The Trip
First conceived ten years ago, the idea festered in my mind constantly for the last five years. As I met more people who worked in the industry and traveled around the world to enjoy beer, it struck me how little I know about the USA and how much there is to learn. When I was in Australia ten years ago, a Canadian traveler asked me about the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, expecting an American who just visited the Great Barrier Reef to be versed in his own countries natural wonders. It was then I realized how terribly ignorant about America’s iconic landscapes I was. It had to change. This is a continuation of the desire to know my country, and to better understand it. And what better way to understand a culture than to drink thru the country.
The final impetus was the loss of three family members the first of the year. Death is not something I’ve learned to deal with yet. Its permanence is lasting (yes that’s repetitive). Questions not asked will never be answered; words not spoken can’t be delivered. For me, the best way to deal with death seems to be to get out and challenge myself. To be uncomfortable and, in so doing, learn who I really could be and am. No preconceived expectations from others. No one who knows me. The wonderful ability to reinvent yourself as you go. I need this.
The route is based on the Transamerican route, designed by the Adventure Cycling Association for the Bicentennial. I adulterated it so I could start on the Atlantic Ocean (at Rehoboth Beach DE), head to Dover then Newark, DE, then to Baltimore and DC to Richmond, where the Transamerican Route crosses. From there across VA and KY and then north to St. Louis and across to Kansas City. From there to Denver, a national park tour, north to Yellowstone and Missoula and west to Astoria.
The Guy on the Bike
I seem to run in five year cycles (although I haven’t been thru many). I finished high school, went to college (and traveled), went to grad school, then thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. Then back to Louisville, KY where I started working in the craft beer industry. I’ve worked as a server, manager, sales rep, merchandiser, retail specialist, beertender, bar manager, and occasionally as a psychiatrist (not really but people love to talk). Over time, I’ve been fortunate to meet some of the bigger players in the craft beer world, and have tried to make a lasting and positive impression on them.
The Bike and other Gear