Arlen Matson

The Adventures of Anderson Arlen Matson

Set during and after World War II, Curtis Anderson, is frequently joined by his three friends from Roosevelt School in suspenseful adventures in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Encumbered with wearing heavythick lensed glasses, and carrying a negative reputationwith his classmates, his challenge is to prove thatleadership and integrity are built by positive experiences. Beginning with a solo ninety-mile bicycle trip as a twelveyear old, he is joined in the following years by his friends rafting and ski jumping. Another solo trip in a home madecanoe takes him into a forest fire in Canada. In his sophomoreyear in high school, the four boys find themselves trappedin an iron mine tunnel. Finally, entering their senior year in high school, they meet an Amish family and are confronted with a different way of life. Rebuilding an old Peogeot Bicycle together with Luke Miller, and the big Mt. Zion Road Race brings the five boys to a fork in the road. Mr. Miller tells the boys, "We hold to the belief of humility. Competition has a way of promoting pride." Luke will not ride his bike in the race. Will the only ten speed bicycle in northern Michigan enter the race? Is sports competition the glory of self? Curtis Anderson encounters