CORY MORTENSEN
Bestselling Travel Memoirist • Speaker • Photographer
Editorial Reviews
Online Book Club
UNLOST
Overall, I give this book a well-deserved rating of 5 out of 5 stars. It is an enjoyable and captivating read that is devoid of any negative aspects. Anyone who loves adventure or travel books will undoubtedly enjoy this book, and I highly recommend this book to such an audience. The author's experiences will undoubtedly inspire many people to embark on their own adventures, and this book can serve as an excellent guide for those who are looking to follow in his footsteps.
SPR - The Buddha and the Bee
Review: The Buddha and the Bee by Cory Mortensen
Inviting readers on a wild ride from Minnesota to California, The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America’s Forgotten Roadways on an Accidental Journey of Discovery by Cory Mortensen is an atypical adventure for wanderers and workplace dreamers alike. Part road guide and part diary, biking lovers can follow the well-laid route on these pages, learn to sidestep critical unpleasant lessons, and gain the confidence to take their own big swings of adventure without fear.
Indie Reader
MIDDLE MILES: CYCLING FROM CANADA TO MEXICO ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
A thoughtful, often funny travel memoir, Cory Mortensen’s MIDDLE MILES: Cycling from Canada to Mexico Along the Pacific Coast Highway trades cycling stats for philosophical detours—all while reminding readers that the real reward lies in the ride itself.
Blueink Review
Embracing Bewilderment is the third installment of Cory Mortensen’s irreverent travel memoir, continuing where The Buddha and the Bee and UNLOST left off.
Cory Mortensen is an adventurous traveler, and in this book he starts in Iceland for his jaunt through 13 different European countries. Then he heads to Asia, where he travels back and forth among eight different countries before returning to the U.S. “I hope this book guides in some way but this is not a guide book,” he writes by way of introduction.
Podcast Interviews
A Travel Path
A Cross Country Bike Ride Changed His Life @ Cory Mortensen
Welcome back, Pathfinders! In today’s show I sat down with Cory Mortensen. He is a best-selling author of three books. During this podcast, we discussed his first book “The Buddha and the Bee” and how a month long bike road across the United States changed the trajectory of his life.
It was an inspirational show with tons of knowledge and insight from a very experienced traveler.
Suitcase Divas
Episode 34- Best Selling Author and World Traveler-Cory Mortensen
In this episode of Suitcase Divas, we are thrilled to have best-selling author and world traveler Cory Mortensen as our special guest. Join us as we dive into the fascinating story behind Cory's book "The Buddha and The Bee," chronicling his epic solo bike ride from Minnesota to California. Cory Mortensen's journey is a testament to the spirit of adventure and the transformative power of travel. "The Buddha and The Bee" captures Cory's experiences, challenges, and discoveries as he pedals across diverse landscapes, encounters unique cultures, and reflects on life's profound lessons along the way. During our conversation, we'll explore: The inspiration behind Cory's decision to embark on a solo bike ride from Minnesota to California and how the journey transformed his perspective on life.
Memorable moments and adventures from Cory's cross-country bike ride, including encounters with nature, people, and unexpected situations.
The process of writing "The Buddha and The Bee" and weaving personal insights, travel anecdotes, and philosophical reflections into a captivating narrative.
Cory's thoughts on travel as a means of self-discovery, mindfulness, and embracing the unknown. Tips and advice for travelers and aspiring writers inspired by Cory's adventurous spirit and storytelling prowess. Whether you're an avid cyclist, a fan of travel literature, or simply curious about the intersection of adventure and self-discovery, this episode promises to be an engaging exploration of Cory Mortensen's remarkable journey. Join us as we pedal through adventure and uncover the inspiring tale behind "The Buddha and The Bee" with the adventurous Cory Mortensen. Get ready for a ride filled with insights, inspiration, and the thrill of exploration!
Bikepack Adventures Podcast
Cory Mortensen / The Buddha and the Bee
In this episode of Bike Tour Adventures, I speak with Cory Mortensen about his 2-month leave of absence in which he cycled from Minnesota to California. In this story of self-discovery, Cory broke away from society's expectations and embarked on an adventure that forever changed his life's trajectory. After 20 years of adventure and travel, Cory has finally written a memoir on his life-changing adventure. Titled, "The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America's forgotten roadways on an accidental journey of discovery". Today, we will discus Cory's new book, how the adventure changed his life, and what compelled him to make such drastic changes to his life in the aftermath.
The Quest Express
Part 1 of 4 - Author, Uncle, Neologist & CEO White Condor Publishing
BONUS WEEK: We meet a fearless explorer who sold everything and traveled the world for two years. He established & grew a business into a multimillion-dollar venture and turned his extended Quest into three best-selling books.
