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Home > Momentum Is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy and His Pint-Sized Posse Take on America
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Momentum Is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy and His Pint-Sized Posse Take on America
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By Joe Kurmaskie
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 (34 Reviews)
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Publisher:
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Breakaway Books
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Date:
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December 31, 1969 |
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Binding:
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Hardcover
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Pages:
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318
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Most people bring their inner child on an epic adventure. Joe ?Metal Cowboy? Kurmaskie actually took his two kids along. For a 4,000-mile bicycle ride across America, Joe?s seven-year-old son, Quinn, rides a tagalong bike attached to his dad?s; and behind that is five-year-old Enzo in a bike trailer.
Our hero the Metal Cowboy answers the question ?What are you, crazy?? with a resounding and cheerful ?Yes.? Unassisted?with no support crew except his boys? comic relief and the periodic kindness of strangers?he pedals hundreds of pounds of gear and offspring over mountain passes, across the wide plains, through thunderstorms, and into the heart of what it means to be a dad. Along the way they encounter everything that makes up America?small-town kindness and inner-city heart, wild horses and highway roadkill, a?bitter Vietnam vet and a hopeful young inventor, grizzly bears and bison roaming free, cyclists and monstrous RVs, a very peppy cheerleader and a visitation from the ghost of the author?s father, horrible traffic and serene dirt roads, a monastery and a distillery, baseball, and yes, lots of pie. By the time they reach Washington, DC, two months after leaving Portland, Oregon, they?ve bonded in a rare way. Kurmaskie
writes, ?We share a secret, the three of us; one permanent summer in our hearts now, where we?re never apart.?
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Customers' Reviews:
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Aluminum, Titanium or Steel, this Cowboy is for real!, January 4, 2007
By d2g (USA - Navy)
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I read 30-40 books a year, mostly non-fiction. This is easily one of my favorites in a very long time. If you like Bill Bryson's travel stories, you'll love Joe Kurmaskie's style of self-deprecating humor coupled with his observations about people and places along one hell of an adventure. I first saw the story when it was an article in Men's Journal in 2005, half-convinced that no one in their right mind would do something this hard. I'm sure my reaction was pretty much right in line with countless others; when I read, or should I say devoured, the book over a year later, I couldn't help but think that Joe knows something that most of us forget or perhaps never learn, that life is meant to be experienced fully, as opposed to taking it in small nibbles when it's convenient. We all underestimate our potential. Quinn and Enzo are the heroes who teach the real lessons in this story - they will totally amuse and challenge your imagination of what can be accomplished at any age. Joe gave me a fresh set of ideas on being a father, and it certainly made me think about my own dreams in new ways. Now where did I put that light saber...?
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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An Inspiring Adventure, December 7, 2006
By Larry Parker (Cincinnati, Ohio United States)
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I am a big fan of the "Metal Cowboy," his books, website, and his postings to Touring@Phred. This book is his best as far as I am concerned, and it has my 9 year old son hooked, too. We have done some overnight tandem trips, but as we read about Joe, Quinn and Enzo on their adventure, Evan is warming to the idea that we need our own adventure. Hopefully we will be setting out for Grandma's house (500 miles) this June. Not quite the cross country adventure the Kurmaskies undertook, but if we have half the fun they had, or half the fun we have had reading about their fun, it will be a grand time.
Thanks, Joe, (and Posse) for helping inspire Evan, and me, to take the next step and extend our range. I hope others read it, enjoy it , and benefit as much as we have.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
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What Would Joe Kurmaskie Do?, October 5, 2006
By weiss107 (Lake Oswego, Oregon)
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This is my favorite Metal Cowboy book because here we get to see the real Joe. He takes his boys on a bike ride across the US and does a lot more peddling than he ever thought. While the narrative about this feat is hysterical, it's the experiences that he shares with his family that makes this special. His boys become his audience and he theirs. It works becuase he's an entertaining writer and character. Let's face it. How could anyone who quotes from "Say Anything" and creates his own What Would Lloyd Dobler Do (WWLDD) T-Shirt for the trip not be great?
