i was born in louisville, ky, grew up in pittsburgh, pa (i am a purebred pennsyltuckian) and have spent the last six years in san francisco, ca.
in my spare time, i enjoy running, eating after running and playing with fuzzy kitties. at last check, i was 33 in human years.
in july 2007, after 5.5 years, i left a pretty cool job with an amazing company (CLIF Bar). i ain’t crazy. i’ve been thinking about getting out to explore the world for a while. and am finally scratching the itch.
shortly thereafter, i left SF on my motorcycle to spend the next two months riding throughout the US visiting small towns, national parks and friends along the way. final destination - the philadelphia airport.
in mid-september, i flew to lisbon, portugal to eventually start the round-the-world journey in nearby morocco. destinations? nepal, india, se asia, e africa and beyond. who knows.
during my time away i hope to learn a bit more about how the world works outside of the US – how the other not-so-privileged half lives. and figure out what the hell i want to do with the rest of my life. and possibly have some fun in the process.
i hope to capture a bit of the goodness from this trip in this here blog. thanks for reading.
g
grady,
what wonderful reading, my dear nephew!! amazing and i just love it. i look forward to reading your entries, they’re all just terrific. good for you for loosening those ties that bind and experiencing the world.
be safe, honey.
i love you.
a. saolly
p.s. yer a good writer. xo
p.s.s. andja take reel pardon the pun good picturz, too!!
You are THE MAN, Grady !! What fun we had riding from Wisconsin to Pittsburgh !! (OK, so we had 150 miles of continous rain – now you’re not going to freak out when you see a few drops on your windshield). I thought all my old friends (in years) would say , “why is he doing this trip?? How can he afford this ??” and other similar questions. BUT, the universal response has been, “COOL!!” or “Why not??”
Grady, my good man. You have graced us with your presence for just a few short days and already we miss you dearly. Andrea and I reflected yesterday on our way to the Willie Nelson show how much we enjoyed having you with us, and realized as you pulled out of the driveway yesterday, that we were feeling a mixture of: too bad he has to leave and we wish we were going with. But you are off for more exploration and the fine practice of slowing your roll. We, unfortunately, are back to the old grind, as I am in my office and Andrea started her final semester of classes this morning. We wish you the best and are quite satisfied with having spent the time with you that we did. Good times…
Peace,
cw
There is a time in everyone’s lives where they suddenly feel disconnected from their day to day and it is not out of a sense of superiority or disinterest…it just is. Some people just push through it and follow the train tracks…and others make a left. I truly admire what you are doing and I know you will “come home again” as the same old Grady with a different perspective. Something we should all strive for.
Cheers to you my 25% Irish friend….when you return you will probably find a few of us with kids, engagement rings, and new homes. As much as you can’t step in the same stream twice eventually we’ll all end up in the same place again. We’ll be here to welcome you home! Happy trails!
Love,
Katie
Grady,
I always enjoy hanging out with you Grady and wish I had the opportunity to do it more often. As sad as I am that we’ll not see you for some time, I’m ecstatic for you (and of course mini-Keith) and the Journey you’ve begun. I have a great deal of respect for you, your desire to see the world and the fact that you are getting out there and doing it. I can’t wait to continue to read your blogs and eventually see you again.
Take care,
Keith
P.S. according to my estimation mini-Keith is only about 12 years old, so if he plans on getting any, it’ll have to be in Thailand.
Grady, I’m so proud of you. Love all of your entries what an awesome writer you are, keep it coming! Matt says hello and we send you all of our love from T-town! Kristin
Grady,
What an inspiration you are to me and your family and friends. It was really nice to see you last week, even if it was under sad circumstances (Beema’s Funeral). I was so excited when I found out you were coming back. Your blog is great. I especially like the parts about the people and the culture and religion. And especially, especially the yoga. Your picture are very good. Have you considered trying to get a job at National Geographic?
Love,
Your cousin (and former babysitter) Wendy
I was directed to your blog through someone who knows you. I love it. Great work and great insights. It’s inspiring!
love your vibe. congrats on living life the way many would love too!
paul
Grady,
Fantastic writing. Wytiaz called a few weeks ago w/prayer requests when nobody knew where you were. Its great to read you safe and contemplative. God Bless and enjoy the rest of the journey.
***Love to have a Milwaukee’s Best with you again sometime.
Culver