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Celebrity Drive: "Amazing Race" Host Phil Keoghan

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Quick Stats:Phil Keoghan host "Amazing Race"

Daily driver: 2012 Ford Focus (Phil's rating: 9 on a scale of 1 to 10)

Favorite road trip:Across America

Car he learned to drive in:1974 Toyota pickup

First car bought:1977 Toyota Corolla SR coupe

"Amazing Race" host Phil Keoghan wrote the book "No Opportunity Wasted" and has lived by that mantra after he was on one of his first TV shoots exploring a sunken cruise ship in New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds and became trapped, his scuba gear to run out of air. After that experience, he wrote a list of 100 things he wanted to do before he died.

Last weekend he crossed off another wish on the list -- the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity Race. Keoghan had a solid race, finishing fourth.

"This particular race has been on my list for a very, very long time. I never reached out to be a part of the race, they approached me. I was super happy when they did," he says. "It's something you want to be invited to do. I wouldn't be presumptuous enough to think they wanted to me. I certainly mentioned it to a few people. Every now and again if it ever came up, I'd say, 'Man, I hope one day I get asked to do that race' because I've heard from so many people how much fun it is. I feel honored that I've been asked."

"Awkward" actor Brett Davern, former Celeb Drive, won this year's race in the celebrity division. Keoghan was excited to be in Long Beach along with the other celebrities and pros. "I just can't believe that somebody is letting me have free reign with their car, to drive their car super fast," he laughs.

While Keoghan knew how to drive a car with a manual transmission from growing up in New Zealand, the driving skills taught by Danny McKeever and his Fastlane Racing School came in handy shortly after training.

"I came off one of my training weekends and I was in Australia. I was doing 70 mph on a descent on a highway and I was driving my in-law's car and the back rear tire blew up, literally blew up," he says. "The whole side wall blew and having done his driving course and just having training that weekend, my reflexes were super sharp. I was able to get myself out of trouble and steer the car off to the side and get out of trouble. It's all fun to be able to do this experience for the weekend, but the reality is that we actually get to take these skills and have them as life skills."

At home, Keoghan's daily driver (when he isn't on his bike) is a 2012 Ford Focus, which he rates a 9 out of 10. He enjoys the car's Active Park. "It's hard to fault as you get some much car for your dollar," he says. "Sync with MyFord Touch makes navigation and phone calls a breeze. I needed a machine that could be a workhorse for my cycling team. Very good on gas, a peppy motor and nice ergonomics throughout."

Keoghan sponsored a professional women's cycling team and this doubled as the team car. It's now used for his Los Angeles NOW amateur cycling team.

"I really don't drive that much, I probably drive about 3,000 to 4,000 miles a year and I ride a bicycle about 10,000," he says. "I will walk because I used to live in New York, so I'm very used to walking, so when I drive a car it's like a real experience for me. I don't do a lot of short little trips in cars, most of my trips are long trips or full on adventures."

Instead of short drives, he'll drive to Las Vegas or out to a bike race in Redlands or San Diego. "I love driving, but most of my driving is long distance driving. I think I get an allergic reaction to traffic, I get beads of sweat and I feel like I'm going to get a rash or something. Honestly, I cannot think of anything worse than sitting in traffic. If I'm going to drive a car, I like to drive the car, I don't like to sit in a parking lot in the car," he laughs. "I'm not a big fan of that."

He usually bikes or walks in Los Angeles. Despite the smog, Keoghan says air quality when he's biking around town isn't that bad. "Santa Monica is pretty clear and the city in Santa Monica has done a lot for bike paths now, they've made it a lot safer," he says. "The air quality is pretty good in Santa Monica."

Growing up in New Zealand and around the world, Keoghan learned how to drive a car with a manual transmission. "You had to know how to drive a stick to get a license, which is something that I believe, just because it's the only way to really truly control a car," he says.

When Keoghan was six, the family moved to the small Caribbean island of Antigua, where they lived for eight years. "My dad is a plant scientist, he's an agronomist, so he specializes in legumes and my mother's a music teacher so we traveled to many, many countries," he says. "I really got the love of travel and people from my parents and that's why I've always gravitated towards trying to find a job that allows me to travel."

When they moved to Antigua, his dad's work vehicle was a 1974 Toyota Pickup. "Whenever we headed onto the back roads he would let me sit on his lap to practice steering. By the time I was seven, I progressed to steering and shifting and then at age 10 and barely reaching the pedals, I started driving by myself," Keoghan says.

Keoghan eventually got his license when he was 15. "The best decision I ever did after getting my license was completing a defensive driving course, not only did it reduce my car insurance premium but it helped me really understand what it means to control a car," he says.

