MISSOULA — It’s not every day that an eclectic artist traveling across the country gets stuck in Missoula.
Andrew Glubbey is a Florida-based artist traveling from Florida to Seattle in a self-made pear car. He broke down in Bonner and is currently working to get back on the road.
(WATCH: A "Pear-fect" ride makes extended stop in Missoula on a cross-country trip)
“I took the old Pear Car, which had this exact shell on it, all the way from Florida to here. I was trying to get to Seattle, but I didn't quite make it that far,” Glubbey said.
Glubbey, who shares the same name with the Pear Car, has amassed a hefty social media following - 16,000 followers on Instagram alone - as he’s traveled across the country.
“I love pears. I like the fruit, but I thought the shape of the pear was just perfect for putting it on the motorcycle,” Glubbey said.
The pear shell itself is a mix of what appears to be wood roof shingles and any fastener Glubbey could get his hands on.
“Really, I'm just screwing drywall screws through the wood into the frame. And it works fine,” Glubbey said.
The reason for Glubbey’s cross-country road trip stems from a want to see more of the United States as a whole.
“I wanted to get out of Florida for the winter, and I also wanted to not spend an arm and a leg on gas driving like a bus out here. I was like, you know what, I can rough it, live in a tent for the summer and just kind of see what happens,” Glubbey said.
He says that the journey so far has been full of helpful people and backroads presenting stunning landscapes. But it has been taking a second to make the drive.
“The fastest speed I was going on the moped, like going downhill with the wind coming out me, I mean, I think I hit close to 60. So I'm like, that was fine on there when I could get up to that speed. Just the engine couldn't really do that. And this thing, the bike's a lot heavier, so I think it's going to feel a whole lot more stable,” Glubbey said.
The engine of the moped - which was the initial powerplant of the Pear Car - blew up, and now Glubbey has found a 650cc Kawasaki to replace it.
“At first it was kind of not so fun breaking down. It never is fun but I soon realized the people here are so helpful and people are kind and I love the music out here. I went on some nature hikes up the M Mountain and I was like, "Hey, what a good place to break down." Everybody keeps saying that but it's like, "Yeah, it is true."Perfect place to break down. I'm just glad it wasn't Iowa. No hate on Iowa but I'm just glad it's here instead of there,” Glubbey said.