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
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A good read for the touring enthusiast or the armchair traveller., December 1, 2006
By William Berweger (Camp Arifjan, Kuwait)
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Any man with the testicular fortitude to ride coast-to-coast is worthy of note. But to strap on all the equipment necessary to make the trip with a five- and seven-year-old in tow? It smacks of outright insanity, even if the boys are your sons. Joe Kurmaskie does it with style and grace (well, most of the time) while giving us view of America most of us would see as a blur through a windshield. His family outing illustrates the joys that are still out there waiting for the dedicated wanderer. Make no mistake, this is every bit a father's adventure with his sons as it is an account of the open shoulder (of the road.)
The Metal Cowboy's story has kept me sane through a deployment in Kuwait and inspired me to make my own trans-american journey. I can only hope my trip will be as forfilling as his.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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The Metal Cowboy's best book to date, November 26, 2006
By Kent Peterson (Issaquah, WA USA)
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My friend Joe "Metal Cowboy" Kurmaski writes wonderful books that are both funny and wise. His latest book, Momentum Is Your Friend, is the story of Joe bicycling from Portland Oregon to Washington DC with this two sons, second-grader Quinn and five-year-old Enzo, literally in tow. Joe has a reporter's eye for detail, a poet's way with words and a genuine interest in the people he and the boys meet along the road. Over the course of a few thousand miles and a few hundred pages, Joe and the boys take the reader on the ride of a lifetime. I really felt like I'd met the watermelon whiz-kid, the grumpy and grizzled bicycling vet, the midwestern cheerleader in the mysteriously empty town and all the other people too real to be called characters.
But of all the real people in this book, the one we get to know the best is the one telling us this story. This is not a mid-life crisis book but it is a good story, well told, by a man in the midst of his life. With his kids in tow, his wife in grad school and the ashes of his father in a Tupperware bowl tucked somewhere in a pannier, Joe wonders about the things we all wonder about. Am I being a good dad? A good husband? A good son? And can I make it up this hill with this 250 pound contraption? OK, maybe not everyone wonders about that last one.
B. and Roy, a kind-hearted couple in a huge RV voice the concerns of many about Joe and his cute kids, "you wouldn't want anything to happen to them." But Joe explains that this isn't categorically true.
"I want all sorts of things to happen to my children. I want them to smack line drives during clutch moments of baseball games, smell the sweet bite of creosote bubushes in the Arizona desert after and August monsoon, eat a pile of messy short ribs dripping in Kansas City's best BBQ sause then sleep off their food comas under the whispery shade of a willow tree. I want them to stick up for themselves when it really matters, and someday slow dance with that girl, the one that makes them uncool and cotton-mouthed, at the junior high school mixer. I want them to find themselves at a loss for words from the beauty of the world, and make up fantastical names for constellations under the open sky this summer."
"What I don't want is something horrible happening to them. That's what he really means. It's a small distinction, but, when magnafied through the video black magic of Madison Ave. and filtered by the unfounded fears of parents fueled by the nightly news, it's what cheats us all of so much."
Joe and Quinn and Enzo not only survive, they thrive. They remind us all that life is for living and adventure is everywhere if we are not afraid to roll out the door and see what's around the next corner. If momentum is my friend, then I guess that inertia is my enemy. Thanks, Joe for wonderful book that's a kick out the door. I'll see you on the road.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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This book should be titled Legs of Steel., October 4, 2006
By Kelly A. Iniguez (Colorado)
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This is a quick, humorous read.I found it hard to put down. Joe is his usual crazy self - even with 250 pounds of 'back fat'(as he calls the boys and their gear) in tow. If you grew up in the 70's it will stretch your memory with all of the music lyric references in the book.
The book covers about every 3rd day of their self contained cycling trip from Portland to DC. I wish it were a fatter book that covered every day.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Momentum Is Your Friend, November 17, 2006
By Jim Foreman
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Joe K plays with words like a kid plays with Lego blocks, no matter what he builds, it's always interesting. And what a great way to bond with your kids, wish I'd have been able to do that when my kids were that age. It's a great read, you will sweat with him as he hauls his family across the country by pedal power.
Jim Foreman
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Laugh till it hurts!, November 17, 2006
By WanderingTheWorld.com (Somewhere)
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"Momentum is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy and his Pint-sized Posse Take on America" recounts a cross-country bike trip he took with his two sons in tow. Yes, that's right, "in tow!" Joe rode with his 7-year-old Quinn on a tagalong bike attached to his dad's, and 5-year-old Enzo rode in a bike trailer behind his older brother. Oh, and did I say Joe also had to carry gear for the whole crew. We're talking pedaling a bike for 4,000-miles with hundreds of pounds of precious cargo. You might say 'crazy' and I'd be the first to agree with you. But at the same time, I couldn't think of a grander adventure to take a family on.
