Born in 1938, in Cowtown, USA, Joe grew up being a country bumpkin.  Falling off the pumpkin truck one too many times, he believed he never needed to see anything outside of the State of Texas.

Later in his life, he befriend a wonderful lady named Susan Trotter, who worked with him as a rodeo photographer and was also an avid runner the same as Joe.  Over the course of their friendship, Susan introduced Joe to her then son-in-law Jon Michael Trousse, who was originally from France. Over time, and many margaritas, the talk always turned to traveling in Europe.  Changing his mind about never needing to leave Texas would take a lot, and Joe always thought he could never afford to see Europe.  One day, Susan bought him Rick Steves’ book “Europe through the back door” and made him read it.

Joe started thinking maybe he actually could journey to Europe and afford it. Still, it took more encouragement (really another pitcher or two of margaritas), and finally he made the decision to go – the first step had been taken!

After his first trip in 1993, Joe was smitten and couldn’t wait to go back! 

He was thankful when Susan became a travel companion and shared her knowledge and experiences of traveling the highways of the world.

Guided by Rick Steves’ book and Susan’s wisdom, he learned a new way of life and how to travel.  By hostelling, backpacking, budgeting, and riding the rails, he has been able to see what the world has to offer - a living history lesson on an affordable budget.

In 2008 he traveled in France for 3 weeks, still mostly staying at youth hostels in Paris and elsewhere.  Being young at heart, he realizes that traveling like this may not be for everyone, and is also able to recognize that his ego doesn’t require all the luxury most people expect or demand.  This way of travel has become so second nature to him that during the past 19 years he has traveled to 29 foreign countries, and he still does it today at the age of 73.  He has learned many things during his travels and shares some of those under “Travel Tips” and through his Photographs. 

2009 saw him traveling Croatia (home of Marco Polo) and to Greece's "Peloponnesos Peninsula" -- the largest of all Greece's peninsulas.  His 2010 trip to Europe was cancelled due to open heart surgery.  But, fully recovered, in 2011 he embarked on his own "Hard Rock Cafe Tour" visiting, sometimes revisiting, and photographing his favorite homes away from home.

Preparations for 2012 has already began, and, for the first time in 19 years, Joe is excited to share his journey with his loving wife.  

Joe attended the local Junior College and has acquired 18 hours in photography studies.  Not being a professional photographer, but a very serious amateur, he never dreamed his travels would lead to a photographic travel web site where he can share his insights and adventures. Although the photographs may not be award winning, they represent what he has seen and done. When he’s not traveling or working as the Southwestern Regional Manager for a manufacturing company, he spends most of his spare time photographing youth rodeos and weddings to help pay his way to Europe each year.

If you have any questions for him, please contact him at joe@hiwaysoftheworld.com. He is always glad to help a fellow, or future, traveler.

 

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