Ely, Nevada
December 11, 2022
Eerie.
Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road is a 2002 philosophical travel memoir by Neil Peart, the drummer and main lyricist for the Canadian progressive rock band Rush. It chronicles Peart's long-distance motorcycle riding throughout North and Central America in the late 1990s, as he contemplated his life and came to terms with his grief over the deaths of his daughter Selena in August 1997, and his common-law wife Jackie in June 1998. It was published by ECW Press.
Peart begins his story by explaining the beginning of his travels by motorcycle from his home in Quebec to Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. In reality he has no schedule, no restriction in time, or life for that matter. In time, he finds himself traveling from Canada to Alaska, and then south through the United States to Mexico then to Belize. Eventually, he travels (by plane) back to his home in Canada where he continues a series of letters to his friend Brutus. He then continues his journey, which ultimately ends at his home.
Conclusion
The epilogue of Ghost Rider ends with Peart summing up what has recently happened with him and his band Rush. He explains his new love for life (including his new wife Carrie) and how he had a revelation/epiphany of some sort and ultimately found a reason to live. He explains that he found a will to continue his career with Rush in Toronto as well.
Reception
An excerpt from chapters 1, 4, and 6 was published in the Art section of Toronto Star on July 27, 2002. The Library Journal review called the writing lyrical and the story poignant as a travel adventure and as a memoir.
*********
Mister Peart died in 2020 at the age of 67.