So, the trip is on a scale not seen in normal bike touring circles. Does he get the story across? How's the writing?
If they gave the Nobel Peace Prize for humor, I'd nominate Joe in a second. Better yet, he should have a 'The Surgeon General has determined that this book will cause a person to grin, smile, giggle, and get cramps rolling on the floor laughing till they cry" warning label on the book spine. Joe starts on the caffeine induced roller coaster of humor from page one and it keeps on going, going, going. But this isn't fiction, he recounts life on the road with two boys who could probably solve most of the worlds problems through the innocence of youth. This is a touching story of a father and that special connection with two other human beings who share his wonder of the world and the folks they meet along that path. Ship a few of these books to the UN and maybe those world leaders might remember that there is still a lot of good in the world, especially when seen through the eyes of a child. That's Enzo & Quinn, not Joe [laugh]. This book is a 'must read' for everyone.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Inspirational, Humorous, and Clever, January 3, 2007
By Jim Sevaly (Riverside, CA)
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Reading "Momentum is Your Friend" helped restore my faith in humanity. The characters come to life, and I felt like I had met them myself; visualizing their mannerisms and expressions as I read. Joe is able to relate to people and find the good in them. People seem to recognize his sincere disposition and trust him, at times revealing things they have never before spoken of. His witty ability to unravel the adventures of riding a bicycle from Oregon to Washington DC with his 2 kids in tow makes for an interesting and humorous story. It has inspired me as a cyclist, a husband, and a dad. One could only hope to have the sort of relationship that Joe has with his boys, Quinn and Enzo. Joe is the kind of dad that can set off on a 4,000 mile bicycle ride while pulling 250 pounds of bike, children, and equipment, yet still have the frame of mind to stop and play in the lake, take pictures, go on a hike, or have battles with the light sabers they carted with them. "This is exactly what it takes for an epic adventure like this to work" according to Joe. He also had to accomplish this heroic journey within a certain time frame, and dealt with some last minute changes that would have sent the average person throwing their hands up in the air in defeat. Joe took these additional challenges in stride, and came out the other side victorious. Joe is able to accomplish all of this while riding an average of 80 miles a day, often setting up a tent and camping in the evenings! Truly remarkable! I highly recommend this book.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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 Momentum Is Your Friend, November 4, 2007
By Bookaholic (Kansas)
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Young father pedals across America with his two sons. It sounds grueling. It was, but the way Joe writes, we get to experience both the exhaustion and the pleasures of the ride. With his 250 pounds of "dead weight" in back, he goes up and over mountains, and battles winds and storms, and manages to keep his sense of humor.
His parenting from the front of the caravan (Joe pedaling in front, kid sort of pedaling behind him, kid riding in trailer) makes me wish I'd read this much earlier in my life.
He's a great writer with a fascinating topic.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Great Reading, January 5, 2007
By Family Biker (Washiington DC)
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"Momentum Is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy and His Pint-sized Posse Take on America" is a journal of interesting stories from their journey. Often I would read and wonder if the chapter I had just read had really happened just the way Joe told it or if it was the product of an over-active imagination. Then I would think about my own boys and realize that these could have happened.
Joe walks a careful balance between describing the fun and excitement that they had riding through places like Yellowstone Park and painting the pain that he sometimes felt going through the mountains. One of his chapters deals with a chance encounter with a BMX bike rider. The rider regales them in stories of jumping in the rock quarries with landings in the water, then looks out over Joe's rig and boys and exclaims that if what he does is considered extreme then what Joe is doing is truly extreme. He devotes another chapter to riding through Yellowstone National Park, being chased by a Bison, and the hospitality that was extended by other cyclists
If you have ever enjoyed any of the other "Metal Cowboy" books, you will find yourself in comfortable surroundings with this book. He combines Huck Finn's activities and Mark Twain's natural born story teller skills in relaying the events of riding with his boys in a humorous way. It is not a story about the mechanics of bike touring or how to raise children. It is a book about the joys of touring and the people that you meet along the way. Joe reminds us that there is a lot of good left in this country.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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The best yet from the Metal Cowboy!, December 17, 2006
By John Mcclellan (Concord, MA USA)
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Building on the success of Metal Cowboy and Riding Outside the Lines, Kurmaskie gets on his bike again, this time crossing the country with his two young sons, and recounting his adventure in Momentum is Your Friend. Building on the success, rather than following, because Kurmaskie's latest adventure enables him to explore many important topics far more deeply than he has in the past. His earlier books provided wonderful collections of life's lessons illustrated, in hysterical form, through his unique ability to find something of value in every person he encountered in his wide ranging travels. The previous books, however, lacked a powerful unifying force, although the individual vignettes were so good that unification wasn't a requirement. The epic nature of this single journey, with several specific purposes and a defined end-point, provides the unifying force that wasn't present as he recounted his earlier wanderings.
