Book Review: Lois on the Loose

Lois on the Loose
294 pages, St. Martin’s Press

When not satisfying my own wanderlust and desire to explore, I enjoy reading about other people’s travels and adventures.

It started with classics like On the Road, Travels with Charley, and Blue Highways but since then has included wonderful books like In Search of Will Carling, all of the travel books from Niel Peart, Michael Palin, Tony Bourdain, and so many others.

I’d nearly finished Niel Peart’s Roadshow (which I enjoyed much more than his previous offering) when Lois on the Loose arrived, so it was quite a natural transition into another motorcycle travel book. I’d learned about this book via Overland Journal.

While I haven’t owned a motorcycle for many years now, I rode one exclusively for a few years – rain or shine – and I still have my license. When people talk or write about their affinity for their bikes, it’s definitely something I can relate to.

I enjoyed Lois on the Loose as a light but compelling adventure-travel read. The book is not lengthy, and I blasted through it quickly. Lois is pretty light on some of the details in the book, but I imagine that is a result of her personality. It left me hungry for more at times, but that’s not so bad. More importantly, there’s a fun spirit and sly sense of humor that comes across in her writing.

Lois was stuck in an Office Space-esque job with the BBC, the type of soul-crushing slow grind that people dread having to return to after each small taste of freedom on a weekend or brief vacation. Fed up, her dream of a long-distance motorcycle adventure eventually matured from fantasy to reality. She planned out her dream trip: a solo ride from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego on a 250cc Yamaha dirt bike, and cast aside her career to follow her dream.

The book provides a memorable mix of drama, adventure, and comedy of the LOL variety. At one point, a wasp flies into her bra while she is riding, and she tries to beat the thing to death with her fist without completely losing control of her bike…. Funny stuff! Similarly, I could relate to the tension she felt when camping alone by herself for the first time in Alaskan bear country.

All in all, it’s a pretty straightforward account, with few wanderings into the philosophical depths, but always with an appreciation for the journey.

Some people will pick up this book with an eye to preparing for their own similar adventures. In that regard, the book is a better study of what type of outlook might do well on such journeys, rather than a meticulously detailed expedition prep book, in the style of say Tom Sheppard. As we see from the varied companions that ride with Lois at different points, personality is key. “It is what you make it,” says Robb, one of the riders that Gets It.

I purchased the US hardcover addition from Amazon.com. I later discovered that while the UK edition features color photos, the US version features poorly-reproduced black and white images. That’s a pretty minor complaint though, as the photos aren’t really key to the story.

Lois on the Loose was a fun read that I’d recommend to pretty much anyone, but especially those that hear the siren call of wanderlust and exploration. I’m eagerly awaiting her second book (about her ride through Africa) which is due in June.