I'm beginning my third career as either a letter carrier or freight conductor. I was a Navy pilot for a decade and then started a coffee business in Portland, Oregon. Now I'm back in Ohio. I've been offered jobs by the postal service and the railroad and am in the midst of deciding between them.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm looking to meet interesting people and explore new cities. There is much of America I have yet to see. Also, my first experience in Kansas City was much more interesting than any hotel I've ever stayed at. It is far more fun to find hospitality than to rent a bed in some soulless building. This is sort of an exercise in building faith in the species, I suppose :) I look forward to learning about you and gaining perspective on how we all live!

Interests

I like coffee, beer, bicycles, all things Russian, sustainability, and classical literature. I'm a Quaker. Depending on my mode of transportation and current coffee supply, I may be able to bring some liquid gratitude with me when surfing!

• literature
• beer
• coffee
• exercise
• aviation
• traveling
• surfing
• business
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Metric, Cake, Jack Johnson, The Roots, Ben Gibbard/Death Cab for Cutie, Trent Reznor

Movies: Matrix, Blazing Saddles, Frozen, Kiss Them for Me, The Big Sleep, Oceans 11, Michael Clayton, Up in the Air, Rock 'n Rolla, From Russia with Love, Field of Dreams, Bull Durham

Catch 22, Dead Souls, Coming of Age in Mississippi, Red Cavalry, David Copperfield, Tom Sawyer, The Dream Life of Sukhanov, Sunday at the Pool in Kagali, A People's History of the United States, Евгений Онегин, Master and Margarita, Matthew

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've flown millions of dollars into Cuba, and landed with an engine shut down three times.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know more than the average American and love to talk about:
American history
Russian literature
Literature in general
Aviation
Coffee
Beer
Quakers

What I Can Share with Hosts

Depending on my mode of transportation and supplies, I can share fresh-roasted coffee and home-brewed beer with hosts, as well as knowledge about Russia, Ohio and Portland, Oregon, in addition to my travel and other experiences.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guam, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Turks and Caicos Islands

Countries I’ve Lived In

Cuba, Japan, United States