The book demonstrates a maturation of Kurmaskie as an author and as a person. While Kurmaskie has lost none of tremendous ability to tell stories that left me laughing until my stomach muscles hurt, the true value and measure of this book is less reliant on humor than his previous tales. The value is in the broader perspective of what it means to be a father, to be a son, to be a husband, to be a friend, to be a sympathetic observer of people, and to care about improving the world we all live in, one day's ride and one chance encounter with strangers at a time.
Kurmaskie challenges himself in new ways with this journey, and in so doing, forces us to challenge ourselves. This is all about leaving one's comfort zones - physical, social and spiritual - and finding something new on the other side. How far beyond my comfort zones am I willing to push? Certainly at least a little further, after reading Momentum.
Kurmaskie meets a broad cross section of America in his trip, and while some of his beliefs about stereotypical Americans are confirmed, some of the most revealing stories in the book are when his own assumptions about people are proven wrong. Who provides help? Who is really on his side? There is a lesson for all of us in that.
But for me, an active cyclist with 5 children who ride with me (up to 300km at a time), learning about your children, learning from your children and through your children, and teaching your children through a once in a lifetime, two month journey is the best part of the story. While I'm unlikely to replicate Kurmaskie's journey, I hope to apply some of his teachings as I pedal along with them, seeking the best for my family. And I hope to have at least half as much fun along the way!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Great book for cycling, parenting, and inspiration, December 5, 2006
By Cycling Fan (Fort Lewis, WA)
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I read this book while staioned in Iraq, and it allowed me to travel vicariously across the US--and get some much needed laughs! The Metal Cowboy's journey combines all aspects of a bicycle tour: the enormous physical demands, sweet and hilarious moments with strangers and family, and a great appreciation for the American landscaped seen under a sweaty helmet. It's impossible not to admire the joys of this father & son cross-country bike ride, so this book makes a perfect gift for Dads everywhere. I'm passing on some copies to my fellow soldiers who've been separated from their kids for almost a year now, and they too can push their bikes and their love for their kids to the limit. Great read! Joe Kurmaskie is in the company of Bill Bryson and Jeff Greenwald. I recommend this book highly to all active and energetic parents.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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He's a better man than me, January 10, 2007
By ksteinhoff (WPBFL)
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I'm a Metal Cowboy fan. I've read all of his books and, to be honest, I liked his first one the best. Having said that, I bought two copies of Momentum Is Your Friend and asked Joe to inscribe "Dad, Let's do this, Malcolm" in the front of one. Malcolm is my two-year-old grandson. I hope the day comes when my son and his son can make a ride like this and stock up their own memories.
If you've ever driven cross-country with a carload of cranky kids asking, "Are we there yet?" you'll wonder how a 40-year-old and two kids made it across the country on human power. Joe tells an amusing and inspiring story.
If I had a complaint, it's that the first part of the book is rich in detail, but the last half skimps a bit. Maybe another way to put it would be that I wish the last half was longer. I read his first book because I'm a cyclist. I've read the other two because I like his stuff. Like Lance would say, "It's not about the bike."
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
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I started bike riding again - Thanks Joe!, August 8, 2008
By Joseph Ruder (Belleville, IL)
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I was in the middle of another book (a book by Neil Peart - I'm back to it now) when I picked this up -- 3 days later I put it down!
Although Joe comes off as a bit of a cynic at times, dealing with life on the road would probably do that to you. The book flows well and is very entertaining.
He often starts a story at one point and then neatly ties it into the next section. It does NOT feel like a collections of short stroies to me at all but a well thought out, fully realized book.
I have already lent it out....
