In 1983, when he was 23 years old, Peter David Wilder set off on a trip across the United States and Canada "with no certain ending or goals other than those of self-discovery." Wilder traveled the interstates and back roads for five months - drinking in the beauty of the land, and basking in the glow of countless acts of kindness from complete strangers. Whether it was the "extra mile" that someone went on his behalf, or the dinner tables to which he was invited, Wilder discovered a universe that smiled on his passage though it. Every ride was recorded - Every place he stayed was noted. Mostly hitchhiking, he made his way to Alaska, where he worked briefly on a fishing boat, at a potato farm, and in the Alaskan backcountry. More importantly, he met new friends that continue to open doors in his life to this day. In telling this tale, it is the author's hope that 'An Amazingly Kind Universe' would be "an open record of thanks to them all..." "My brief time on the road was hardly the most exotic of travel adventures, but it was a true feast of the Spirit, one that has never stopped nourishing me. With hope, I can now share that feast with the universe that conspired to create it." Throw away your watch - Carry a light pack - And hit the road to discover 'An Amazingly Kind Universe '