For the past 18 years or so I've been living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. I ran a bike shop for over a year but left it to travel again. I've worked as a classroom assistant and casually teach safe cycling skills in schools, and teach a learn to cycle program and work in a shelter for the homeless and still on occasion fix bikes. I love film, live music and cycling, I have a road bike, fixed gear bike, a mountain bike and a tandem bike. I'm not one who's much into drinking but I still very much enjoy people's company in a pub or at a party. Cycling is a big part of what I am into, but you don't have to be for you to stay at mine or for us to get along. I also like hiking and listening to live music especially from people I know or get to meet. I love swimming in the sea, even if it's freezing but don't get to often enough. I also casually volunteer with the visually impaired and have a tandem bicycle (bicycle for two) and have volunteered with young people who I get to go on cycling and hiking expeditions with and casually help out for an organization that sends tools and sewing machines to Africa. If you come to stay, I will have a bike you can borrow and will show you around. I'm not that great of a cook but can cook simple meals. We can always try to cook something nice together. I sometimes like to use coconut or peanut butter sauces. When ever I hook up with a couch surfer I sometimes imagine Im reuniting with a friend or meeting up with a sister or brother. I think Im a pretty mild mannered person but I love to to do fun stuff. I may not have the best sense of humor but I like to have fun and laugh and love people who make me laugh but you dont have to. When I am staying with hosts, I do my best to be respectful and appreciative by trying to be tidy and do any work that I can help with. If you have a bike that needs repair, I'm your man. I ll help do house work and chop wood too. PHILOSOPHY It's nice to be nice. These song lyrics kind of sum it up for me - a man with a wooden crutch said you shouldnt ask for so much - Leonard Cohen.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I surf and host.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I like to host people and have used CS to stay with others. I have had groups of 3 stay at mine. My first couch surfing experience I was invited to stay three nights and was then invited to stay the entire period of my holiday (a month) but continued to stay for about a week. I think it was the best introduction to CS.

Interests

cycling - touring, fixed gear bikes, mountain biking, bicycle frame building, grass roots organizations, photography and video, vegetarianism, swimming. hiking. Activities that involve risk or danger, rock climbing though i dont have much experience, antiques or anything old including people, charity shops, book stores, other peoples book shelves and music collections, trees, restoring old bikes, helping people, you

• arts
• books
• photography
• documentaries
• cooking
• partying
• pub crawls
• shopping
• traveling
• house work
• music
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• surfing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - college radio, World music, experimental or anything really obscure, movie soundtracks, Neutral Milk Hotel, Ben Harper, Leonard Cohen, Sam Cooke, Ennio Morricone, Feist, Nina Simone,

Films - The Wrestler, Hedwig, Noi the Albino, Herzog, Kenneth Anger, Todd Solondz, the list goes on and on... I love films

Recently been reading about travel, short stories by Joyce Carol Oats, Michel Tournier, Shirley Jackson, Flannery O'Connor

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Bicycle toured and camped in Cuba.

Preventing a court summons after being arrested for riding freight trains in the U.S.

Recovering my bike from a ghetto in New Orleans after it was stolen.

Helping to recover bikes that were stolen from friends of mine in Belfast (there must be at least five of them, I fancy myself as a bit of a missing bicycle detective).

Teach, Learn, Share

bicycle repair, photography, conversation, stories, tooth paste

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can let you borrow a bike and show you around. Cook a nice meal together. Go for a gentle walk or hike in the hills. House keeping, I'll often suggest if there's any work around the house I can help with. In the past Ive done painting, gardening and care giving for some of the people I've stayed with.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Tanzania, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Andorra, Canada, Estonia, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom

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