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Having cycled through powerful wind gusts for one week now, Davis Tucker says he’s learned that men should not be too afraid to seek aid from others.
“The last three days I’ve spent three feet off the back of the mechanic’s van,” he said. “It’s the only way you can avoid the crosswinds. I want to do all 1,400 miles, so I don’t feel bad using the back of the van as a windbreaker … Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned in this trip is that it’s OK to get help.”
And as with cycling, it’s OK for men to seek help with regard to their prostates, Tucker said.
Tucker, owner and founder of North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery in Austin, Texas, is on a 1,400-mile bike trip from his city to Denver to raise awareness about prostate cancer. He took a two-day sabbatical in Albuquerque before continuing his ride north to Cuba, N.M. today.
According to a press release, Tucker’s trip began on Sept. 25. The trip will include eight stops in craft beer breweries in cities across Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. Tucker expects to arrive in Denver on Tuesday.
The concept for the project came to Tucker after one of his closest friends got prostate cancer after refusing to get checked years ago. Planning for the project started three months ago, he said.
“My head brewer had prostate cancer a number of years ago,” he said. “They thought they got it; they didn’t get it. It came back in the form of prostate cancer in his bladder. I joked with him because now he has a catheter that he uses. I said, ‘Next time we go to Octoberfest in Germany, you have to stick your catheter under the table.’”
Tucker said the supportive craft beer industry in the Southwest also helped him plan the project. And knowing guys, he knew the trip was going to yield results, he said.
“Every guy likes beer, and most every guy likes biking,” he said. “I like both. I’ve been in the craft beer industry since 1987, and I’ve been cycling almost as long. When the idea came up to use this to promote awareness about prostate cancer, it seemed to be the right thing to do.”
Although many people would think otherwise, there are more men who get prostate cancer than women who get breast cancer in the United States, Tucker said, so it is important that men are aware about their chances.
According to the American Cancer Society’s website, one in six men gets prostate cancer in their lifetimes, while one in eight women gets invasive breast cancer in their lifetimes.
Tucker said he encourages men to get their prostate-specific antigen levels (PSA) checked every year to prevent prostate cancer.
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“Guys are guys,” he said. “We’re like the worst — unless our limbs are falling off, we’re not going to go to the doctor. As things progress and as things get worse, all of a sudden you’ve waited too long, and it’s now in its advanced stages.”
During the trip, Tucker has biked an average of 115 miles per day, a boost from his previous record of only 75. He said he has entered New Mexico through Clovis, where he found “really good Thai food,” and will enter Colorado through Durango later this week.
Tony Drewry, the driver of the van, said he decided to accompany Tucker for the thrill of it and for the good cause.
“How can I say no to an awesome road trip like this?” Drewry said. “Anywhere we parked, stopped for gas, this bus, people want to talk about it. It’s a great opportunity to get people talking about prostate cancer.”
And it is an unpredictable journey, Drewry said. But despite a tire that almost blew out, he said the trip has gone fairly well.
“Nothing really goes as planned, and that’s actually what I hoped for,” he said. “We’ve brought a lot of extra things and extra gear, and it’s all come in handy. But yeah, it’s been a smooth ride.”
Drewry said he expects to do an “even better and bigger” trip next year.
Ultimately, Tucker said his trip aims to tell men not to be too proud, especially when it comes to medical matters.
“Stop trying to be a hero when nobody knows it but you,” he said. “Go get checked.”