Finding Ourselves - Travel Podcast
Finding Ourselves Travel Podcast: Season 3, Episode 1 - Unveiling Wisdom with Cory Mortensen 🐝
Liz Dowling and Sean Hicks are back with the latest escapade in "Finding Ourselves," Season 3. 🎙️✈️ This episode is an absolute gem as they sit down with the award-winning author, Cory Mortensen, taking us on a captivating journey through spirituality, adventure, and self-discovery. 🏆📖Cory Mortensen, the wordsmith behind "The Buddha and the Bee," opens up about his profound travel experiences, offering a glimpse into the transformative power of exploration. From tranquil temples to bustling markets, his stories inspire wanderlust and self-reflection. 🌏
But that's not all! Cory's upcoming book, "Embracing Bewilderment," is set to launch on 2/14/2024—International Book Giving Day and Valentine's Day. Save the date for this literary treat that promises to be a perfect blend of adventure and introspection. 📆📚
Join Liz and Sean in their excitement as they also discuss their upcoming travel plans, ensuring more tales of cultural immersion and discovery. 🌟🗺️
👉 Join the "Finding Ourselves" community on Facebook: 🌐🤝 Connect with like-minded travelers, share your stories, and become part of a vibrant community passionate about exploration.
Embark on this odyssey of wisdom, adventure, and self-discovery with "Finding Ourselves" Season 3, Episode 3! 🚀 Tune in now to catch the excitement and mark your calendar for Cory Mortensen's upcoming release, "Embracing Bewilderment"! 🎉
Manifest Travel Podcast
Confidence, Travel, and Lifestyle Design with Best-Selling Author, Cory Mortensen
#44: Welcome to Manifest Travel! I'm your host, Brittany Braddock, and in this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Corey Mortensen, a seasoned traveler and author.
Corey shares his travel origin story, influenced by his father's job as a pilot and his own first international exposure on Wake Island. Corey recounts his decision to leave a stable job and real estate investments for a life of travel, starting with an ambitious bicycle trip from Minneapolis to California. He discusses his experiences traveling through South America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, including running with the bulls in Spain and visiting Antarctica.
Corey also talks about his transition from travel journals to publishing three books: 'The Buddha and the Bee,' 'Unlost,' and 'Embracing Bewilderment.' Additionally, he discusses his entrepreneurial journey in starting and eventually selling a heart rate monitor business.
The conversation touches on the challenges and joys of solo travel, the evolution of travel technology, and Corey's philosophy on life and adventure.
Top Floor
Book in the Cloud
Cory Mortensen is a travel writer and explorer who has published three books, the most recent called Embracing Bewilderment. Cory spent two years traveling around the world and having adventures, from eating stew in a farmer's backyard to being held at gunpoint by an authoritarian military regime. Susan and Cory talk about how photography is sometimes rude and how traveling can calm your fears.What you'll learn about in this episode:
- How ancient aliens maybe did stuff
- When to pitch a tent in a new country
- Where you don't lose your common sense
- Why travel friendships can be like therapy
- What kind of tickets to always book in advance
A Travel Podcast
Ecuador Travel Guide @ Cory Mortensen
In this episode of Travel Tips, we welcome Cory Mortensen back. He is a bestselling author of three books and has traveled all around the world. He has spent extensive time in Ecuador and during this show he shares his insight on how to make the most of your trip.
The Quest Express
Part 2 of 4 - Why every writer should lose their manuscript at least once
BONUS WEEK: Who knew the miracle of the cloud could bring the sunniest day ever? And what happens when you follow your instincts and go off the beaten path? Serendipity Central. Travel crushes. And, are travel angels real??
Zee Michaelson Travel
Cycling Through America's Heart with Corey Mortensen
Have you ever felt the call of the open road, the allure of landscapes unrolling before you, and the promise of discovery with each mile? This episode features the remarkable Corey Mortensen, a best-selling author whose spontaneous bicycle journey from Minneapolis to California is as much an exploration of the American spirit as it is a personal odyssey. As Corey recounts his hitchhiking escapades to Antarctica and his heartwarming romance in South America, you can't help but be drawn into a world where every turn brings a new adventure and every encounter, a potential story.
Talking with Cory Mortensen
SEASON 6 EPISODE 7
Today I had the pleasure of meeting Cory Mortensen. Here's some background:
Born in the small town of New Prague, Minnesota, and raised amidst the sun-soaked landscapes of Scottsdale, Arizona, Cory Mortensen embarked on a unique journey that shaped both his life and literary career.
Choosing an unconventional path, his journey began with dropping out of college to immerse himself with a job on Wake Island, gaining valuable experiences that would later infuse his writing with a distinctive perspective. Returning to the United States, he started a dynamic career as a project manager for several prestigious architecture firms, coupled with a venture into real estate by flipping houses.
