Anne Mustoe - Cyclist and Writer who toured the World has died

[Crankarm]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6935356.ece

According to the article she died on 10th November in Aleppo, Syria after becoming ill having commenced her most recent trip in May. Very sad .

I enjoyed all her books. They were very well written and researched. She never lost the perspective of narrative from a cyclist's POV. A Bike Ride was my favourite. Cleopatra's Needle was quite good as well. They are all well worth reading.

 

[xilios]

Very sad to hear she passed away. The book "A Bike Ride" by Ann Mustoe was my inspiration to get on my bike and ride from Holland to Greece in '05. And now my wife and I are trully hooked to touring.

 

[Redvers]

Also really sorry to hear this sad news.
A great historian and inspirational cyclist.
‘Two wheels in the dust’ is one of the best touring books ever on cycling in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka
RIP.

 

[Crankarm]

Two Wheels in the Dust was indeed good as well.

If you like her style of writing then Edward Enfield's Downhill All The Way might appeal. He is very observant and has an addictive dry sense of humour (Yes, he is the father of Harry Enfield).

 

[Redvers]

Thanks for that Crankarm will check him out... although I'd rather be riding than reading....Weather here is outrageous.

 

[Arch]

Oh, gosh. I must dig out A Bike Ride and read it again.

Still, 76, and died doing what she loved, having made a whole new life for herself after 50. Not a bad way to go. And there's something wonderfully adventurous about the phrase "died in Aleppo" - a real explorer's end.

Here's to an afterlife exploring the roads that run alongside the Elysian fields.

 

[Brains]

Wonderful writer, certainly inspired me, I'm suprised the news has only just come out

 

[dpiper]

Anne was a wonderful woman who inspired so many people to embrace their surroundings and educate themselves as they travelled by what we all recognise as the best form of transport to do so.

She will be missed but her work will go on to inspire many generations yet.


www.tra-velo-gue.co.uk

 

[redraleigh]

I agree that " died in Aleppo " seems an appropriately exotic punctuation to an inspirational life. " A Bike Ride " opened my eyes to what was possible if you just got on with it and decided to go - whatever your age and fitness. I also loved her weaving of history with her own journey. Although this is very sad news, I am pleased that she died on the road, still open to the possibility of adventure.

 

[Proud2Push]

The previous comments echo my feelings - sad to lose such a great personality and inspirational writer, but what a way to go - bet she'd have no regrets! Her books had a big influence on giving me confidence to tackle cycle touring despite questionable fitness and inexperience. I especially admired her gungho attitude towards her polymyalgia rheumatica, which she hardly mentioned although it is a difficult and potentially dangerous medical condition.

Thanks, CA, for passing on the news.

 

[yoyo]

This is very sad indeed. Her writing was inspirational.

 

[Campfire]

That's so sad. Her book 'A Bike Ride' was one of the earlier cycle travel books I read & I think I have read it about 4 times, each time enjoying it.

Still where better to die than somewhere inspirational, rather than in a hospital bed or even a care home?

My mum will be sad about that too, as she loved her writing.

 

[hubbike]

+1 very sad.

 

[bigjim]

I wonder what she died of. 76 is hardly old. Such a shame.

 

[Tony]

My very good friend Robin rode across the USA to raise money for a cancer charity, and took my copy of "A Bike Ride" as inspiration. He spilled molasses over it, he said, and promised to buy me a new copy.
He never got the chance. The cancer came back, and Robin died. By coincidence I came across some papers of his at work a few days ago, and the memories came back. Synchronicity....