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Telling Stories That Travel Books Ignore: The Adventures of Rob Pyles
By Jaclyn Tully
As a child, Rob Pyles spent his summers on the picturesque shores of Wellfleet, Cape Cod, an area where the edges of history and myth blend in a seamless garment that makes for an intriguing history. However, much to his dismay, young Pyles discovered that his knowledge of the tall tales and adventures of Wellfleet were missed by the many visitors who flocked to the quaint beach town. Growing up, he was determined to share Wellfleet’s history and legends with other people.
After graduating from Pepperdine in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in international studies, Pyles set out for a land less known. He found himself managing a small hotel in a remote area of Costa Rica, surfing on golden beaches and reading and absorbing the thoughts of some of his favorite writers such as Ayn Rand and Tolstoy.
Returning to the United States, Pyles finally acknowledged his desire to share the untold stories of Wellfleet with others. Working as a bartender at night, he dedicated his days to researching the project. Considering the project a labor of love, Pyles explained, “To me, history isn’t names and dates; rather, it is blood and passion, love and lust, heartbreak, hate, and betrayal, courage, fear, tears, and most of all, normal people who suddenly find themselves pitted against horrible odds. In a very real way, I wanted to resurrect the past, to bring it to life and make it accessible to people who wouldn’t otherwise experience it.” The effort culminated in Sailors, Whalers and Witches, a dramatized CD recording of the historical and legendary Wellfleet.
Pyles admits that he never really contemplated having a future creating travel CD’s, but now, with the success of the inaugural CD, he has discovered an untapped market for the stories behind popular tourist destinations.
His recently released second effort features a gripping tale on CD called The Legend of the Whydah, the true story of Samuel “Black” Bellamy, a sailor who wrecked his ship off a shore in Cape Cod. As in his first CD, Pyles includes a map of the major sites in the tales, introducing travelers to the stories that lie beneath the sand of their favorite Cape Cod beach.
Buoyed by the promise of success, Pyles, along with fiancée Juliet DeVries (Seaver College, 1999), is hoping to create a full-time business from his CD venture, planning to launch projects in three major US cities.
Currently, serving as the director of communications for the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce on Cape Cod, his dream is to one day walk into Barnes & Noble and see his thrilling historical dramatization CD tours of Cairo, Venice, Mexico City, Dublin, and other destinations among the more conventional travel books.
For more information on Rob Pyles, visit www.patrickfitzhugh.com/.
