A Journal of Journeys Hardcover – February 13, 2026

What happens when an 85-year-old shuttle driver carries passengers from Kathmandu to Homer, Alaska, along Arizona's most breathtaking roads? You don't just get rides—you get life.Pat Payne spent four years behind the wheel of a shuttle van traveling between Flagstaff, Phoenix, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon. But this isn't a story about driving. It's about the Buddhist monk in casual clothes heading to a peace retreat, the young man stepping off a prison bus with nothing but a cardboard box and a Gideon Bible, the Japanese grandmother who bowed with tears in her eyes after hearing one imperfectly pronounced word: idigato.In these pages, you'll journey through snow-blinded mountain passes at midnight, share quiet moments with Hopi elders and wildfire "hotshots," and discover why a scrubby juniper bush on Interstate 17 becomes a mysteriously decorated Christmas tree each December. Pat's van became a rolling confessional, classroom, and sanctuary—where strangers revealed their souls between rest stops.Why readers cherish this book:Experience Arizona's landscapes through the eyes of someone who lived its roads—not just visited themFind unexpected joy in ordinary moments: a shared doughnut at 2 a.m., a passenger's whispered "thank you" in the rainRediscover faith in humanity through brief, profound connections with people from 40+ countriesEnjoy writing that feels like conversation—warm, reflective, and refreshingly free of pretensionAt a time when we scroll past faces on screens, Pat reminds us what happens when we truly see each other—even for just 120 miles between Flagstaff and Phoenix.Ready to ride shotgun on journeys that transform both passenger and driver? Click "Buy Now" to discover why readers call this "the most human book about travel you'll ever read"—and why one passenger's simple bow still moves the author to tears years later. Read more