CURRENT MISSION

To meet as many new friends as possible, in as many places of the world as possible. I want to learn about other cultures and other parts of the world. I'd like to experience living in another part of the world and build new friendships.

ABOUT ME

I am nomadic, streamlined and spontaneous. I do not spend much time in Florida, enjoy living on a grass airstrip in Michigan in the summer, travel and explore other areas throughout the year.
I'm very healthy, energetic, sociable, easy-going, curious, optimistic and outgoing. I love the outdoors, hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, swimming, dancing to rock-n-roll. I dislike smoky bars. I drink only lightly, socially. I do not smoke.
I'm amicably divorced (1996), best friends with my ex-wife. I have two grown children, a son and a daughter, who are successful and out on their own.
I'm a pilot and flight instructor. I've been flying since 1977. Although I have an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) certificate, I do not fly airliners, but enjoy flying smaller airplanes, specializing in 'bush' and STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) flying. I've had unique flying and instructing jobs in the US. I've camped under the wing at small grass airstrips while flying across the US and I've built an airplane.
I enjoy learning learning, camaraderie and inspiration. I am not narrow-focused and I keep an open mind, ready for almost any new experience.
I love the water and have a scuba license (but no scuba experience). I've also skydived once.
I'm very active, and I always appreciate new friends, seeing other cultures and ways of life. I'm ready to help and give wherever I can.

PHILOSOPHY

If you smile at me, I will understand, cause that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language. - Steven Stills

Make the most of life while you can! "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space!"

Not all those who wander are lost.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.€ - Mark Twain.

Remember, if you risk nothing, you risk everything!

Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you. - Richard Bach

In order to live free and happily you must sacrifice boredom. It is not always an easy sacrifice. - Richard Bach

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. - Robert Louis Stevenson

To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive. - Robert Louis Stevenson

We don't take a trip.... a trip takes us. - John Steinbeck

Healthy, free, the world before me.... Strong and content, I travel the open road. - Walt Whitman

Travel teaches toleration - Benjamin Disraeli

The world only exists in your eyes.... you can make it as big or as small as you want it. - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Travel makes one modest.... you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. - Rudyard Kipling

We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it. - John Steinbeck

The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. - Jack London

Don't loaf and invite inspiration; light out after it with a club, and if you don't get it you will nonetheless get something that looks remarkably like it. - Jack London

I do not live for what the world thinks of me, but for what I think of myself. - Jack London

Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many people. Go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys. Try everything. Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life! - Lawrence Fish

When people begin to follow their calls, the way opens up, even after they've kept the gods drumming their fingers for decades, pacing around the front hall while they take forever in the boudoir getting ready. Opportunities wash up on shore; people take an interest; the right book or the right person crosses your path. Sometimes even money follows. - Gregg Levoy

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I really enjoy and appreciate CouchSurfing and the whole organization! I have traveled and explored even before there was CS, but this organization opens even more wonderful opportunities!
I am streamlined, spontaneous and always learning. The more I see, the more I want to see!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've had great CS experiences in New Zealand, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru and across the US. All my experiences have been really wonderful and I'm glad to have so many new friends and great memories!

Interests

Outdoors - hiking, biking, swimming, dancing, skydiving, kayaking, snowshoeing, scuba. Flying, flight instructing. Learning new languages and cultures. Making new friends. Exploring new places.

• books
• dancing
• flying
• electronics
• movies
• tv
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• kayaking
• camping
• skydiving
• olympics
• swimming
• languages
• lakes
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Older classic movies: "Out of Africa", "African Queen", etc.
Favorite aviation flicks: "Always", "The Great Waldo Pepper", "The Right Stuff".
Other favorites: "Castaway", "Catch me if you can", "Saving Private Ryan", "Bridge of Spies".
"Illusions" is a favorite book, by Richard Bach,
"West with the Night" by Beryl Markham,
"Wind, Sand and Stars" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I enjoy modern history, economics and some fiction reading.
Rock-n-Roll, jazz, easy listening. I'm not crazy about country/western music. I don't like rap.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Flying small planes (single and twin-engine) for 46 yrs, so many magnificent, challenging and exciting times flying through weather, seeing sunsets and starlight, camping under the wing at remote mountain airstrips landing on snowy runways, icy lakes and grassy farm fields, as well as metropolitan airports.
Flying relief flights into remote airstrips in Haiti after the earthquake while mentoring two younger pilots.
Piloting a camera plane very low over NY City, circling over stadiums for tv coverage of football games across the US and above the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City for NBC/Goodyear.
Flying fire patrol in North Carolina - treetop level, circling fires and directing the ground firefighters.
Building an airplane. Ferrying a 1948 Stinson from CA across the Rocky Mountains to MI - in March!
Flying the amphibious Searey from Wisconsin to Florida via the U.P. of Michigan, landing in lakes and rivers!
Traveling Europe, New Zealand and other places with no agenda, backpack style.
Visiting Machu Picchu and climbing Huayna Picchu.
Too much to describe here - I'm very fortunate. But the more I see and do, the more I want to see and do! It's addictive!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can share/teach: Flying/flight Instructing, electronics, travel knowledge and experience.
Home maintenance and refurbishing, car and airplane maintenance.
I need to practice and update my French language skills and learn Spanish, so I'm always happy for help with that!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I've always enjoyed listening and talking with others to be mutually inspired by life and learning. Curiosity and the desire to make the most of time in life means being open to sharing new friendships, ideas and experiences.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Italy, Martinique, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

• 

•