Me, Darst, and Alley Oop Paperback - 2016

Me, Darst, and Alley Oop is many things--a romp, an adventure, an odyssey, a coming of age tale, but mostly it is great good fun. A true story that frames the summer of 1964, it relates the cross country journey of two young men in their borrowed car, a hobbled and cobbled 1946 Dodge named Alley Oop.

Darst and Riggs, a mismatched pair of fraternity brothers from Indiana University, have little in common but the desire to leave it all behind and hit the open road for the golden shores of California, and the bouncing beach bunnies and boundless good times they hope to find there. Little do they know what hazards lies ahead or what it will take in resilience and fortitude, conflict and compromise, to make their dream come true. From the first day on, as they leave home and comfort behind with no cell phone or credit card and a hundred dollars between them in a car lately driven to its death, they are at odds with the elements and each other and can only succeed by forging ahead. Because, to return is to admit defeat, and thus cast a shadow over all future journeys of faith.

Told simply with wit and humor, Me, Darst, and Alley Oop takes an unvarnished look at the travelers, the journey, and the people they meet along their way. Its lessons come as revelations. With each new challenge, each new fork in the road, each new mountain high and valley low, Darst and Riggs learn a little more about themselves and each other, and the marvelous goodhearted country they are crossing. Never again will they undertake such a journey. Never again will the stars align. It's either make or break with no points given for a nice try.