The allure of exploration took center stage when Cory made the bold decision to sell everything and traverse the globe for two transformative years. This period of travel not only broadened his horizons but also laid the foundation for a successful entrepreneurial endeavor. Cory established and grew a business into a multimillion-dollar venture, eventually selling it to pursue a shared dream with his wife, Kate.
Cory has written three books about his travels. You can find out more by visiting his website: www.thebuddhaandthebee.com
Press Articles
Cycling News
Best Christmas cycling gifts at Amazon
Cory Mortensen decided one day to ride across America from Minnesota to California. Setting out with minimal planning, including an absence of a planned route, he wended his way through the backroads of the USA. This is a travelogue of the people, places and experiences along the road.
UK MIRROR
EXCLUSIVE: 'I went on a bike ride after a break-up - and didn't come home for two years'
"Cory Mortensen has chronicled his adventures in the award winning book, The Buddha and the Bee: Biking Through America’s Forgotten Roadways on a Journey of Discovery Cory Mortensen left his home and kept going "
Travel Writing World: Resources for Readers and Writers of Travel Literature
Cory Mortensen - Author Profile
Cory Mortensen stops by Travel Writing World to answer a few questions about his career as a writer. He is the author of The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America’s Forgotten Roadways on a Journey of Discovery (White Condor 2020). You can find out more about his work on his website.
30 Best Books about Travel (2023)
The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America's forgotten roadwayson an accidental journey of discovery - Cory Mortensen
"What is it like to cross America by bike? Cory Mortensen, the author of this book, starts his journey in Chaska, Minnesota, and plans to finish in Truckee, California. He has no plan or timeline, he just cycles. During his trip, he meets many interesting characters and experiences some scary encounters. It’s not a book about all the amazing things you encounter during a trip like this, Mortensen also addresses the bad experiences. Keeping it real!"
AAJ TAK (HINDI NEWS)
लड़की से रिश्ता तोड़ घर से गायब हुआ युवक, पूरे 2 साल बाद लौटा तो...
"ब्रेकअप के बाद एक शख्स की जिंदगी बदल गई. उसने साइकिलिंग करना शुरू कर दिया. वह अब तक 55 देश घूम चुका है. कई किताबें लिख चुका है. दुनिया भर मे ं उसका नाम है. लेकिन ब्रेकअप से पहले वो एक साधारण नौकरीपेशा आदमी था. खुद उसने अपनी जिंदगी के बारे में बताया है."
Reader Reviews
Honest, emotional, funny
Cory takes the reader on a journey into the vast landscapes of the American West and into his deepest thoughts. Told from an honest, emotional, funny, self-depreciating perspective, it gives the reader pause to reflect on their own life and perhaps light a fire or at least stir some dormant embers of a quest for adventure. If you are a fan of Blue Highways, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, On the Road, Into the Wild, A Walk In the Woods or other similar tome, then you should put The Buddha and the Bee on your reading list.
-John Heckenlaible
A welcome distraction
What can go wrong or right in a short bike ride? A lot. What can go wrong or right on a 2,000 mile cross country trek? Also a lot.
As a cyclist myself and lover of random trivia bits, I enjoyed watching Mortensen’s quick evolution from novice to sunburnt chaffed road veteran. I’ve read quite a few journals of similar journeys and this one is easily one of the most humorous; plus Mortensen is a bit of a maths nerd, computing for fun when times are rough.
The journey did change our “hero” but the self revelations are gentle, tinged with humor and it doesn't feel like they are laid on too thick. Especially in a time of Covid it was a welcome distraction to spend a few evenings reading of Mortensen’s adventure and I wouldn’t mind reading about more - where did our intrepid hero go next?
-Book Snuggery
Well written and witty
I really enjoyed this book! Cory Mortensen writes about his journey biking from Minnesota to California. I "oh, no'ed" everytime a car pulled up. And, I had a mini-anxiety response everytime he blew out a tyre! What really caught my attention were the historical aspects of the towns he went through. Interesting, engaging, entertaining! Well written and witty. Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
-Angie
Great Escape During a Pandemic
Many of us long to leave our everyday life behind and travel and explore new areas. Usually this escape is in the form of a road trip with the family piled into the car. There are exceptions, and Cory Mortensen's, "our hero" love of biking allows him to take his Specialized Allez bike from Chaska, Minnesota to Truckee, California. Even though Mortensen is an experienced outdoors enthusiast and marathoner, he is ill-prepared for a cross country bike ride which provides many humorous moments in this book. Mortensen's solo bike trip allows him to meditate during his isolation on the road: "It wasn't just a bike trip. It was an adventure, and adventures were not dictated by the expected. They were adventures because of the unexpected things that happened and how we embraced the challenges."
