Derek Tusing drives across state lines with his younger brother on a road trip with no agenda. Mere days after the disastrous winter storm wrapped Texas in its icy grip, temperatures are rising once again. In a car without A/C, the dream folk singer-songwriter feels “a little toasty,” but considering his adventurous spirit, he’s likely used to feeling slightly less than comfortable.
The artist known as Tusing spends “huge chunks” of his year on outdoor expeditions and has been going on “big mile trips” since 2017. Last year, he spent most of his summer on the Continental Divide trail, a thru-hike (which he defines as a “terminus to terminus” scenic trail) he soon hopes to continue where he left off (a practice known as “lashing” in the hiking community). Shortly thereafter, he spent some time in Guatemala.