1. Do you see Penelope as self-conscious or self-destructive on her epic adventure northward?

2. Did she come to terms with the two great tragedies in her life -- her Type I diabetes, and the grizzly bear mauling of her boyfriend David several years ago?

3. Do you feel that by the end of the book she is heading towards the future? Towards emotional closure? Or towards something much more definite?

4. The book is written in the first person. Did this help you to identify with the characters and experiences that Penelope had throughout the book?

5. Have you ever taken a long bicycle trip? Did you find the mundane details of riding a bike -- wobbling wheels, chafing, grease marks on the inner calves, important details in the book?

6. The author James McManus is male. Did he make Penelope a real woman, a person you could meet on the street?

7. Why a bicycle trip? Would a car, bus, train, or plane just as easily accomplish such a journey? Why did the author have Penelope ride all that distance?

Created December 2006