"Trekking Around Mother Earth to Run, Bike, & Ski Marathons with NW WI author and athlete, Jim Anderson." August, 2018 : Jim Anderson was 66. He took on a running marathon and two cross-country ski marathons in 15 days—in the Southern Hemisphere. May, 2019: Jim skied the Iceland Worldloppet Ski Race on a pair of fish scale skis that would have been better used in the backyard. October, 2019 : Jim Ran a marathon along Scotland’s Loch Ness. No monster showed up to cheer on the racers that day. October, 2020: Jim ran the Crazy Horse Marathon below the 563-foot monument being constructed in the historic chief’s honor. Jim wondered what Crazy Horse might have thought of the monument, never having allowed his picture to be taken. February, 2020: Jim skied the Barkie Birkie with his golden retriever Max who cared less that a race was going on. To Max, it was all about the people. October, 2022 : Jim ran a half marathon in the winds of Chilean Patagonia, below the three peaks of Paine in Torres del Paine National Park, known as the 8th wonder of the Natural World. May, 2023: Jim ran a half marathon in the Himalayas at the city of Paro, Bhutan. A place where the animals run free and the highway center line is merely a suggestion. June, 2024: In his last half marathon, Jim ran in the home of Cape buffalo, lions, leopards, rhinos, and elephants, creatures known as the Big Five in South Africa. This year Jim, his brothers, and thousands of others skied the American Birkebeiner without natural snow. It was Jim’s 46th Birkie, making him tenth on the list of those who have skied the most Birkies. Decades ago, at the age of 55??, Jim Anderson, mentioned that it would be interesting to run a marathon in every state in the USA. “Aw, you’re too old, came a reply. That fellow did not know Jim Anderson. He completed his quest and an athlete’s travelogue about it, his first book. Next, he took on the Provences and territories of Canada, and other marathon races on skis, bikes, and on foot. Book two soon hit the bookshelves. Now his passion to see the world through an athlete’s eyes have taken him around the globe. You’ll enjoy his third book, another collection of the people and places and the incredible accomplishments of this athletic author. 137 page illustrated softcover. All ages. More ... and a brief review Imagine living in a world where people believe in and strive to protect elves and trolls. And imagine that, in this world, there is a country that stresses gross national happiness instead of gross national product. Now imagine a place where there are 30-pound rabbits and you wonder why the rabbit doesn’t chase the dog instead of the dog chasing the rabbit. Imagine a country where you can stand in a castle and might get a glimpse of a sea monster. Now imagine a bald eagle dancing to the music of a fiddle and leading a regiment of heroic soldiers into 37 battles during our Civil War.Impossible, you say? Believe it or not, this is our world. I’ll tell you about the incredible events that I have discovered in my travels. Events my wife and I have been honored to have experienced. Recently, I heard from a former classmate. Hi Jim, I felt compelled to let you know how much I enjoyed your book. It was a fun read. I appreciate your accomplishments with the marathons—at not such a tender age, I must say—but also the narrative, the histories surrounding those events. Yours are perfect tributes to America through the eyes of an athlete who obviously loves his history. Mike Author’s note: Mike Reynolds is a former classmate who now proofreads screenplays and TV show scripts in California. He knows a good read. Jim Anderson