By Heather
22,000 Miles will be the third book we publish and the first that's not written by me. This makes me happy - I established Little Peak in part to get a place where I could publish my words and artwork in the ways I need to. I also wanted to make a place that would publish the work of others as well as we could do, in ways that would both help the author to tell their story and do this in the ways they want to express themselves.
Along with Jo I have been editing 22,000 Miles, as well as managing the development of the book through its final draft and design stages, which is where we're at now. It has so far proved a very rewarding experience - I have been shown just how much I love helping people to make their books as well as making my own. The thrill of it all is quite something, working with the creativity in other people (and by this I of course mean Rich but also Rhiannon's wonderful design work) and helping to bring it all together and develop a book has so far been very fulfilling. Rich is a talented story-teller and photographer. Over the years he has taken many great photographs of his adventures, a large number of which are included in the book alongside his words.
Rich and his son Tom's story is incredibly inspiring. Tom is now 15, over the last decade he has ridden 22,000 miles with his dad. These rides started near their home on Peak District roads and trails. Over the years Tom's ambitions grew and grew - the Coast to Coast, Strathpuffer 24-hour race, Highland Trail 550, the 1955 route of the Tour de France, Everesting Belgium's Kemmelberg. Rich and Tom have done them all. Last summer this culminated in the two of them riding the Tour Divide, the infamous long distance bike-packing route from Banff in Canada to Antelope Wells on the Mexico border, 2745 miles along the spine of the Rocky Mountains.
22,000 Miles tells their story. It's a book about a father and son bonding over their love for adventure, and how this has led them to beautiful places to continually seek longer rides and tougher challenges. Working on this book with Rich has given me an incredible itch to get back to one or two adventures again - take this as a warning that this will likely happen to you too!
22,000 Miles will be on Kickstarter in early July (keep your eyes peeled) - we are working to publish it this October.