Road Fever, by Tim Cahill
This isn't your typical road trip story. Picture two men, a truck, and a wild plan to drive from the bottom of South America to the top of North America in less than a month. That's the heart of Tim Cahill's book Road Fever. Cahill, a well-known adventure writer, teams up with long-distance driving pro Garry Sowerby to tackle this massive challenge. Their goal? Set a new Guinness world record by driving 15,000 miles from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in just 24 days.
The book takes readers behind the scenes of this crazy adventure. Cahill shares the nitty-gritty details of planning such a trip - from scrounging up money to souping up their GMC Sierra truck for the journey. He even dives into the headache-inducing world of border crossings.
As you'd expect, the journey itself is a roller coaster. The duo survives on a diet of coffee and milkshakes, battling sleep deprivation, mood swings, and treacherous roads. They even have some interesting run-ins with local soldiers along the way.
True to Cahill's style, Road Fever offers a candid and often hilarious look at both the highs and lows of this extreme adventure. It's a unique twist on the travel book that will keep you turning pages and maybe even inspire your own wild road trip dreams.
“You might imagine that beyond the last road sign there would be a warning or legend such as ancient mapmakers placed on unexplored portions of the globe: “Here there be dragons.” But no, the last messages civilization imparts to drivers seeking the end of the world are: keep to your right, watch the curves, don’t let rocks fall on your car, and, finally, twenty tons is about all the last bridge in the world can handle.”
Interesting Facts & Links:
Much of Cahill's road trip took place on the Pan-American Highway. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Pan-American Highway is one of the longest motorable roads at about 19,000 miles in length. However, because of the Darien Gap, it is not possible to cross between South America and Central America.
Tim Cahill is a celebrated adventure travel writer and an editor-at-large for Outside. His work has appeared in a number of national publications including National Geographic Adventure, the New York Times, and Esquire. Learn more about Tim Cahill here.
Read Bill Kent's 1991 review of Road Fever in the New York Times called "Highway to Hell".
Those looking for books about a more typical road trip should click here to see our blog on the best books about hitting the open road.
Click here to see more books like this with our list of the best funny travel books.
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