West of Wheeling

Jeffrey Tanenhaus

If your office building were on fire, would you lock the door and keep working? If you were unhappy with your career, would you pedal a rental commuter bike cross-country to see what else was out there? What if a bloodthirsty axe murderer punched you in the face? Is that the city where you’d start a new business?

Jeffrey Tanenhaus makes a lot of questionable decisions in pursuit of a fresh start, but they add up to one wild ride in this true story of the all-American adventure that has everyone talking—People, Newsweek, New York Post, The Guardian, Lonely Planet, NPR, and even The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Without any tools or experience, Tanenhaus sets out unprepared yet determined to find his American dream as he battles hostile elements, treacherous roads, and his own self-doubt, mile after mile.

Ultimately, it’s not the trek itself but the inspiring people he meets along the way who turn this funny, heartwarming exploration of small town life into one man’s journey home.

Jeffrey Tanenhaus is the first person to cross a continent by bike share. The native New Yorker broke away from the rat race to ride a Citi Bike 3,020 miles from Manhattan to Los Angeles. Jeffrey now lives with his two bikes in Tulsa, where he gives city tours. Connect with him at countribike.com.


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