Texas man quits six-figure tech job to ride horse from Austin to Seattle: ‘Family tradition’

A Texas man is following in a household custom together with his personal “nice huge journey” driving on horseback from Austin, Texas to Seattle, Washington. 

Cyril Bertheau joined “Fox & Buddies” Tuesday to debate the place the thought to journey by horse got here.

“It’s a household custom for every one of many oldest sons of my household on my dad’s facet, the Bertheau, to do an important huge journey. And it’s form of a ceremony of passage, if you’ll,” Bertheau mentioned. 

“So my great-grandfather began it, after which my grandfather, then my dad, after which now it’s me. So I mixed that with my love for horses and horsemanship that I’ve been driving for years and simply went for it.”

Bertheau stop a six-figure tech job to organize for his journey, which he plans to do in 100 days. He additionally purchased his horse Shiok on Craigslist forward of the journey.

“[The employers] did say limitless PTO, however no, I stop my job and simply went full all in and began coaching and began making ready. And now I’m making the massive leap.”

On Sunday, the horserider had a sendoff at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. He plans to trip via New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho earlier than arriving in Seattle the place he’ll keep for a couple of week earlier than making the journey residence. 

Pulling from his passions, Bertheau selected to trip horses since he had been driving since he was little. His father, who’s from Holland, selected a special journey for his “ceremony of passage.”

In 1984, Bertheau’s father Eric journeyed world wide for 3 years which was impressed by his father’s travels and unique postcards. He traveled via a wide range of totally different transportation strategies, seeing areas in Europe, Asia, the Center East, Australia and the U.S. 

“I took a backpack and requested my mom to deliver me to a sure level, not removed from residence on the way in which to a job,” Eric advised FOX 7 Austin. “She put me there, and I put up my thumb, and that’s how my journey began.”

Since starting his journey earlier this week, Bertheau has already endured some wild experiences.

“I had ridden via some muddy paths and a few rocks had gone into [Shiok’s] hooves. So I hopped off and began taking the rocks out and I slipped and fell on him, which spooked him a bit bit. After which as I’m attempting to achieve again to get him, it spooked him much more. And I couldn’t attain the reins in time. And he simply took off,” Bertheau mentioned.

“So I began working down the road and I see this Mini Cooper come up and this woman comes out says, ‘Hop in. My husband’s going to drive you.’ And so we run down and I simply opened the door and stopped my horse.”

Bertheau shared his optimism and pleasure for the journey, particularly how he hopes to study extra about his nation and the those who dwell throughout the U.S. 

“I see this as a problem. Psychological, bodily, non secular,” Bertheau defined. “So I feel I’m going to find out about myself. I feel I’m going to study in regards to the nation I dwell in, the individuals I dwell with. I’m going to have what looks as if insurmountable challenges forward, and I’m simply going to be able to face them.”

“I feel individuals go to college and I type of take this because the college of life. I’m simply going to place myself in robust spots and I feel I’ll be a greater man afterwards.”