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Safety Measures

Safety Measures

Cover Design by Adam Wagler

Safety Measures documents a solo cross-country bicycle adventure. After completing a ride across the United States in 2017, from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia, in 60 days, pedaling 4,200 miles with support, Laura Madeline Wiseman endeavored to ride her bicycle, Lexa, across the country alone. This lyric collection in creative nonfiction and prose poetry recounts that journey. From Anacortes, Washington, to Bar Harbor, Maine, this 4,300-mile, 59-day ride begins and ends in Minnesota, the site of Wiseman’s childhood summer vacations at Leach Lake. Biking, fishing, beachcombing, and other experiences with her dad had instilled an adventurous spirit. She hoped to reconnect with the fierce energy of girlhood. Wiseman’s dad had often warned her as a girl, It’s dangerous out there. In Safety Measures, harassment, intimidation, and bullying change lanes with the guardians of the road – sheriffs, semi-drivers, fellow bikers, and companionable travelers who call, Safe travels, as they pass. This journey wonders what measures make the road less dangerous and more safe for the solo-wanderer pedaling a bicycle.

Praise for Safety Measures