de Castell’s new fantasy release

Author of 16 fantasy novels, Sebastien de Castell (left) is set to release the first book of his new series in April, following his internationally acclaimed fantasy series, Greatcoats and Spellslinger.” FULL STORY

 

Cycling the Islands

February 16th, 2016

Due in May, John Crouch’s Cycling the Islands: A Guide to Scenic Routes on the San Juan and Gulf Islands (Rocky Mountain Books $20) features more than 30 adventures on eleven islands; while providing maps and detailed advice on local history, road conditions and degrees of difficulty, etc.

The destinations in Canada include Salt Spring Island, Pender Island, Mayne Island, Galiano Island, Gabriola Island, Denman Island and Hornby Island. The U.S. destinations include San Juan Island, Lopez Island, Orcas Island and Shaw Island. A book launch will be held at Bolen Books in his hometown of Victoria.

Crouch, John orange jacketBorn in 1941, John Crouch is a retired registered massage therapist and an outstanding senior athlete.

Following the winter of 2011, when John Crouch turned 70, he celebrated in the summer of 2012 by flying to Whitehorse with his bicycle and pedalling 2,500 kilometres along six long highways back to his home in Victoria. The journey took him just over three weeks. He first crossed southern Yukon on the Alaska Highway. His memoir Six Highways to Home (Chickadee Press / Sandhill $20) describes meetings with people en route, as well as the beauty and rawness of the land, numerous bears and the massive devastation caused by mountain pine beetle.

Crouch is also the author of three outdoor guides for the Victoria area–for cycling, hiking and walking. Modelled on unpretentious walking guides for the Lake District of England, Crouch’s self-published Walk Victoria (Chickadee Press, 2003) outlines 50 urban and suburban walks. He says it went into its second printing after only six weeks.

For ten years Crouch edited the BC Massage Practitioner and he was the founding editor of Island Runner magazine. He has summitted Mount Rainier, Mount Whitney, Mount Baker and Vancouver Island’s highest peak, the Golden Hinde. He has competed in many marathons and shorter races as a runner, winning the World Endurance Duathlon Championship in the 60+ age category in Holland in 2001 and coming second in the 2007 event in Richmond, Virginia. Crouch won the 60+ category at the American Masters Marathon Championship in Napa, California, in 2004. He reached the podium for his age category for Ironman Canada in 2005.

John Crouch lives with his wife, Lorinda, in Victoria.

Crouch, John cycling book jacketBOOKS:

Cycling the Islands: A Guide to Scenic Routes on the San Juan and Gulf Islands (Rocky Mountain Books 2016) $20

Six Highways to Home: A Cycling Journey from Whitehorse to Victoria (Chickadee / Sandhill 2014) $20 978-0-9731913-5-6

Bike Victoria (Chickadee 2012) (2nd Ed.) $19.50 978-0-9731913-4-9.

Walk Victoria (Chickadee 2009) (2nd Ed.) $19.50 978-0-9731913-3-2;

Hike Victoria (Chickadee 2008) $18.50 978-0-9731913-2-5;

2 Responses to “Cycling the Islands”

  1. Mary Cope says:

    Anyway to get advance copy of cycling the islands? Hoping to go there spring 2016 and info is scarce

  2. Good afternoon,
    I’m not sure if the writer would be interested, but I have a lot of books in our Parksville Visitor Centre and I think the “Cycling the Islands” would be a great one to have. Any chance that Mr. Crouch would consider having some books here in our Visitor Centre on consignment?
    Thanks for any info you can provide.
    Patti Lee/Manager Parksville Visitor Centre

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