To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret

This is a refreshing account of a self-deprecating author who takes on a momentous task that he seems completely unprepared for. With no relevant experience, he challenges himself to cycle From Oregon to Patagonia when he turns 30. He learns along the way – both about the world & himself. The author is incredibly open & vulnerable and easily pulls you into his journey (which is both literal & metaphorical). He does a lot of self-reflection and questioning his faith (the latter a little too much for my liking). This is all interspersed with the travel component of the trip: from cycling to sleeping rough to meeting locals.
I was a little surprised to see so many unfavorable reviews. Perhaps the audiobook provides a better experience, show more as you are literally hearing the author’s voice. I finished it the night before leaving on my own trip to windy Patagonia, and I semi-expected to see Jed on his bike when I was down there! show less

In To Shake the Sleeping Self, author Jedidiah Jenkins and a guy he calls Weston embark from Oregon on a bicycle trip to Patagonia. I’ve done a lot of unguided bike-packing trips myself and was happy to climb aboard.

Both men start off without skill in bike maintenance and repair or knowledge of Spanish, deficits which help increase the chance for mishaps with their ensuing comic interest. Under such circumstances one does get educated forcefully about the bike’s needs. Not learning the language, though, sabotaged the best potential the trip might have had for greatness, at least for the author. Weston is someone lack of knowledge can hardly impede, a colorful fellow who is the source of most of what’s wild on the trip.

We come to show more learn there is a personal issue present as third traveler on the journey, which is really the reason this book exists. It has to do with the author’s upbringing and identity as a man. He is devoutly Christian (his parents were once famously so) and he is gay. His thoughts on these two identities are the debate about “self” referenced in the book’s title, but it could have been any personal issue, really. The problem for producing a significant book would remain the same—is he finding out something that makes a difference?

The answer here is, maybe, or sort of, but not all that clear. Readers continuing beyond where Jenkins reveals his sexuality may conclude, as I did, that the “shaking” is mostly a recap of thoughts he has had for years. If his bike trip made a difference it seems to have been a subtle difference, one that in the concluding pages symbolically suggests that he can have a life in which stepping away from his mother’s side (i.e. her version of Christian faith) to realize his own desires doesn’t mean he is abandoning her, even if she can’t go quite as far by his side. Anyway, it’s not articulated as something more definite. That lack of “eureka” breakthrough or confident, explicit conclusion makes the narrative feel more genuine and trustworthy. Of course, we then have to ask why this specific book is worth reading.

For me, the fact it’s a book about a bike trip was enough and I liked it for that. Jenkins proves a good-natured and chatty companion. But his spiritual journey, in this age and on this trip, did little more than make me wonder whether great spiritual traditions could have come into being if WIFI and Instagram had been created first. show less

This is a wonderful book that is not only about a bicycle journey from Oregon to Patagonia, but also a journey of spiritual, emotional, and physical growth. I loved following Jedidiah on all of these journeys, especially his self-reflections along the way. I highly recommend this book.

Gave me a bit of insight into the 30-something mindset. I give Jenkins points for being very open about his thoughts and feelings, even the ones that don't make him look good. His particular kind of wrestling with faith, sexuality, familial ties, and cultural issues seem very much of the moment. He doesn't seem to recognize that people have struggled with the same matters through written history.

I felt irritated that he was so reliant on having friends join him along the way, and finding places with coffee the way he likes it, and upper-middle-class style restaurants and lodging. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of going on such an epic journey? But I appreciate the honesty. It also had some nice shout outs regarding how awesome moms show more are. ;-) show less

A page-turner with interesting observations on every page. The manner in which Jenkins opens up his thoughts as he goes through this journey provokes reevaluation of one's viewpoint of the various topics touched upon ~ drug use, spirituality, sexual identity etc.

Jenkins is nearing 30 years old when he hears from a coworker about a similar big ride. He doesn't even own a bike, but decides that kind of big adventure will shake him out of his doldrums. Three years later, when he turns 30, he sets out. It takes him a year and a few months, but he completes his ride, without too many bus trips along the way.

Jenkins is an evangelical Christian and also gay. That's an uncomfortable combination. His doldrums are largely about that unresolved conflict just festering. Most of the book is his ruminations. Nothing gets resolved, but at least the questions get brought out more clearly on the table.

The book is an enjoyable read. He does give us some local stories along the way - run-ins with drug cartels show more in Mexico, Pizzaro in Peru, etc. Not much about bicycles here - Jenkins gets good advice at the start, and sets off on a brand new Long Haul Trucker. He never even mentions the saddle on the bike, which was presumably stock. We do hear a bit about learning to clip into pedals, so there is a bit of detail there.

I'm not Christian, I'm not gay, and I am not young. So for me this book was a bit difficult to relate to. It's mostly personal reflections. For sure there are enough travel tales that anybody contemplating a similar trip will find it useful. But I suspect 30ish readers will connect more than will the typical 60ish reader! show less

I didn't start out with high hopes after finding out the author took off on an international bike quest with virtually no preparation, but he surprised me. Much like the author's cycling skills, the book got progressively better as it went along and I'm sure this story will inspire even more people to seek out Patagonia. I especially appreciated the segments about crafting your own journey and not letting others impose their arbitrary restrictions on it as well as the instances of kindness by many strangers along the way. A story well worth reading on the plane (or even before) if you do find yourself headed to South America via Mexico.