Motorcycle and Hiking Travel Writingand now Fiction and Audio
Actually, I'm English
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Forty years is a long time to be away. Travelling on foot and by motorbike, Nick Adams discovers that while many things have changed, the things he loved - the hills, the pubs, the back roads and yes, even the weather - are undiminished. Join Nick as he hikes the length of Wales, hitting all the high spots. Then follow him up the spine of England on the Pennine Way, through brutal February weather. On his third trip, circumstances conspire against him. The original plan was to walk from Chepstow all the way to the Lake District. It didn’t quite work out that way. Lastly, follow Nick across the North York Moors at night, then on across the country to the Cumbria coast.
As if the snow, rain, and endless miles weren’t enough while hiking, jump on the back of the motorbike and ride from Scotland to Devon via Norfolk, dodging hypothermia, then through the Lakes, the Pennines, and Wales. Nick’s idea of a good time seems to involve bad weather, difficult terrain, stealth camping, and innumerable pubs. This is one man’s view of a country he loves, told in a simple, engaging style.
Come along for the ride.
Archaeology: Life in the Trenches
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Archaeology is a beguiling occupation. Who wouldn't be attracted to finding cool, old stuff buried in the ground? It appeals to the child in us all. But archaeology isn’t all gold masks, crystal skulls and temples. Often it’s chert flakes on a lake shore, burials in the forgotten corner of a field, or pioneer dwellings in the woods. Sometimes, it just isn’t all that glamorous.
The reality is that for every well-known archaeologist - the kind you might see doing exciting things on TV - there are legions of less high-profile characters working in the background. Their work may not be quite as sexy or result in paradigm-changing discoveries, but it is important and valuable.
The following chapters are snapshots of archaeology from more than 40 years of work in both Britain and Canada. Rather than spending too much time on the scientific and technical, Nick has focused on stories that convey the life of a working archaeologist...well, his working life anyway.
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The stories include:
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His early life in archaeology in the UK on projects ranging from Anglo-Saxon burials to Romano-British settlements
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Working as a government archaeologist for the province of Ontario, in the northern wilderness
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Life as a contract archaeologist
Nick's stories are full of humor, a reverence for the natural world, and a respect for the lives of those who have gone before. There are no golden masks or crystal skulls here, but there is plenty of value.