Running Against the Odds—A True Story of Grit, Rivalry, and Resilience in the Heart of Rural America.

It is 1982, and the farm crisis has gripped the rural economy of southwestern Wisconsin. It is a time without cell phones or the internet, as small-town teenagers search for a place to belong. Socio-economic change is underway, straining the traditions of the past. 

This is a true story about a group of cross country athletes from two of those communities, reaching for success while facing difficulties on and off the course. It is the story of two novice coaches, pioneering their programs in an old but obscure sport. Surrounded by the rugged beauty of Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, the programs collide on an emotional rollercoaster that rolls toward four decades of achievement. 

Told by a member of one of those pioneering teams, this is an inspiring journey that illustrates the best lessons that interscholastic sports have to offer.

A migrant worker is discovered buried in a local quarry with an antique gold coin in his pocket near La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Lt. Jim Higgins begins to unravel a murder that will take him back into Wisconsin’s early history. During the investigation, Higgins meets a local archaeological savant and treasure hunter who tells him a wild tale about a U.S. Army payroll that was stolen on the way to Fort Crawford in Prairie du Chien in 1866. The payroll has never been recovered. Is the coin on the dead man part of the stolen treasure?

Higgins hesitates to base his investigation on a wild tale, but he has nothing else to go on. As his team desperately attempts to make sense of the facts, the killer strikes again. The investigative team realizes the wild tale may be the only explanation for the two murders. In a race against time, Jim struggles to identify the killer—and find the elusive gold treasure.

It is nighttime in Door County, Wisconsin.

The crickets and frogs begin their nightly serenade, and the great horned owl soon joins in. Those sounds signal that it is bedtime for Charlie and his little sister, Ellie. They had a fun time in Door County, but when a new day dawns, it will be time to go home. Charlie cannot sleep until he says good night to all the wonderful places he has seen. But, can he stay awake long enough to do it? Each and every locale is worthy of a heartfelt goodbye that also says, “until we meet again.”

This delightful book is a love letter to the many spectacular sights in Door County. Beautifully illustrated by award-winning Wisconsin artist, Aaron Boyd, the book is a celebration of Door County’s unique history and unparalleled beauty.