BOOKS
Tramping Te Araroa: A Journey Through New Zealand with Captain Cook
Sam Brakeley hiked the New Zealand's South Island from tip to tail along Te Araroa, The Long Pathway. Sam had recently found himself suddenly alone after the end of a ten-year relationship - an end he had mostly himself to blame for - and he was trying to figure out who exactly he was and just what came next. So he did what he always does in such situations: He headed into the great outdoors. Traveling along mountain ridges, river valleys, rural roads and ocean beaches, Sam had also brought along Captain James Cook's journals in order to explore the 18th century European discovery of New Zealand alongside his own 21st century one. Through an examination of the interactions of Cook and his men and the indigenous peoples inhabiting the islands, Sam explored what it means to be human. In doing so, he rediscovered some universal truths that allowed him (and by association, all of us) to move forward with the next step in his own life's journey.
Skiing with henry knox: A personal journey along vermont’s catamount trail
In 2015, Sam Brakeley stood at a crossroads in his life. His long-time girlfriend was moving to Utah, with or without him, and he was torn between following her or remaining in New England with family, friends, and the land he loved. So he set out to complete the Catamount Trail, a 330-mile cross-country ski trail that runs across Vermont from the Massachusetts border to Canada. He took advantage of his time in the woods to reach a decision―and brought Henry Knox along for the trip. In 1775, Knox undertook a winter journey of similar length, retrieving dozens of artillery pieces from the recently captured Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain and dragging them 300 miles through snow and cold to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to help George Washington drive the entrenched British army from Boston. Knox, too, faced his own challenges in love, leaving behind a young pregnant wife. By exploring Knox's eighteenth-century physical and emotional journey while undertaking his own twenty-first-century trip on the Catamount Trail, Brakeley reminds us that history has many lessons to offer the living.
In the wake of america’s hannibal: tracing benedict arnold and the 1775 expedition to quebec by canoe
In 1775, Benedict Arnold and an army of 1100 set off into the Maine wilderness. Enduring floods, frostbite, desertion and starvation, they traversed over 300 miles of untraveled wilderness. While ultimately unsuccessful in their attack on Quebec City, Arnold and his men were lauded as "indefatigable" and "famine-proof" for their courageous feat. In 2013, author Sam Brakeley sets out to re-create their journey. While easily evading starvation and hypothermia , he discovers that the 21st century nevertheless brings its own set of challenges. Complete with aggressive land-owners, lascivious women and massive oil spills, we find that life on the river is always exhilarating. Combining 18th and 21st century adventures, Sam Brakeley vividly recreates Arnold's expedition to Quebec while telling his own modern-day saga. With humor, warmth and compassion, he reminds us that by connecting with the past we can more fully experience the present.
paddling the northern forest canoe trail: a journey through new england history
Two college friends, Sam Brakeley and Andy Rougeot, embark upon a 39-day canoe trip on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail through New England. Rapids, wildlife, and mishaps all add spice to their 740-mile journey, but it is the unique flavor of northern New England and the eclectic individuals who populate the region that make it singularly memorable.
IN THE WAKE OF THE WHITE DEVIL: TRACING ROBERT ROGERS AND THE 1759 RAID ON SAINT FRANCIS BY CANOE
Amidst the French & Indian War in 1759, Robert Rogers and 140 men set out to attack the village of Saint Francis on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River. They were America’s first special forces, a uniquely trained light infantry unit specializing in unconventional warfare. The assault on Saint Francis and subsequent retreat quickly became the stuff of legend however. With French pursuit close behind and combatting weather, starvation and cannibalism, their travails would call into action all of their training as the original Army Rangers. As written down by Rogers himself, the 28 “Rules of Ranging” are still used by the US Army today. In 2017, author Sam Brakeley set out to follow in their path, retracing one of America’s first secret expeditions. While easily evading starvation and cannibalism, he discovers that the 21st century nevertheless brings its own set of challenges. Amidst the whitewater and portages, he examines just where life might be taking him and we find that time on the river is always exhilarating. Combining 18th and 21st century adventures, Sam Brakeley vividly recreates Rogers’ expedition to Quebec and back while telling his own modern-day saga. With humor, warmth and compassion, he reminds us that by connecting with the past we can more fully experience the present.