Robert holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications/Journalism from Susquehanna University and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology from Bloomsburg University. While in college, he was a reporter, News Editor, and Editor-in-Chief for the college newspaper, The Crusader. He also worked as a reporter covering local news for the Selinsgrove Times-Tribune, a local weekly newspaper at the time.

After completing his Master’s Degree, he started a career in Instructional Technology as the District Technology Coordinator for the Lewisburg Area School District in Lewisburg, PA where he lived with his late wife, Roberta. For the next 26 years, he held various positions in Information Technology, working for educational institutions and distribution centers. He was most recently employed as the IT Supervisor for the Big Lots Distribution Center in Tremont, PA. He was laid off from Big Lots in January 2025 following the company filing for bankruptcy.

In October 2024 with the Big Lots bankruptcy pending, he bought a black Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van that , with his girlfriend Susan, he would convert into a permanent living space, following a desire to travel the country and it was time for a change! More about that decision here.

Robert and Susan traveled in their van for several months in 2025 while building it out. There are still some finishing touches to complete, but for the van is now fully functional. It has hot and cold running water, a queen size bed, a toilet, a propane range, built in cabinetry, an outdoor shower, and electrical outlets. While traveling in the van, Robert launched “The Cinder Way” to document the destinations and to return to his roots as a journalist. In December 2025, some health issues and a desire to have a permanent home led to finding an apartment in New York City. After all, traveling and living in a van full-time is hard work. But, why New York?

Robert grew up in New York City and his family still lives there. Susan grew up in northern New Jersey. Both had a fondness for the city. Additionally, the city would provide an endless list of opportunities for Robert and Susan to build upon their creative passions. Robert as a writer, Susan as an artist. They moved into an apartment on Roosevelt Island in March 2026, following an extensive and exhausting search.

Robert enjoys learning about the history of places he travels and has a love of railroads. He was born in Oxford, England and the love of trains, perhaps, stems from, as a little boy, watching the London Underground trains near North Ealing station, where his maternal grandmother lived. That was also part of the decision to move to New York, rather than other cities in the United States. There really isn’t any need to own a car in New York because, unlike many American cities, there is good public transportation.

Not long before moving to New York, Robert began reading The Power Broker by Robert Caro, a biography about the rise and fall of Robert Moses. While reading it, the inspiration came to relaunch The Cinder Way as a travel blog focusing on neighborhoods and public transportation in and around New York City.

Robert and Susan both still have the travel itch. They hope to be able to keep thier van as there are so many places in North America that we want to visit. Regardless of whether they keep the van, they plan to travel as much as possible.