"Fearless" Tales & Tribulations Hans Eckert Marathon Cyclist

Fearless follows the story of Hans Eckert, a young man whose upbringing and watchmaker's training in East Germany takes him on an adventurous trek from an introduction into cycling, then escaping and beginning a new life in West Germany. Facing discrimination and the possibility of conscription into the military, he chooses to emigrate instead to Canada where he meets his future wife, Elfriede. Their dream of living in southern California becomes a reality whereupon they begin new lives, raising two children and maintaining busy careers. When Elfriede buys Hans his first new bike, it is the start of what will become a life-changing journey into the world of long-distance cycling, marathon training, sleep deprivation, pain, suffering, and the assembling of a "dream team" for what will ultimately culminate into a transcontinental trek from Santa Monica, California to New York City, New York. This book is dedicated to those who not only bicycle for pleasure but for those who are dedicated to distance cycling and all of the benefits it offers to one's mental and physical well-being