Cross Country: A 3700 Mile Run to Explore Unseen America by Rickey Gates

Rickey Gates, a professional runner, set out in 2017 to run 3,700 miles across the United States, from South Carolina to San Francisco. Rather than chasing speed or records, his goal was to see the country at a slower, human pace — to connect with landscapes, small towns, and people often overlooked in modern narratives of America. The motivation stemmed from the 2016 election in the United States when Donald Trump was elected president, and Gates' eyes were opened to the fact that he didn't know his own country as well as he thought. He spent more time running abroad than he had in states just adjacent to his own in Colorado.

The book is a mix of travel memoir, adventure writing, and cultural observation, intermixed with excellent photo collages that make this work an ideal coffee table book. Gates shares stories of the physical challenges, nights spent camping by the roadside in ditches, and moments of deep solitude. Along the way, he meets a wide range of Americans — farmers, factory workers, strangers in diners, families in rural towns — each offering a glimpse into the diversity, struggles, and kindness found across the country.

The run becomes more than an athletic feat; it’s a meditation on belonging, community, and what binds people together in a time of political division. Gates reflects on his own search for meaning, on the healing rhythm of running, and on the diverse and rugged landscapes that reveal the character of the nation. All the while, he battles personal conflict, beginning this run after breaking up with his longtime girlfriend, Liz.

This book came out after the release of the documentary Transamericana, which showcased the video footage that he collected during the journey. While not required to watch, the documentary offers additional context to the book, answering many questions that some book club members had after reading just the book.

General questions for the club were as follows:

• How does Gates’s one-on-one contact with people along the way challenge or reinforce preconceived notions of America?

• What motivated Gates to run across the country rather than choose a more conventional journey?

• How does the physical challenge of running shape his perspective on the land and people he encounters?

• What role does hospitality, kindness, or suspicion play in his encounters?

• How does a slow, self-powered crossing of the country contrast with modern fast travel (cars, planes, trains)?

• Do you think his journey is more about exploring America, or more about exploring himself?

• Which part of Gates’s journey resonated with you most, and why?

• Do we need to travel in a vulnerable way like this (running, biking, etc) in order to experience frequent human kindness?

In general, club members appreciated the deviation from the usual travelogue-style book. The photography and short interviews throughout gave us rare insight into unseen America. Photos were arranged in collections: of water towers he passed, his feet in various states, syringes on the road, and diverse and beautiful landscapes, just as a few examples. Some folks wished for more details; you could tell he was vague and private about information regarding his personal life and internal struggle.

We also discussed this method as a way to understand the people in this country. When a person is in a vulnerable position, like running across the country, folks are more likely to be curious, to interact, to offer a helping hand. We don't get the same experience when we drive in our cars or destination hop. So, do we need to make ourselves vulnerable to experience kindness of strangers? Is there anything we can do to reduce the polarizing nature of the political landscape? Is this the solution to global peace?

If anything, this book is a good reminder to connect with strangers. To share stories. To always try to spread kindness to others.

Ithaca group rating: 8/10