About Me

Profile

About: My name is Dominic Beck. I was born in the Woodlands, TX, which I have been told is ‘fake Houston’ by natives of so-called ‘real Houston’. My parents are both teachers and I am studying history and philosophy so that I may become an educator myself, one day. On campus, I am a member of the Tejas Club, a Texas Sweethearts Beau, and an officer with Student Endowed Centennial Lectureship. I channel my creative energy through my writing with The Texas Travesty, UT’s funniest (and only) satire magazine.

Because I live in a small, third-story West Campus apartment, I have no pets. I would like to adopt a dog one day and I could probably be persuaded to take care of a cat, but litter boxes freak me out.
I read as often as I can—Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite—and while I drive or exercise I listen to Stephen King audiobooks. Right now, I am listening to the Dark Tower series. My music of choice is 60s and 70s rock, which is one part of the reason my friends say I cannot be trusted with the aux. From my family, I get my love of movies, board games, and road trips.

When I found out that I would be a rider with Texas 4000 for the 2022 summer, I was overjoyed. I cannot wait to spread the message of hope, knowledge, and charity all the way to Alaska. If cancer has impacted your life, it would be my honor to ride for you or your loved one. Contact me at 938-827-3545 or dominicbeck00@gmail.com to learn more about me and my journey.

Why I Ride

Dave “DQ” Garton Jr. is my uncle, of sorts. Through a bizarre connection involving my mother’s American family (she’s Slovak), a marriage of a Beck and a Garton, and many summers spent at an idyllic Wisconsin lake which is the homeland of the Gartons, I have come to know DQ well.

Nicknamed ‘DQ’ to make life as a ‘junior’ in a household of eight a little easier, DQ is an 80 year-old badass who splits time between Vail, CO and Elkhart Lake, WI. He's a talented businessman who found Rocky-Mountain success as both a real estate developer and bar owner, but you’d never know it just by looking at him. He wears swimsuits and tank tops, even when he isn’t going swimming. Every day, he wakes up at dawn to run stairs, lift weights, swim, canoe, and/or play pickleball before most people have gotten their first cup of coffee. He drives everywhere in an RV that looks like Uncle Eddies’ from Christmas Vacation so that his dog, Duke, can come with him.

DQ is remarkable; whip-smart, with an Ivy education and years of wisdom under his belt. He is a certified boat captain, dive master, and a damn good golfer. He can air-chair and makes a fine drink at his bar down by the lake. No one is like DQ.

One iconic DQism is his constant consumption of mayonnaise. He eats it with literally everything, whipping out portable mayo bottles at restaurants like Buddy the Elf with maple syrup. He is also an ice cream fanatic to the point that his wife Sande, his better and more responsible half, stops him from eating it for breakfast. However, these dietary oddities are not just DQ antics. He loves mayonnaise and ice cream because he has had throat cancer and cannot swallow correctly anymore.

I don’t remember DQ before he was affected by disease. In fact, I hardly think about it when I’m with him, but that is more a testament to his strength of character than anything else. He lived through both throat and prostate cancer. Millions of people, some of whom will be riding with me in 2022, have lost someone to cancer. It is an awful thing to lose someone you love. Nothing about what DQ Garton went through is lucky, but I am grateful that cancer spared such an amazing ass-kicking, water-skiing, brat-cooking, guy.

When I ride to Alaska, I ride to help make sure that the DQs of the world can keep on beating this disease. I ride for my other relatives-of-a-sort including Kirk Scanlon, Tim Garton, Gary Beck, Joe Garton, and my friends and family who have fought cancer or know someone who has. In the spirit of all of those who live fantastically, I hope to spread hope, knowledge, and charity all the way to Alaska and back.