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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So much more than a bike ride!, February 14, 2007
By John Chase (Bolingbrook, IL United States)
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I just finished reading this book in record time. So much more than just a bike ride, Joe's account of his two month odyssey through the US with Quinn and Enzo was both funny and delivered an important message. Life is to be lived and this book shows that the Kurmaskie family thoroughly enjoys every moment. A must read for any parent with an over-scheduled child who spends the time between events watching the DVD player in the car.
Buy this book today...better yet, buy two and give one to a friend!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Better than Bill Bryson any day, February 8, 2007
By Ross W. Jonak (Baltimore, MD USA)
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When I read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, like most people I laughed at his stories and the crazy antics of his drunken buddy Katz. What always bothered me is that he didn't actually complete the Appalachian Trail. For someone who sets out to complete goals, all I could think was that Bryson was a hack. Good thing he sticks to cars and memories for his further adventures.
Enough about Bill, this book is about Joe, his kids, and many friends along the road. Joe sets out from Portland, OR and not only completes his journey, but offers us some great stories along the way. He is not a hack by any means! I picked up the book because Metal Cowboy was great and I'm planning a cross country tour myself. What I got was more than that. A story about a father connecting with his kids in a way most parents fail to do. In the process he proves that at 40, he can still do it. In his book Metal Cowboy, Joe offers this reason for his first tour: "After only twenty years of life, I awoke to a terrifying possibility: There might be a real chance I could grow brittle and hollow...old before my time. If I didn't do something like ride away, then I might live bored and not know any better. And what was I doing with a retirement plan at that age, anyway?" In Momentum, Joe now has this to offer: "At forty, with the poison in my gonads reigned in enough to think clearly for more than five minutes, I see that the best of what mattered back then to me still matters now; even more so as a husband and father of three sons."
This book is a winner, get your copy now!!! (little secret, you can get signed autographed copies at his website)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Can this really be a true story?, February 6, 2007
By Team Shamu (Ottumwa, Iowa)
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Few people can imagine riding across town, let alone acrros the US. Fewer still can even conceive of proposing to the mother of their children the idea of taking the kids along for the ride. No one else but Joe Kurmaskie could get out of the driveway with the kids and live to tell the tale. Thanks in part to some of Joe's stories, my dad and I are off to ride the Katy Trail in Missouri this spring. The time I will get to spend with my dad on this trip will be no less a treasure than Joe's gift to his sons on their trip.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Makes me want to pack up my boys and ride... even here in Alaska!!, December 8, 2006
By Far North (Barrow, Alaska)
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Many of us hardcore bicycle riders have the romantic notions about cycle touring that Joe keeps alive in his always entertaining read. There is no better way to see the world then on the seat of a bicycle (especially a recumbent) but the second best way would be with Joe and his boys through this great book.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Momentum Is Your Friend - Exceeds Expectations, January 14, 2007
By Chuck (Columbus, Ohio USA)
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Each winter when the days grow short and the mercury dips below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, I choose one or two books to read about bicycle touring. The stories in these books remind me of my own touring adventures and inspire me to get back on the bike when the weather warms up and the days grow longer. Many of these books are presented in a similar format and read as a collection of short stories and adventures experienced by the author. After reading Joe Kurmaskie's previous books I picked up "Momentum Is Your Friend" expecting to be inspired, motivated and entertained.
While the book did not disappoint, I found that it offered much more. This is a book about a cross country bicycle trip that Joe shared with his young sons Quinn and Enzo and that made all the difference. In addition to being a book about bicycle touring this is a book about the love that a family has for each other. Joe was in a position where he was towing his sons and all of the gear that they needed cross country. While reading the book it seemed to me that it took equal portions of confidence, courage and insanity to set off on a trip like this. It also took the support of Joe's wife Beth.
Many mothers would never allow their children to experience an adventure like this because they would consider it to be too dangerous. In Beth's brief appearances in this book it becomes clear that she has the wisdom to see that it is equally or more dangerous to raise her children "safely" indoors tucked behind a big screen television playing mind numbing video games. In allowing her two young sons to set off on this trip with their dad, she gave them the opportunity to build a series of memories that will stay with them for a lifetime.
While Joe and his sons were building their memories, Joe was experiencing memories of his father while saying goodbye to him in a special way. He shared this experience with us in a warm and poignant manner that enhanced my respect for him.
