A long life fully lived might appropriately be documented in some concrete, long-lasting, retrievable form. So, at the risk of being charged with hubris, I here have accounted for those years, giving credit to ones who accompanied me along the way and implying the values that have motivated me. It has been a life of striving, of involvement, of reaching out for new experience, of celebrating successes and learning from failures. This journey has been deeply rewarding, taking me from the onion fields of Western Colorado to the tranquil forests of Central Oregon, through junior high classrooms and hotel conference rooms, over High Sierra passes, to the offices of government and to many foreign countries. Here I share that life story.

Meli and her brother Tahlikwa escape from the Cherokee people being herded westward on the Trail of Tears, determined to return to their beloved mountain home.

Twelve-year-old Rivka is tired of everything about being Jewish, but during a summer at Quartz Creek Ranch, she is inspired to explore and embrace her heritage.

A Canadian icon on his longstanding love of the West and his life in "one of the last true cowboy countries on either side of the border." "I live on a ranch about six miles east of the town of Longview and the old Cowboy Trail in the foothills of the Rockies. On a perfect day, like today, I can't imagine being anywhere else in the world. Of course, I'm not going to say there aren't those other days when you think, 'What am I doing here?' It's beautiful country and it can be brutally tough as well." —Ian Tyson Ian Tyson's journey to the West began in the unlikely city of Victoria, BC, where he rode his dad's horses on the weekends and met cowboys in the pages of Will James's books, and eventually followed that cowboy dream to rodeo competition. Laid up after breaking a leg, he learned the guitar, and drifted east, becoming a key songwriter and performer in the folk revival movement. But the West always beckoned, and when his marriage to his partner and collaborator Sylvia broke up and the music scene threatened to grind him down, he retreated to a ranch and work with cutting horses. Soon, he'd bought a ranch in Alberta and found a new voice as the renowned Western Revival singer-songwriter and horseman he is today. This book is Ian's reflection on that journey...

WINNER OF THE 2017 NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARDS (INSTRUCTIONAL CATEGORY) Make the Dream of a Long Distance Thru-Hike a Reality Have you been dreaming of the summer when you can hike the Appalachian Trail? Or marvel at the snow-capped peaks along the Pacific Crest Trail? Or simply section hike the Continental Divide Trail? In Backpacker’s Long Trails, Liz “Snorkel” Thomas, former women’s speed record holder for the AT and veteran of twenty long trails, gives you the tools to make this dream a reality. Included is trail-proven advice on selecting gear, stocking resupplies, and planning your budget and schedule, complete with gorgeous photographs of life on the trail. Along the way, enjoy sneak peeks into not only the Triple Crown trails, but also lesser-known long trails throughout North America.

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