Guy Interviews a Guy: Loyal Mehnert, Travelanthropist

Every so often we meet a guy that we want you to meet. Whether the person has a good story, a magnetic personality, or is an undeniable mentor, these are voices that cause a shift in the direction of the wind. We’ll have a steady array of gentleman to share their thoughts and words with us as we go along and we hope you find them as affecting, funny, and warm as we do.

The Man Behind the Words: Loyal Mehnert

When we heard about the extreme (extremely positive) lifestyle of this guy, we decided that he warranted further investigation. Who do you know that has hiked 1,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail? Navigated a 5,000 mile road rally through five countries? Exactly. Not only has Mehnert completed these daunting physical journeys, but he’s done it for charity to raise both money and awareness. He may tow his own weight physically, but the weight he tows for others in need turns this extraordinary man into a Herculean philanthropist. We’re impressed, but more importantly, inspired. We hope you will be too.

Mr. Mehnert was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions for us about what he’s been doing and why he’d want to:

1. How would you define “travelanthropy”?

“Travelanthropy basically means adventurous philanthropic travel. People have been taking part in “voluntourism” for many years now, mixing being a tourist with being a volunteer. Travelanthropy is the next step. The adventures are bigger and more dynamic, there’s an element of risk and the unknown. In 2008 I raced nearly 5,000 miles from London England to The Gambia in West Africa on the Plymouth-Dakar road rally. Landmines, warlords, Al-Qaeda, the Sahara. My team and I crossed nine countries in just under 3 weeks.”

“It’s volunteering and fundraising by way of Indiana Jones.”

2. How did you come to choose poverty housing as your cause? Was there some sort of catalyst?

Loyal as a child.

“I actually grew up in what would be considered poverty housing. I didn’t realize it at the time, my family did a good job of hiding the harsh reality of it from me. Now as an adult, I have these very strange memories of getting a Nintendo for Christmas while not having adequate heat and poor plumbing. My parents made sacrifices so I could have a childhood. 1.6 billion people worldwide live in poverty housing, 95 million alone in the United States.  That’s a third of the country, many of them children. Poverty housing is a real issue and it’s an issue that we can address with action.”

3. How do you get into and/or stay in shape for a 3600 mile bike ride?

“I’ve hiked 1,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail in 2009 to raise money and awareness for post Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts by Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Last summer, hiked 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain. I’m completely at home with hiking a 25 mile day with a 40 pound backpack. For me, these treks are 70% mental, 30% physical.”

“After back to back long distance hikes, I wanted a new challenge and biking from Seattle Washington to Washington DC sounded like a grand adventure. I’m less than 2 months away from the start, so it’s all about getting comfortable with the idea of being away from home for 3 months. It’s about spending as much time as possible ‘in the saddle.’ You can  work out 12 hours a day but once you’re out there and you haven’t showered for several days and it’s raining nonstop and you’re tired and sore, that’s really when you start building up your adventuring armor.”

4. What do you want us to know about the people you are helping?

“I had the honor of serving as the National Field Media Spokesperson for Habitat for Humanity. My job was to travel the entire country, going to schools and state fairs and on TV to talk about the issue of poverty housing and the various ways people can give back via donating or volunteering.”

“Because of that job, I met with families who were moving into their new homes and heard their stories. These families in need, they are no different from you and I: Black, White, Young, Old, from New York, from New Orleans. The most important thing to know is that the circumstances that forced them into poverty housing could happen to anyone. It’s not about being judgmental; it’s about helping out your fellow man.”

5. Let’s say a guy has a little extra time or money that he is thinking about donating. What advice could you give to that person to help him find a worthy cause?

“There are hundreds of charities out there and the world is in bad shape. We’re inundated on a daily basis with worthwhile pleas for help. So how do you decide? You pick something that you truly believe in. That personal connection will fuel your passion.”

“We’ve all heard about the recent Three Cups of Tea debacle with Greg Mortenson. I’d ask that people don’t let that affect their desire to give back, whether through donating or volunteering. There are many ways of giving back, it’s all about finding a cause close to your heart.”

6. The Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure seems like a grassroots effort rather than a really political one. How would you classify the effort?

“I think it’s a great, creative way of fundraising and volunteering (I’m also taking part in 7 builds in 7 states). Bake sales are fun but biking across 15 states, coast to coast — that’s epic. And of course there’s a great sense of accomplishment and teamwork. The super nerd in me can’t help but look at it as The Lord of the Rings, a great adventure.”

7. Can you talk a little bit about the concept of reciprocity when it comes to helping others?

“That’s something a lot of people don’t talk about, reciprocity. Whether I’m living in the woods for weeks on end or racing across Africa, I get a lot back out of my work as travelanthropist. This summer marks my 4th annual charity trek and I’ve grown considerably as a person (ask around, I used to be a selfish asshole). You learn that you can do things you never thought possible, you learn to appreciate things. That’s the beauty of it, you’re having all this personal growth and helping other people at the same time. It’s the proverbial win-win.”

8. When you’re on a travelanthropic trek, you might experience the landscape at a different pace than you normally would, noticing more things along your journey. How have these long distance treks changed the way you see the American landscape, the concept of a town, or even the concept of time? Any insight that would tie back into this cause?

Loyal on the road.

“I think we as a culture have grown accustomed to having everything within arms reach. I’m more guilty than most, with my iPad and HDTV and every electronic convenience known to man. Pushing yourself way outside your comfort zone, even if it’s only for a weekend, completely changes how you look at the world. You become more aware — more reflective.”

“You also learn to appreciate the smaller things. There’s nothing like hiking in the sun for 10 hours and finally reaching camp just to eat and drink and take off your boots. A shower feels like a million dollars. It’s primal. It’s real. And when you do finally return home or wander through a town to eat a hot meal or see a movie, it’s a truly surreal experience. I’m looking forward to biking a 75 mile day in Wyoming and seeing Malick’s Tree of Life or Transformers 3.”

9. It’s easy to keep to one’s self and only look on one’s own problems. What is the biggest thing that a person misses out on by not giving a little?

“The answer will sound deceptively simple but by not giving a little, you miss out on the chance of making a real difference. When I head off on these wild travelanthropic adventures, it’s not $10,000 donations that roll in. It’s $25, it’s $50, it’s $100. That may not sound like a lot but when you have dozens or hundreds of people pitching in, we all truly become part of something much larger than ourselves. You may not even meet the people who benefit from the charity you’re donating to. But know that for the rest of their lives, they will be thankful to the strangers that took a minute out of their day to donate or a weekend to volunteer. That tiny bit of time or money you gave will radically change their lives.”

Check out the sidebar up to the right to see how you can get involved with Loyal and what he’s up to next.