When Joe and his sons reached the Atlantic I felt happy for them but disappointed to see the book come to an end.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Momentum, November 7, 2009
By Vollebak (San Diego, CA)
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The writer set a really good example for his children by involving them on a two-month road trip. It is an inspiring read and very entertaining.
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What bike would Jesus ride?, May 15, 2007
By Melalvai (Kirksville, Missouri USA)
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This book is about cycling, raising kids, and finding out after you're an adult that there is more growing up to do--things I've done recently.
I laughed harder and cried harder. I wanted badly to hop on my bike and ride off into the night--but I couldn't put the book down long enough to get on my bike.
Most importantly, after reading this, you will learn the answer to the question: What bike would Jesus ride?
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Joy To The World, May 2, 2007
By reading rider (Ocean Shores, WA)
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If you are not familiar with the Metal Cowboy, I encourage you to read this book. If you're tired of all the negativity the daily news lays in your lap, then read "Momentum..." to reinforce your belief in the goodness of most people and the joy they can bring into your life.
The Metal Cowboy and his posse of two (his very young sons) ride their bicycles across the country seeing important national sites such as the world's largest ball of twine; and, more importantly, meeting and introducing you to real characters who will make you smile at the things they do and say, and who will renew your faith in America and her people. Two people I met in the book, Stacy and Benny, helped me close a tragic chapter in my life with a smile instead of a tear. And two others, Joe's young sons, renewed my faith in the future of our country.
I recommend you visit the Metal Cowboy on the Internet. He's every bit as fascinating as the real people he introduces you to in his books. And if you're looking for adventure, travel, interesting characters (who are real people), and good writing read this book.
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GREAT book!!!!, April 27, 2007
By Richard Scott (Prairieville, LA)
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This is easily one of the best books I have read in years. As the father of two young boys, I am amazed that Joe even entertained the idea of riding cross country with his sons, much less actually doing it.
One of the few books that have actually made me laugh out loud. Momentum is Your Friend is typically catagorized under the "Sports" section but would be just as comfortable resting in the "Humor", "Travel", "Self-help", or "Parenting" sections. If you are a parent, cyclist, adventurer, or just somebody looking for some great writing, you will love this book!!!!!
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Adventure? Madness? The jury is still out..., March 25, 2007
By Matthew S. Jarvis (Eugene, Oregon USA)
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Have you ever had a friend with a whacky idea that you were certain was pure folly and destined to end in disaster? As they start off you feel like you are watching a train wreck happening in slow motion? This was how I felt when I started reading Momentum Is Your Friend, absolutely positive this would be a short-lived adventure followed by a heartfelt analysis of the damage that was done... But I was wrong...
From a cycling perspective I had hoped to glean tidbits of knowledge for my own trips, but what I got most from this book was a wonderful positive attitude and outlook on life.
It's said there is a fine line between Adventure and Madness and while reading this book I wasn't always certain which side of the coin Joe Kurmaskie was on. As a touring cyclist and sometime adventurer I can only imagine the physical burdens and the mental turmoil of such a journey. Yet Joe describes these things in a great light hearted way that makes it more a backdrop for the true adventure in the book - traveling with his two young boys.
Just when you think Joe is way in over his head or past his physical (and mental) endurance, one of his boys will offer an innocent quip just ripe for the moment. Or Joe will see his predicament with a new perspective that lifts him up and back on his feet once again, or sharing a story from his everyday life that matches the current situation and gives him, you guessed it - Momentum to go on....
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Momentum Is Your Friend: The Metal Cowboy and His Pint-Sized Possee Take on America, March 9, 2007
By Joan Smith
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I wish I could say that I slowly pondered each chapter and thought in this book, but the fact is I read it cover-to-cover without stopping, because I couldn't make myself put it down. Not only is it hilarious as well as thought provoking, it's a great read for anyone with children. I felt like I got to sneak along in one of Joe's panniers for the ride of a lifetime! What an adventure, and one you can't stop thinking about - even if you've done a lot of adventuring yourself.
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A must Read!!, March 9, 2007
By Syd Smith (Columbia City, Oregon)
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What a great read! If you've toured by bicycle (or thought about it) read this book. If you've traveled with children (or thought about it) read this book. Joe and his possee keep you entertained form beginning to end and leave you wanting more. I laughed, I cried, I loved it!
