CURRENT MISSION

I'll live for people and expiriences, I'll die without regrets.

ABOUT ME

I grew up in Colorado, had a typical American childhood, went to college in New Mexico and got a typical American education, and now I work for peanuts as a bicycle mechanic because I believe it's right. It's right to work towards being a steward of the planet earth, rather than working towards destroying it. I also believe in travel. Travel expands one's perspective. It takes you out of your little bubble and shows you the vast number of people live on the planet, how many different forms of life there are, and how vast the distances are between them. Those distances are bridged by connections. Connections with people are more important than anything I know. This could be as simple as a smile on a train, or as complex as a lifetime friendship. Both are equally beautiful to me because they bridge the vastness. As the great Carl Sagan once said: "For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love."

I'll boil all that down: I want to travel, explore, and meet people. I want to see beauty and hear stories of life. Without life, this place would be an awful waste of space.

As a couch surfer, I always respect my hosts' space, time, and quietude. I believe in being as unobtrusive, clean, and flexible as possible. I travel very simply, I ask for very little, and I appreciate what is given to me.

PHILOSOPHY

Knowing others is intelligent.
Knowing yourself is enlightened.

Conquering others takes force.
Conquering yourself is true strength.

Knowing what is enough is wealth.
Forging ahead shows inner strength.

Hold your ground and you will last long.
Die without perishing and your life will endure.

-Lao-tzu

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm just a new guy. I'd love to have a couch to offer, but I'm currently on the cusp of a six month trip to Australia. Someday I will pay back the karma gods.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I couch surfed extensively in Europe two years ago. It was on a friend's account here, so I still have yet to build references for myself. My couch surfing was an extremely positive experience for myself, and I hope it was just as good for my hosts. I was able to see things that only locals get to see, and I was struck humble by so much generosity. The people were amazing.

Interests

Cycling, Biology, life sciences, Astronomy, Cosmology, theoretical physics, politics, eastern philosophy.

• insects
• beauty
• education
• politics
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• surfing
• swimming
• astronomy
• biology
• teaching
• physics

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Amelie, 1984, Blade Runner, Adaptation, Lost in Translation, Werckmeister Harmonies, Taxi Driver, Gattaca, I Heart Huckabees, The Waking Life, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Life Aquatic, Harold and Maude, Trainspotting, The Crow, American Beauty, The Abyss, The Graduate

Music: M83, Dntel, Four Tet, Air, DJ Krush, Talking Heads, Soviet, Röyksopp, Pete Rock, Mos Def, Common, DJ Shadow, Beirut, Boards of Canada, Daft Punk, Radiohead, The Postal Service, Joy Division, The Clash, Operation Ivy, Simon &; Garfunkel, Fiona Apple, Frédéric Chopin, Bach, Schubert, good old Ludwig Van..... Hundreds more

Books: 1984, Ishmael, Stranger in a Strange Land, Tao Te Ching, Dharma Bums, On the Road, Philosophy, History, Politics, Science, Cosmology.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My friend Hilary and I head into the dark pines where there is no trail. Hundreds of tree falls block the valley, so we climb over and balance our way across from one side to the other, zig-zagging up toward the place she calls fairyland. Our legs burn and branches whip our arms and tug at our shirts. It gets steeper. We scramble up rock and roots wedged in the narrow valley passages. Up ahead, we hear it, a trickling sound. We scramble the last small section of stream bed. It is a spring coming out of a tiny cave in the ground. The cave is surrounded by lush moss, and miniature plants plump with green. Tiny swimming creatures dart in and out of the fronds of submerged moss. Directly above the outlet of the spring, and only here, tiny insects with long sets of wings are gently rising and falling in patterns with each other.

Teach, Learn, Share

I want to share stories of life. I want to hear what other people are passionate about. Hopefully I can teach people about mine in return. People have said to me: "I wish I could do what you are doing and take six months off to go cycle touring." I want to teach people that they certainly can! So long as they desire it enough.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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