This book is engaging, humorous, and a great escape during a pandemic. Interesting facts and trivia about the landscape and cities Mortensen travels through are an added bonus. This book is a gift to the reader to examine our own lives and reveal our adventurous spirit!
This book was provided to me through a Goodreads Kindle giveaway.
-Joyce Edmeier
A great storyteller.
This guy is crazy, someone who you don’t want planning a trip for you, but who you’d probably love to have beers with or read a book by. A great storyteller with tons of asides and background info. If you have any interest in biking cross country, reading this will either convince yourself to do it or never try such a thing. Hopefully if you decide to, you’ll plan it out better than he did.
-E.W. Bertram
A MUST READ!!!
Humorously written book that proves life isn't about the destination, but about the journey and all the beauty that unfolds if you simply allow life to come to you... with some effort of course.
This book is a page turner. I found myself lying in bed at night laughing aloud at the situations the author experienced, while biking across the country. And at the same time, distilling life lessons that we all encounter into compassionate and simple statements that reminds us that we're all human, living life and wanting to be happy and smile... even when hardships come our way.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel. Fore as the reader will discover (without giving anything away), this book is obviously just one journal of a continued journey.
This should be on the New York Times Bestseller list...
-F. Schilling
Captures the lure of movement
Oh, this was so much more than I expected!
This book was the perfect escape from pandemic isolation and a billion Zoom meetings. Cory Mortensen's account of his spur-of-the-moment bike ride from Minnesota to California in 2001 made me feel like I was outside in the sunshine, heading for the next little town. Whether you bike, run, walk, or drive, this book captures the lure of movement - to crest the next hill, to press on until dark, to chase that vanishing point on the horizon.
There's a lot about biking in this book (and about not biking, as tire-fixing and beer-drinking are also persistent themes), but the book is also a genial travelogue about the states the author crossed. Tidbits about history and landmarks pop up here and there, as though the author is whizzing by them. It's disconcerting at first, especially as the voice tends to shift from raconteur to instructor, but by the middle of the book, I found I was looking forward to it.
I really enjoyed the author's accounts of what he saw and experienced on the trip, from the acres of terrifying corn, to the cowboy boots on posts, to the heartbreaking days after 9/11, to the grandeur of the Rockies, to all the scuzzy motels he stayed in, to the aliens he may or may not have encountered. (Yep. Aliens. You try riding/driving through the Salt Flats at night.) He's particularly lyrical about the scuzzy motels, which have magnificent names and similarities in décor: chained TV, plastic-wrapped cups, mold lurking somewhere in the shower.
Great book. Once I read the footnote, even the pretentious spelling of "tire" made me laugh.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-Rosemary Reeve
Perfect book for an escape
Perfect book for an escape. Mortensen’s story of his trip from Minnesota to California is engaging. It’s fun to see how he progressed from enthusiastic to almost quitting to not wanting it to end. Makes me want to do a similar ride, but also also glad that I haven’t!
-Mike
Changing Life
Cory was going to a wedding in California from Minneapolis. No problem except he decided to ride a bicycle. Not being a biker he didn’t realize what he was getting into. After the first day he was ready to quit but surprisingly he didn’t. To me it was insane riding up mountains (I couldn’t do it). With no cell phone and only using pay phones and computers at the library to let his dad know he was OK he actually made it. A lot of mishap along the way. A lot of history of the different places he stopped. Cory had a two month leave from work but by the end of his ride his life had changed. He called his boss, quit his job and let the wind take him onto his next book—can’t wait
-Susan
A Great Change of Pace
I was in just the right mood to read a book like this. Different from my usual fiction, mysteries, etc, The Buddha and the Bee is the story of Cory Mortensen, who decides to make his way by bicycle from Minnesota to California with almost no supplies, no helmet, and practically no plan. Along the way, he meets his share of characters, eats a ton of Subway Italian sandwiches and Chinese food, stays in some of the country's sleaziest motels and takes in the sights in every town he visits - like the giant stuffed polar bear - The White King in Elko, Nevada. His bike breaks down multiple times, but he finally makes it to California.
Cory Mortensen is a true free spirit. I have never done anything like he's done and I am envious I hope he continues to have adventures and write about them! This book was a great change of pace for me from my normal reads and I enjoyed it immensely.
-Eileen
I’m ready for the sequel.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was that it ended. It’s not just for bikers. It speaks to the heart of anyone who’s ever wondered if their life is going in the right direction. Every page is a reminder that life is meant to be lived, not spent wishing for something to change. At best, this book will change your life. At worst, you’ll be left hoping Saturn returns for you.
-Lisa A. Thompson