Having grown up in Lancaster County, author Bill Simpson has learned to live the simple life of the struggling writer. From deep in the heart of Pennsylvania, Simpson has been an avid explorer of the outlying regions, where antique markets, wineries, and covered bridges dot the countryside that is traversed by picturesque tourist railroads.
An outdoor enthusiast at heart, Simpson has viewed much of the area from the unique vantage point of a marathon runner. In training for the more than thirty races he has competed in, Simpson has traversed miles and miles of the state on foot, as well as by bicycle, car, and railroad car as he gathered information, investigated leads, and compiled the listings that make up his latest travel book Guide to Pennsylvania Tourist Railroads. “Some people don't understand my fascination with trains. I don't know how to explain it either,” says Simpson. “They're transportation, technology, history, adventure, intrigue, song, and romance all rolling down ‘magic carpets made of steel,’ as Arlo Guthrie put it.” In order to maintain his career as a writer, Simpson has filled his time with activities other than just running. “As a prototype of the struggling novelist, I've worked at a myriad of jobs to support my writing habit—asphalt paver, salesman, and copywriter.” His works include a cyclists' guide to short biking trips in eastern Pennsylvania as well as Guide to the Amish Country, also published by Pelican.
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