Not Verified
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
@BENONANADVENTURE
Member since 2009
CURRENT MISSION To meet new people, have new adventures, and travel the world! ABOUT ME I am well rounded with many various interests. I have a passion to help people and I get the most rewards out of life when I can make a difference. I am active in the local American Red Cross, Friends of Literacy, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, I sponsor a kid from Big Brothers and Sisters of Tennessee and I am involved with other community organizations and non-profits. I love the great outdoors climbing trees, backpacking, camping, mountain biking, road biking, rock climbing, rock climbing, photography, sailing, and much more! I enjoy everything from a good play, a good book, and of course time with good friends. I love to travel! I have been blessed to visit Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Columbia, Bolivia, US Virgin Islands, Nepal, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Singapore, Bahrain and France including sailing with a French Race Team on the English Channel. I hit the road every opportunity possible. I have my bags packed and I am ready to rock and roll! My dad was a traveling man before he met my mom he was on the circus. True story! He met my mom in the audience and left the circus. 1 year later I was born and he retired from working in a steel mill. I love to dance! I enjoy Argentina tango, swing, salsa, and ballroom, and of course your basic club dance even when I am not good at. I love to cut a rug! I enjoy many things in life such as a good book, a play, the symphony, an opera, backpacking, running, swimming, caving, mountain biking, rock climbing, river rafting, canoeing, badminton, bodybuilding, bouldering, caving, snow skiing, snowboarding, cycling, fencing, jogging, kayaking, running marathons, motor cross, mountain biking, mountaineering, paint ball, racquetball, tennis, rock climbing, river rafting, roller skating, rope skipping, rowing, sailing, scuba, sea kayaking, skateboarding, table tennis, basic tennis, track and field, trail running, triathlons, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, water exercises, water skiing, weight training, weightlifting, white water rafting, whitewater kayaking, windsurfing, wrestling, and yoga. I am sure I missed something. I have a 5 year old nephew and a 4 year old niece who I enjoy spending time with and now a 2 year old boy! Some of my current goals are: Obtain my MBA, drive a race car, ski the Alps, hike Europe, visit Hawaii,sky dive into the ocean, ride a horse on the beach (goal for this summer), scuba The Great Barrier Reef, hike Europe, hike the AT (done sections with lots of overnight trips), try ice sailing, obtain my pilot license, attend the riding with the bulls, go to Carnival in Brazil, visit the Dead Sea and travel much as possible! PHILOSOPHY Ordinary people never take on new adventures. Get out of your box and make a positive difference! There are two types of people those of words and those of action. Which are you? If you want to visit a place, stay in a hotel. If you want to experience it, find a couch
Interested in Adventure Sports
Fluent in English
Learning Spanish
Pioneer Badge
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING I have been verified by cs so you know that cs has verified my address. I have hosted people in my home from the U.K., Kenya, France, The Netherlands, Germany and all over the states. I met some wonderful people why in Ecuador that made sure I was safe along my journey and they worked as my interpreter. If it was not for my couch surfing contacts why there the trip would not have been so great! I have had someone pick me up from the airport in Katmandu, Nepal and show me the town as well as pointers on the culture differences. I lost my wallet in a taxin in Delhi, India and my cs host help me recover it. I met a cs while volunteering in Ecuador and 3 years later I was able to travel some with them in Peru and Bolivia. I can pick someone up from the airport with at least a week notice. I travel and host and I look forward to making many new friends. I kayak and mountain bike often and always have an extra boat and bike. If in town when we are hitting the river, lake, or trail your welcome to join us. COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE I have had one bad experience but many, many, great experiences. My advice is to always check the feedback. I had couch surfers become my translator while in Ecuador and made sure I was in safe places. I lost my wallet in a taxi in Delhi, India and my host help me find it and recover my wallet. I got a host last minute while my dad was in the hospital in another city. I had someone pick me up from the airport in Nepal and show me the city.
Music, Movies, and Books
Favorite Movies: Into The Wild, The Notebook, October Sky, Casablanca Funny Face, Last of the Mohicans, 12 Angry Men, and Rudy Music: I enjoy everything from classical piano, some country, old big bands, blues, jazz, 80's Music, alternative, and I love to rock!
One Amazing Thing I've Done
God has blessed me the ability to see so many things: Hiked Machu Picchu and Huaynapicchu Visited The Largest Salt Flats in the world in Bolivia Visited The Taj Ma Hal Sailed the English Channel Rode a general class train in India Hike in The Himalayas and The Andes Sailed with a French Sail Race Team off the coast of France Paraglide over the Andes Mountains Surfed and swam in the English Channel Did a kayak/canoe trip deep in the Everglades got lost at night in the swamp for 2.5 hours and had a crocodile try to eat my paddle Stood at all 4 corners of the equator in Ecuador Skydive over the state of Georgia Drove a race car at over 100 mph Rode a motorcycle at 185 mph Rock climb off the coast in France Viewed the Grand Canyon Swam with wild dolphins in Florida Swam with wild manatees Wind surfed in California Back packed the highest point in Virginia in freezing rain, 20 mph winds, and snow! Experienced Mardi Gras in New Orleans Attended the Kentucky Derby Saw the real Jerry Lee Lewis play at an outdoor concert in Memphis, TN Hiked a volcano Kayaked a river in the Amazon jungle Took a Archery class from a Olympic Gold Medalist Lived and volunteered for one week in the jungles of South America In Saint John went on board and below the ocean water in a sub-marine Lost my passport why in France and got interviewed by the French Police and spoke no French Lost my wallet in a taxi in India and found it! Traveled across Ecuador and speaking only a few words of Spanish Kite boarded in The Andaman Sea Received a fish eating foot and leg massage in Cambodia Set inside a Vietcong sniper tunnel in Vietnam Hiked through The Chu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam Walked through Ankor Wat ruins in Cambodia Hang Glided over Look Out Mountain in Chattanooga Danced with a random stranger in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Canoeing sections of The Florida Everglades in Flamingo and we had a croc jump up beside our boat why we were lost in the dark for 2 hours. We were very happy to find our camp site! I had dinner with the doctor that was President Clintons and the first President Bush's personal doctor. Met in person Robin Williams, Annie Nicole Smith, Cindy Crawford, and Kelly LeBrock
Teach, Learn, Share
I love to meet people from places I have never visited. It is a pleasure to learn how other cultures live and enjoy life.
What I Can Share With Hosts
Teach you a basic swing dance lesson Take you kayaking either flat or white water Help with basic transportation Let you borrow a bike Give you a place to park your car Give you internet access
My Interests
Backpacking, running, swimming, caving, mountain biking, rock climbing, river rafting, canoeing, badminton, bodybuilding, boldering, caving, snow skiing, snow boarding, cycling, fencing, jogging, kayaking, running marathons, motorcross, mountain biking, mountaineering, paintball, racquetball, tennis, rock climbing, river rafting, roller skating, rope skipping, rowing, sailing, scuba, sea kayaking, white water kayaking, tour kayaking, skateboarding, table tennis, basic tennis, track and field, trail running, triathlons, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, water exercises, water skiing, weight training, weightlifting, white water rafting, whitewater kayaking, windsurfing, wrestling, yoga, volunteering, and ballroom dancing.
