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On July 31st, 2002,
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two teams of travelers
started an epic journey.
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Together, the teams
travelled across
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the entire length
of the United States of America.
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And they did it
traveling only on public land.
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Public land is land that is owned
and cared for by the government.
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The United States government cares
for over a million square kilometers
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of public land.
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Some areas
are kept safe
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to protect the plants
and animals that live there,
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others, simply to preserve the
country's natural and historical
treasures.
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Before the journey, both teams
must prepare and pack carefully.
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The travelers are volunteers
who care deeply about the public
lands
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and want to help people
learn about them.
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Just trying to get
everything ready to go
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so I know where everything is
on the trip.
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It's a great opportunity to share
my passion for the outdoors,
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and show people
what our public lands have to offer.
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On the Southern border of the
United States, just outside Mexico,
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Team South is starting their trek
in the Chihuahuan Desert.
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These were once the lands
of the Pueblo people,
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who lived here
a thousand years ago.
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It also, perhaps,
has the largest number
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of different kinds
of animals and plants
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of any desert in the world.
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Meanwhile, on the northern border
of the U.S., just outside Canada,
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Team North
begins their journey
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with a hike through the beautiful
forests of Glacier National Park.
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High in
the mountains,
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the park is home
to over 300 animal species.
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Over the 60-day trek,
the teams travel in various ways.
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They travel on foot and in cars.
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They ride bicycles.
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And ride horses.
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And ATVs,
all-terrain vehicles.
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They also travel over water,
down rivers, and across lakes.
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And on the way, they'll stop
and teach people they meet
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about the beauty and benefits
of the public lands.
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Finally, after two months,
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the teams meet
near Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Their journey ends here.
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The trekkers hope their experiences
will inspire other people
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to love and protect
these public lands.