Distractions

Summer is coming to close. We don’t want to hurry the change in seasons, but change is constant right? There might be a few more hours in the week to spend with a good book. This month’s collection of books ranges from a profile of a legendary race, three deeply personal memoirs and a fascinating history of a cyclist, who in his day, was as big a celebrity as Babe Ruth.

American Birkebeiner: The Nation’s Greatest Ski Marathon

Jerome Poling

Each February, elite cross-country skiers from across the nation and around the world descend upon the small town of Hayward, Wisconsin, to compete in the American Birkebeiner—a grueling thirty-plus mile race across the frozen North Woods. In his new definitive history, American Birkebeiner: The Nation’s Greatest Ski Marathon, author and skier Jerome P. Poling tells the story of the famed “Birkie,” from its modest origins in the early 1970s to its modern incarnation as an internationally renowned Nordic-themed festival and multi-day racing event drawing more than 30,000 skiers and spectators.

Based on extensive research and personal interviews and illustrated with 150 photographs.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of American Birkebeiner will go to the Foundation.

North American Odyssey
12,000 Miles Across the Continent
by Kayak, Canoe and Dogsled

Amy and Dave Freeman

When National Geographic Adventurers of the Year Amy and Dave Freeman marry, they set out on an unusual honeymoon: a three-year, 12,000-mile journey across North America. From Alaska’s Inside Passage to Florida’s Key West, they traverse the continent by kayak, canoe, dogsled, and skis, encountering wildlife, sublime landscapes, and harrowing challenges.

From the white-knuckle rush of paddling white water to the wonderment of dogsledding across a frosted landscape where caribou and wolves roam, North American Odyssey is a celebration of our interconnectedness to the natural world and to each other. Beautifully written, engagingly told, and inspiring throughout, Amy and Dave Freeman’s story is a clarion call for change in the way we live.

Northern Minnesota Gravel Ride Guide

Bryan Hansel

 Northern Minnesota isn’t just about paddling a canoe in the BWCAW. This region of the Minnesota attracts gravel riders from across the Midwest. The book, published by a well-known photographer, offers a place to start exploring gravel roads. There are 27 routes in the book ranging from 8 mi to 118 miles. Many are in the 20 mile range.

You Shoulda Have
Been There Last Week

Ted Rulseh

This book is a heartfelt meditation on the joys, disappointments, and deep connections that come with a lifetime spent on the water. Through a series of strikingly written vignettes, Rulseh captures the essence of angling and its ability to forge bonds between family and friends, offering readers a glimpse into the soul of an avid fisherman.

The book unfolds as a collection of memories, each story drawing us deeper into Rulseh’s world. He begins with the simple pleasure of Putting in the Pier, an annual ritual that, for him, marks the unofficial start of the fishing season. From there, he takes us through the thrill of Opening Day, where the first subtle tug on the line is all it takes to reignite his passion for the sport.

The Black Cyclone
Major Taylor, A Hero the World Forgot

John Howard and Rene Maurer

The life story of Marshall Major Taylor, the world’s first acclaimed African American athlete. Major Taylor endured countless examples of social injustice during his reign at the top of cycling’s pyramid of success. It was an era when bike racing was bigger than baseball and the fledgling sports of football and basketball combined. Cyclists were the highest-paid athletes in any sport and our country had more than a hundred high-banked velodromes historically reminiscent of what NASCAR represents today.

Major Taylor was the world’s best-known African American in any endeavor. His moral impact and the lessons Major imparted 120 years ago are equally relevant today.

The Black Cyclone is told by Rene Maurer and multi-Olympic cyclist John K. Howard, who was inducted into the USA Cycling Hall of Fame with Major Taylor.

Is a River Alive

Robert Mcfarlane

At its heart is a single, transformative idea: that rivers are not mere matter for human use, but living beings – who should be recognized as such in both imagination and law. Inspired by the activists, artists and lawmakers of the young ‘Rights of Nature’ movement, Macfarlane takes the reader on an exhilarating exploration of the past, present and futures of this ancient, urgent concept.

Is a River Alive?  Macfarlane’s most personal and most political book to date. It is a book that will open hearts, spark debates and challenge perspectives, invites us radically to reimagine not only rivers but also life itself. At the center of this vital, beautiful book is the recognition that our fate flows with that of rivers – and always has.