No, that's not what I was trying to say. The two books are at opposite ends of the spectrum but it's my reaction to them that's the same. I'm happy riding along with the bike trip bits but but once they start exploring some of their respective 'lifestyle concerns' I start squirming in my literary seat and wondering where it's all going.

I've read "These are the Days' twice (although, as I mentioned, not recently) and remember it as being funny, engaging, superbly written and full of life. It's what he's writing about - 'life max' I suppose, that makes me feel uneasy. If it's not the writing that's supersaturated it all then Dan's burning through his life at a different rate to the rest of us. You just know there has to be consequences, if not now then eventually, and at some level you fear for him.

Remember that bit at the end of 2001 A Space Odyssey where one minute they're trundling along looking at the scenery in their spaceship and the next it's all gone psychedelic - 'my god it's full of ... quality. Whatever you think of Pirsig's philosophy you have to wonder where he's gone mentally. For me both books ended up as slow motion mental car crashes, trips where the wheels came off.

Re Bike mag, the early weed and chops editions from '71 on - anarchic and 'lifestyle' orientated with bikes almost as bit players, would have suited Dan's style perfectly had he been active then. But whether it would all have been 'excessive' is anyone's guess. The requirements of publishing deadlines and profit margins didn't seen to have the same priorities then as they did when Dan was writing for them years later. But that's just from the outside looking in. Maybe I simplistically bought into a vision conjured up by 9-5 latte sipping city types tapping away on their typewriters and more Bentley than BSA. I hope not.