North American Odyssey

Praise for North American Odyssey “An absolutely epic journey—and against a backdrop of climate change that makes it all the more monumental. Perhaps it will help impel us to act so that trips like this might be possible for our children and grandchildren as well.”—Bill McKibben, author The End of Nature “This is a view of North America that you’ve never seen before and aren’t likely to forget, a trip that ignited the fire of activism in the Freemans and that’s likely to inspire the same in you. From the temperate rainforests of the West Coast to the sunny beaches of Key West, through deep boreal forests of the north, the bitter cold of winter, the steamy swamps of the Florida Everglades, the magical company of humpback whales, and the pounding heart of grizzly country, Amy and Dave’s North American Odyssey is a grand adventure that spans 12,000 miles and three years through wilderness and front country. It’s simultaneously an epic journey of high adventure and a meditation about what it means to be a consumer and an advocate of wild places. A prequel to A Year in the Wilderness, North American Odyssey is adventure on a scale that’s difficult to comprehend—and even more challenging to put to words. But what they’ve accomplished is extraordinary and inspiring, presented both humbly and openly. This is an epic journey that I didn’t want to end.”—Alex Messenger, author of The Twenty-Ninth Day “Adventure on a grand scale! Trekking coast to Arctic to coast by kayak, foot, dogsled, ski, and canoe, the Freemans draw you deep into their wild world—body and soul—with a well-paced balance of action stories and stirring reflection. Whether entranced by a rainforest coast aglow with nighttime bioluminescence while kayak camping or facing heart-pounding fear upon meeting both a grizzly bear and bull moose while bushwhacking the Yukon, their awe is palpable. So is their heartfelt despair at the industrial devastation and climate change impacts found all along this sweeping arc of our continent. Yet woven through is a love story: on this three-year honeymoon Amy and Dave listen to the land, find their voices, and are inspired to launch their tireless advocacy for our beloved Boundary Waters. As someone who’s shared many great adventures with the Freemans, I envy them for this one!”—Paul Schurke, adventurer and author of North to the Pole “We are in deep need of more stories like this one, more humans like Amy and Dave Freeman, who stretch the limits of the possible in search of vital contact with the living land. This account of their incredible journey across the continent is a potent dose of what the poet Richard Hugo called ‘the right madness.’ For our sake—and the earth’s—here’s to more of it.”—Chris Dombrowski, author of The River You Touch Praise for A Year in the Wilderness “For 365 days in 2015 and 2016, the Freemans lived in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, paddling a canoe or towing a toboggan from campsite to campsite. They fell through the ice. They were trailed by wolves. They drank from the lakes. Mostly, they bore witness.”―Minneapolis Star Tribune “Gorgeous words are complemented by an outstanding selection of photographs that immerse the reader in the watery landscape, making an indelible impact.”―Canoe & Kayak “Through evocative personal narrative and nature photography, the Freemans [. . .] speak with a single attentive and amiable voice that centers the joys and challenges of navigating the land and water. [. . .] Gorgeous color photographs focus on the human experience of being in wilderness and augment a novel work that should draw attention to the plight of the Boundary Waters.”―Publishers Weekly “The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is among our nation’s great natural treasures. It is also fragile, and increasingly threatened by the prospect of sulfide-ore copper mining. At this moment in our history, when calls are growing to privatize public lands and weaken national parks, adventurers Amy and Dave Freeman spent a year in the Boundary Waters, experiencing its singular beauty and advocating for its preservation. In this extraordinary book, they have done us all an invaluable service, offering a wonderfully compelling testimony for the value of wild places and the creatures who inhabit them. I urge you to read it, and then to join the Freemans in advocating for the preservation of the Boundary Waters.”―Vice President Walter Mondale “Recounting their adventure in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Amy and Dave Freeman offer a compelling tale about the beauty as well as the brutal challenges of living a year in this northern wilderness―one of our nation’s very first areas protected by the Wilderness Act of 1964. Their first-hand observations about the wild, the land ethic, and threats to this natural heritage build on a long tradition.  Exemplifying a new generation of outdoors writer-adventurers, the Freemans infuse excitement and energy into the wilderness canon crafted by Mardy and Olaus Murie, Sigurd Olson, and other champions in earlier generations who have done so much to protect our wild places by describing them with a keen eye and a passionate heart.”―Jamie Williams, President, The Wilderness Society “Here’s the story of a great adventure in one of the planet’s most gorgeous wildernesses―and with high stakes at risk in a fight to stave off a truly gross assault on its integrity. So many reasons to read this book!”―Bill McKibben, author of Wandering Home