Book Report: "Ride Hard; Drink Well"

Andrew Jones
National Geographic News

August 10, 2001

Pick up Todd Bryant Mercer's new book, Bike and Brew America: Rocky
Mountain Region, and you may find yourself asking, "What on earth do
biking and brewing have to do with one another and why would anyone
write a book about it?" Mercer claims it's a matter of
character.

In this first of a comprehensive series of guidebooks
to America's best mountain-bike trails and brewpubs, Mercer writes,
"Mountain biking and brewpubs say something about a person's character.
They speak of a person who enjoys freedom and following a path less
traveled. They speak of individuality, someone who likes trying new and
different things. One who enjoys the atmosphere, the experience, and the
trip—not just the destination. Not to mention someone who likes to
ride bikes and drink good beer."

Mercer, a former collegiate swimmer, has had an adventurous spirit from the beginning. After much time spent scuba diving, rock climbing, and competing in triathlons, he found his true calling in mountain biking. Perhaps a factor in this revelation was how well a pint of fresh beer in the company of good friends tasted after a day on the trails.

Mercer began writing about his outdoor adventures in various club newsletters. Soon his articles were appearing in regional and national magazines. Finally, so there would be no regrets, he abandoned his nine-to-five desk job routine to pursue his dream of traveling and writing.

"Both my wife and I wanted to travel so we started looking at what that would entail," said Mercer. "I used my business background and got some publishers interested in my idea for the Bike and Brew America series. I made up a proposal and just got my face out there."

Upon landing a publishing deal with Brewers Publications and VeloPress, Mercer and his wife Amanda, a prosecuting attorney, wasted no time in selling their 19th-century home in Indiana. Along with their dog Nikki, the couple left behind the secure and predictable for a life on the open road.

"We camp the whole way through," stated Mercer. "Every morning we wake up in a different part of the country. You find yourself waking up in some pretty amazing places. One morning we woke up to the sound of seals barking off the coast of California."

Tips for On and Off the Trail

Bike and Brew America: Rocky Mountain Region, explores the biking and imbibing delights of the Rocky Mountain region in the United States—a longtime favorite area of both mountain bikers and beer connoisseurs. Mercer provides trail and brewpub information on 34 cities and towns through five states including Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.

Each edition of the proposed six-book series offers readers a carefully researched selection of off-road cycling trails and nearby brewpubs. The guidebooks are organized by state. After an introduction to the state's overall bike and brew character, the chapters provide details for each bike and brew pairing.

For the trails, the guide includes a general description of the trail, directions to the trail head, trail length, trail difficulty, a trail description, and a bike shop summary and contact information. For the accompanying brewpub, the guide provides directions from the trail to the pub, food and beverage prices, atmosphere, beer selection, beer critiques, and contact information.

The trail and pub descriptions are followed by relevant information about the local area, including other trails and brewpubs, local bike shops, camping facilities, and local attractions.

Each book also includes a detailed map of the local areas as well as locator maps for each region and state with bike and brew pairings clearly marked for easy reference.

On the Open Road

Mercer and his wife currently live without a fixed address. Mercer happily noted, "We've settled into this—this is our life for right now." So keep you eyes peeled for the red Bike and Brew America truck. It could be researching soon in a town near you, and you wouldn't want to miss out on this kind of research.

Brewers Publications, a division of the Association of Brewers, is a leading publisher of books on beer and brewing. Since 1986, it has focused on technical and professional titles for homebrewers, craftbrewers, and beer enthusiasts.

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