I'm not used to travel books where the traveller is on a motorbike. I have to say that Nigel and his wife Alison's idea of a holiday is my idea of inflicting abject terror on myself. Running out of engine oil in France when all the shops are shut? Taking a heavy bike around hairpin bends on the Alps with no barrier between me and a sheer drop? Nearly sliding off the mountain on a gravel path thanks to following the satnav? Being menaced by two gangsters in a rough part of town on Route 66 in the USA? Noooo!! I felt scared just reading about it. I did love the story of the wild goose that flew alongside Nigel for 15 minutes on a Dutch highway, and parts of the trips sounded great.Secondly, I think this book might be in a genre of its own: travel book combined with devotional, as Nigel shares the thoughts about God and spiritual things that his travels inspire.A high point was the earlier ferry/broken clutch cable/empty petrol tank story. Riding through Germany during the pandemic in 2020, Nigel happened to ring Alison from a service station and so became aware that if he didn't catch an earlier ferry home than scheduled, he would have to self-isolate for two weeks, as the British government had just brought in a new law which would come into effect at 4 am the next morning. The tale of how he made it home is dramatic and unexpected.This is one I will be reading and re-reading.

I bought this book at a biker event and made the mistake of assuming it documented his adventures on two wheels. I was wrong. In Chapter 11 he dismisses his journey through Austria, Germany and Belgium, together with his ferry back to England and the final ride to Leicester in a couple of sentences, while banging on at length about God e.g. he likens getting lost, "Our spiritual journey can be like this and just as perilous blah blah".Bikers and bible bashers alike will find it tedious.

I bought Nigel's book last month, and had to think about what I actually got out of it. What I got was a sample of my growing up on motorcycles in the 80's and my love for my saviour. Don't get me wrong, this book is not about shoving the 'message' of God's love for us but the juxtaposition of both worlds, blessed with his thoughts on the road, man, God, life,and biking all over the world, never mind Eurp and the UK. I really hope you write another book brother.See you on the road.....