by Peter Jenkins
This book is about a modern day man walking from coast to coast across America. I know over the centuries thousands of others have taken this journey on horseback, covered wagons, and on foot. They traveled this way because there was no other form of transportation.
Today coast to coast travel in a car takes four days and air travel can get you from New York to Los Angeles in under 7 hours. I have been on those flights and it always amazed me how a few people were bitching about how long it took. Sitting in a chair traveling 500 MPH still amazes me.
His method of travel stood out not because he was doing something new, it was because he was doing it now. His story fascinated millions because he jumped off of the hamster wheel and did something unconventional. His two best selling books came out in the late 70's, they are both worth a read.
His journey took years because of many set backs and diversions. After reading them one thing I knew the stage was set I was going to take my own epic journey one day. This was just another nudge along the way but I had not yet considered traveling by bicycle, that came years later.
In the mean time I was doing the deal, getting married, building a house, starting a family and trying to fit in to what was expected of me. Nothing wrong with any of this but like many men there is just something unfinished. To take the time to do it in the face of responsibilities would be selfish. A lot of guys kept their toys and boys nights out which caused that classic stress in their relationships. I'll admit I can be selfish but this was one thing I could not act on.
Years later things changed and I was in a position I could take some time to act on my dream, but I still wasn't sure what exactly that dream was. All I knew was it had something to do with travel and meeting and interacting with people.
People have always fascinated me, I guess I got a little of that from my dad. He seemed to have a story or a joke and a natural ease with everyone he met. He befriended some strange characters from where he worked and always had a playful smile when they acted like characters. My parents both liked people and I was born a 10 pound fat baby who could charm the world or so I was told.
I spent almost 40 years behind meat department counters in dozens of grocery stores. Rich poor, new money old money, urban big box or small country stores and every ethnic neighborhood imaginable. Customers have no obligation to be fair or polite, but most customers reflect whatever I put out in an interaction. It is a study in people that can't be experienced very many places.
I also had an opportunity to interact with dairy cows, beef cattle, hogs, goats and poultry, they all have a pecking order. You learn to see it and be part of it.
People have very similar patterns so it helped me to develop a method of reading the room. It not only saved me from getting my ass kicked in a few of the rough neck biker bars I drank in, I learned to respect other peoples stuff.
Understanding this basic fact is very important while navigating bad situations or neighborhoods. The rule is look like a victim you will be a victim. Respecting other peoples space with a nod is also vital. All of this takes years of trial and error and trust me I learned mostly from error. His books covered much of this but the first 50 years of my life put me a little bit ahead of the game. One thing my ego has been beat down so I can get out of the way of my choices and have a more peaceful outcome.
His books made clear how his journey opened his mind and heart to see the value of his interactions with the people he met along the way. This helped open my eyes to what life's journey on or off of a bicycle is really all about. I had learned over the years to take a moment and actually "see" people. I learned to enjoy just about everyone and value their uniqueness, but taking this ability on a long slow journey was a new idea.
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