I would like to introduce myself by saying I am American but I DID NOT vote for Donald Trump! In May of 2023 I am going to Europe for the first time in my life, hoping to stay about 3 months. I grew up in a very small rural town in Missouri (American midwest), but spent most of my adult life in northern california, Hawaii and S E Asia. I have done a wide variety of jobs in my life and been quite successful in them all, route sales, English teacher in Japan, rockfall hazard mitigation construction installing nets and impact fences to protect from rock fall in Hawaii, even did about 5 years on a special farm VERY deep in the hills of northern California, (I don't use that myself, I am caffeine free, tobacco free and alcohol free as well). I have been extremely passionate about tennis for the past 14 years, I play at least 2 hours a day 7 days a week as long as I am not injured. I was just as passionate about rock climbing and bicycle racing a few decades ago.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Well I love meeting people and sharing what I can. My friend and temporary roommate in Hawaii hosted couch surfers on this platform for several years and he had a GREAT time doing it. I meet several of them but never really had the ability or need to get involved until now. I have done lots of couch surfing and hosting others outside the couchsurfing.com platform. One example I hosted Serge Roetheli from Switzerland for 3 nights in my San Francisco apartment, he was running the length of the Americas in 35 months, he followed this with another 5 year trip by running around the world, his wife rode a small motorbike pulling a trailer with their gear. Also when I worked on the farm in Humboldt county California hosted a crazy number of vagabond travels from around the world, often giving them a job for a month or so. It is all about creating memories and having unique experiences, I love connecting to interesting people and expanding our horizons.

Interests

• tennis
• science
• mycology

Music, Movies, and Books

I am REALLY into documentary films, have watched 100s of them. Some of my favorite books are The Longest Walk by George Meegan, he walked the length of the Americas nearly 50 years ago, with next to no money, took him 7 years! I am Facebook friends with him. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, that is the book about vagabond traveler Chris MCcandless who traveled the American west for a few years before going into the Alaskan wild and starving to death. Both of those books had huge influence on me to be bold and pursue MY dreams of adventure. I am not super into music but like classic rock groups like The Doors, Rolling Stones, U2, Rush....Famous people I either know or have talked to, Johnny Cash, Jerry Garcia from The Grateful Dead, actor Jason Momoa, actress Bai Ling and Hawaiian music legend Don Ho.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hitchhiked to 40 of 47 prefectures in Japan, maybe 12,000Km in total over a two year period, complete vagabounding had a tent and sleeping bag and slept anywhere and everywhere. Twice competed in the Mt Fuji Climbing Race in Japan 3000 meter elevation gain in 21km in under 4 1/2 hours. Ridden 150cc motorcycle from Saigon to Hanoi over 3000 km of the back roads of Vietnam over 23 days. Have ridden the length of the Philippines twice, over 20,000Km in total. Twice I had done bicycle tour down the entire west coast of the United States. I spent 4 summers in Alaska in the 1980s working in the commercial salmon fishing industry, when back again for another summer in 2014.

Teach, Learn, Share

The following subjects I would consider myself way more knowledgeable than the average person, atmospheric science, the JFK assassination, the US National Parks, Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, mushrooms, the list goes on and on....

What I Can Share with Hosts

Well if you read this far I think it is pretty clear what I have to share.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, Philippines, Thailand, United States