Join me for a ride you'll never forget. I give you a sneak peek into the world of the forgotten warfighters and the hidden struggles we face when returning home to a country we cease to recognize.
Follow my journey while I sail through rough seas; then ignite the beacon for other veterans to find safe passage out of the storm.
Introduction
In the summer of 2019, I sold my house and most of my possessions. I left a temporary low-wage dead-end job and said goodbye to my wife so I could venture on a minimalist solo off-road motorcycle trip around the world. I was fed up with it all and needed to find a life worth living. I sought to disconnect from the chaos to reconnect with the beauty in the world around me.
I’m self-aware enough to recognize the warning signs of an out-of-control-high-stress lifestyle accompanied by a decade of unresolved combat trauma. I’m a former 2/75th Army Ranger and Blackwater alumni who desperately needed to change the direction my life was headed. Therefore, I did something I’ve never done before.
I wanted to go dark and disappear behind my motorcycle. I wanted to disconnect and unwind the cluttered mess of my mind over thousands of miles of grit. Instead of doing what felt most comfortable to me, I did the most uncomfortable thing imaginable. Instead of going dark, I shined a spotlight into my private world and wrote down my most guarded thoughts as I navigated my way through rough seas. Great ship captains are not made in calm seas. I opened a heavy door and let strangers into my world during my quest to find peace and, dare I say, enlightenment.
In order to help civilians understand the hidden struggles warfighters face on a daily basis, one must first understand who we are and what values we hold closest to our heart. This journal allows the reader a transparent view into the world of a broken Army Ranger who’s trying to bring his life back to center; in a world in which he struggles to understand.
I kept a real-time public journal on a motorcycle forum called ADVrider. This book is based on my journal.
I've realized that I've lived an unusual life. I didn't realize how strange it was until I stopped to look around. The impact of my words and my unique writing style had an unexpected positive outcome in the world around me. I found a life worth living and paved the way for other veterans find a route that will ultimately lead to peace.