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Couldn't put it down... but didn't want the story to end!, February 27, 2007
By Robert Horn (Bothell, WA United States)
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Even if I wasn't a long-distance cyclist with a lifetime dream to ride across the country, even if I wasn't intimately familiar with the strain of pulling my own kids on a trail-a-bike or trailer, Joe's vividly colorful, expressive writing style makes this a must-read for anyone who has a good sense of adventure--or enjoys reading about others' senses of adventure! I really couldn't put the book down, but knew if I kept reading, soon the story would end. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and was in no hurry to get to the destination. That's true for Joe in this tale, but also in his outlook on life. You'll walk away from this book (perhaps ride away?) ready to re-engage in the journey of life and be totally dissatisfied with merely being a spectator!
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A long, strange, wonderful journey..., February 25, 2007
By Christopher Joy (Diamondhead, MS)
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This is an entertaining and humorous account of the 'Metal Cowboy' biking from Portland to Washington D.C. with his young sons, Enzo and Quinn, in tow behind him (which add a whole new point of view and laugh factor). I particularly enjoyed Joe's musical references along the way. An unimaginable adventure that leaves one in awe of this achievement, plus inspires one to venture out on their own bicycle journey and experience their own cross-country excursion. A great addition to his previous books and the only disappointment was that he didn't have more to share in this adventure.
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Best One Yet!, February 20, 2007
By Wo of ERRC (Portland, OR)
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I LOVE "Metal Cowboy's" writing and am savoring each chapter of this book. I read his previous book chapter after chapter 'til I was done, but this time I've only read one chapter at a time. I make myself put the book down so I can enjoy each one a little longer.
Anyone who enjoys cycling stories and doesn't mind a stomach work-out from laughing should have this book in their library. I bought a stack of them and have given them out to friends and family. Everyone LOVES this book!
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Inspiring, February 10, 2007
By Reinout Vogt (Chicago, ILL, USA)
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Joe's previous books have inspired me to read more about cyclo touring and dream about going myself. This book is different in that it tells the story much more fom his personal and family side than about who and what he meets on the road. Few of us get to ride across the country, let alone with two kids like Joe did. The book desribes the adventure that Joe's kids will remember for the rest of their lives, and sets an example for all dads in the world.
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Must Read for Cyclists, Adventure Lovers, Parents, Those that Appreciate a Good Laugh and an Occasional Tear, January 6, 2007
By cycln96 (Golden, CO)
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Momentum Is Your Friend is fantastic! I didn't think there would be a book that would top Metal Cowboy, but Joe's latest did just that. For a self-contained cyclist, Joe's stories are sure to make you reflect fondly on your own adventures and make you eager to get out on your next adventure and allow "Trail Magic" to find you. Anyone with children will love this as it helps you appreciate the honest and innocent way children see the world. Hats off to Joe and the amazing memories he's helped create for his children; as well as those who are touched through his camp. Joe is the ultimate modern day storyteller. These stories are filled with adventure, excitement and emotion. Even if you've never ridden further than the end of your driveway, through Joe's eloquent use of the English language you'll experience the highs and lows of seeing the world on two wheels.
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Many quotable quotes but not always my taste, November 12, 2007
By M. Hollinger (Fairfax, VA)
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I am an avid cyclist and have ridden across the US. Many chapters were excellent and the book is full of quotable quotes. The book is a little uneven in the level of interest it generates from one chapter to the next and I could have done with less of the Metal Cowboy's political views. Overall, I would recommend it to friends and family.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Genius, Worth a Pulitzer!, February 24, 2007
By Connie McAyeal (North Plains,, OR United States)
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I am somewhat of a bicycle book addict. I own 65 bike books (not counting the maintenance types I have). I put my books on the shelf in their rating order. The first one being number one etc. Momentum Is Your Friend was just placed into the number one spot, with Mom Can I Ride my Bike Across America, Miles from Nowhere, Full Tilt, A Crossing, Spokesongs, and My Ride To a New Life following in that order. (Just in case anyone wants some more recomendations!)
Be warned however, that Joe Kurmaskie has now written a book that needs to be put down quite often, to contemplate his thoughts, and wisdom. You need a bigger block of time to read this book!
Plus you'll need to take the time to catch your breath from laughing!
This is more than a book "about the bike" it is an adventure book and a book that addresses family life. Not only has he given his boys something priceless, but to anyone who takes up this book and slowly turns the pages, savouring every word, thank you Joe, you just keep getting better!
Connie McAyeal
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