Keith Beard sits eating his breakfast under a shady
tree on Highway 64, perched on the seat of his three-wheeled
racing tricycle, legs folded like a yogi beneath him.
Today marked my third sighting of this man and I gather
from the honking cars driving by that his tricycle trailer
contraption catches the eye of many drivers, or else
maybe, like honking at somebody when their car has lost
two headlights, they think his car lost its entire shell.
I pulled over because it seemed to me that this man
had been on the road for a very long time. |
|
 |
“One year and 27 days and about 4,800 miles,”
says Beard. He tries to follow rivers, and prefers horse trailers
to trucks when catching a ride because he doesn’t have
to take the trice and trailer apart. He used to have a traveling
companion, an Australian Shepherd named Honey, but a California
Health Patrolman shot her. She used to run alongside him and
would whine if he tried to have her ride instead.
|
 |
| Beard set out from Visalia, California after losing
his job, customizing as he went. He lowered the seat
and worked on the gears to help with steep climbs. The
weather shield that shelters him from rain and snow
is a railroad crossing sign from Oregon. |
|
He shows me his route on a beat up map, looping and
retracing several stretches along the West Coast, New
Mexico, Arizona, and towards elusive Colorado. When
he started out, Beard says, “I guess I had Rocky
Mountain fever,” and although he is finally near
his original destination, Colorado, he has decided to
head north. “I’m hoping to stay on this
side of the divide, maybe head towards Idaho or Montana.”
I’m hoping to see him there. |
|
 |
June 5, 2003 - Sara Loewen 
|
|
