How do you hold onto a dream for more than forty years?

How do you survive three months on a bicycle seat?

How do you keep a marriage of 35 years exciting?

How do you reinvent the perception of the over 50 crowd?

How do you learn to enjoy the nuances of life?

ANSWER: Hop on a bicycle in Astoria, Oregon, at 54 years old, with your wife of 35 years, point towards South Carolina and start pedaling.

"America at Twelve Miles an Hour" is the culmination of Phil and Merj Shrout's 3-month bicycle journey across the backroads of America.

We are constantly bombarded with the statistics that more than 50% of marriages end in divorce. What about the other 50%?

Most of us inevitably retire our childhood dreams to the priorities of work, family, and financial obligations. Why can't we have both?

America is as diverse as it is strong. We often miss the opportunity to learn and experience from one another because we are moving through life too quickly. Why don't we slow down and even stop a little more? What type of crazy adventures did Merj and Phil have by traveling at twelve miles and hour?

Phil and Merj make their home in Ohio where they have raised two wonderful daughters. A recently retired civil engineer, Phil has turned his hand to writing. A retired teacher and a mother with a now-empty nest, Merj not only encouraged her husband to pursue his dream, she also participated in it. Together they dote on their first grandchild while planning future adventures and books.

Phil and Merj Shrout will be signing copies of thier book "America at Twelve Miles an Hour" at Barnes and Noble Jan. 22 at 1 p.m.