Welcome to Wheels Off, a show about the messy reality of the creative life.

I'm Rhett Miller.

In his brand new book, Leave Only Footprints, Connor Knighton chronicles the year he spent

traveling to every national park.

It coincided that year with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

But it's a personal story that he tells.

It's not a travelogue.

It's a story of a man dealing with the aftermath of a canceled engagement, fears of his own insecure employment.

It's a really beautiful, vulnerable human portrait of a man in flux and a man seeking not just answers, but a deeper meaning in the natural world.

I don't mean to put words in his mouth, but I loved the book so much.

And I get to speak to Connor on this episode of Wheels Off about the making of that book,

the years leading up to it, his life now as he copes with the idea of what is next for him.

He does have a full-time gig as a correspondent on CBS Sunday morning, a venerated news program that is well known for just a high level of quality. Their pieces are less news than they are sort of lifestyle and human interest stories.

He's just such an interesting guy.

I really like the way he approaches his work,

but also in our discussion you'll hear just the way he approaches his everyday life.

He's a sweet, humble, deep dude.

And I'm so glad I got to speak to him for Wheels Off, Conor Knighton.

Welcome to Wheels Off, Connor Knighton.

Thank you for having me.

This is so great. I'm really glad to get to talk to you.

I love the new book so much. I'm so proud of you for releasing something beautiful into this world in such a sort of kind of scary and dark time.

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