# Cross Country: A 3,700-Mile Run to Explore Unseen America - Hardcover

by **Rickey Gates** (Author)

**In 2017, professional runner Rickey Gates ran 3,700 miles across the continental United States with just a small backpack and an anthropologist's curiosity to discover the divided America in which we live.**

In the book _Cross Country_, Gates documents this epic experience from South Carolina to San Francisco, sharing **first-person essays, interviews, and over 200 photographs** of the ordinary and extraordinary people and places he saw along the way.

While Gates delivers unparalleled insight into the extreme athletic and mental challenge of this transcontinental run, running is not the core focus of _Cross Country_\--it is a story of the remarkable people across the United States who we would otherwise never meet.

\- A photographic travelogue that follows along Rickey Gates's run across the country, and the individuals who live in it  
\- Filled with portraits, landscapes, and collages of towns and communities that most people have never seen  
\- From South Carolina to San Francisco, the five-month-long run covers 3,700 miles of hiking trails, rivers, and roads.

**Gates slept in the rain, carried meager possessions on his back, ran through the night, endured mental and physical challenges, and survived on a staple of gas station hot dogs and Pop Tarts.**

**Delivering a patchwork portrait of America, Gates's captivating story captures the spirit of our country--that grit, determination, and compassion are qualities that can unite us all.**

\- Perfect gift for runners, hikers, and lovers of the outdoors, as well as fans of travelogues, photography, and photo-journalism  
\- A great pick for those who loved _Humans of New York_ by Brandon Stanton, _The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey_ by Rinker Buck, and _A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail_ by Bill Bryson.  
\- A unique perspective of the United States

### Author Biography

Rickey Gates is a professional runner. He has run races on all seven continents and has traveled to nearly 40 countries. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife Liz and a motorcycle dubbed the Freedom Machine.

**Number of Pages:** 256

**Dimensions:** 1 x 9.4 x 7.5 IN

**Publication Date:** April 14, 2020

## Details

- **Price:** 24.95 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 24.95 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Cross Country: A 3,700-Mile Run to Explore Unseen America - Hardcover

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> Updated: 2026-07-23