In the "Amazing Race" some contestants say they know how to drive a car with a stick shift, but when they are out on the road behind the steering wheel, they burn out the clutches, he says.

"I go back to the point that driving a stick is a life skill," he says. "It could save somebody's life to know how to drive a stick. I can't tell you the number of times travelling around the world as much as I do, where I've been able to use my skills of driving a stick to be able to jump behind the wheel of any number of different vehicles, whether it's a tractor, or a truck, I know how to double the clutch," he says. "You never know in life when you're going to have to be called upon to have to drive, to have to move a car because of some threatening situation, so I do believe , just like swimming to me is a life skill and CPR and first aid, I believe that driving is a life skill that we should arm our kids with."

Keoghan bought his first car when he was 18, a red 1977 Toyota Corolla SR coupe. "I had just got my first job in television working for Television New Zealand in Christchurch as a TV assistant. I remember my starting salary that year was $6,999 and with the car listed at $4,999. It was the first time I had ever had to take out a loan," Keoghan recalls.

"Driving off the lot I was excited and nervous at the same time. The previous owner had drilled holes in the air filter in an effort to maximize the power of the zippy 1200cc engine," he continues. "I remember the rev counter redlined at 7,000 rpm and at 60 mph it sat comfortably at 4,000 rpm in fourth gear. I upgraded the tires to maximize handling performance but unfortunately that left me with very little gas money, forcing me to ride a bike to work and saving my car for the weekends."

Keoghan is a huge fan of road trips and takes them when he can. "My parents bought a 1970 Volkswagen Westfalia, the one with the pop-up roof, it is perfectly appointed for 'on the road' adventures," he says. "We were living in Canada at the time, in a town called Guelph and that summer our family visited every national park in North America."

He recalls they drove "everywhere" around the country that summer. "My dad is a scientist, so he was pretty methodical in his method of getting us to every park," he laughs.

But road trips are truly unlike other types of vacations. "There's nothing like being on the road with people you love," he says. "The magical hum of the motor, the every changing landscape and the people you meet along the way. To me it's the best value for money adventure out there."

When taking road trips with loves ones, one can take a page from Keoghan on how to get the most out of the time spent in the car. In 2005 he drove across America with his dad for a national book tour for his new book "No Opportunity Wasted." The book is about doing the things you want to before you die. One of the things on his own list was to take a coast-to-coast drive with his dad across America.

"My wife's mother had just passed away so I remember thinking how important it was to ask my dad every question I would regret not asking him if it had been him that passed away," he says.

It was the first time he and his dad drove across America together since 1973. This time, father and son drove to 10 cities in 10 days and there was ample time for great conversation.

They took audio books along, but never ended up listening to any of them. "We just talked for 10 days straight, and it's hands down the best road trip I've ever been on in my life," he says.

Keoghan made it a point to ask his dad all the questions he wanted to, while he still could. "After about six hours driving on our first day I burst out laughing when my dad told me I was acting like Oprah after a couple cans of Red Bull," he says.

He asked any question that he felt he would regret if his dad had passed away and he hadn't asked it. "I never asked him how he truly felt about having kids or what he felt about regrets in his life or the best moments of his life," he says. "If I hadn't had that time, and it had been him that had passed away, I know that I would have just felt sick in my stomach. So I got it all out. I just went for it and it was great."

They also got a chance to understand each other's views on politics. They had some heated conversations and constructive conversations about their political beliefs and understanding of the world.

"I got to know him. I really got to know him," Keoghan says. "For 10 days we talked nonstop and upon reflection I realized I never had one on one time with my dad like that before."

Last summer his dad drove a support vehicle for him as he rode an 85 year old bike around France retracing the 1928 Tour de France for a film.

He often gives advice to others about getting the most out of the time one has with loved ones. "One of the things that I've always encouraged people to do, I did it with my grandparents, is take a video camera and set it up and sit down with them in a quiet place and talk to them for an hour. And just interview them, like they're on a 'This is Your Life. '"

Keoghan's favorite road trips are the ones he still hasn't taken. "Thankfully we are spoiled for choice," he says.

His dream road trip that he would like to one day cross off his list is in Europe. "I've driven all around France, I've driven all through Italy, but I would love to drive all the way through Europe, start over in Norway and make my way all the way around the Gulf of Bosnia, around Finland, drop down into Poland and cut right through the middle of Europe, maybe loop back around over the alps into Italy and then back through France and then back across to England again. Something like a really major European road trip."

Keoghan has a busy schedule travelling for work as well as his commitments to his cycling team, but he will find a way to do that major European road trip some time. "Part of my book is about trying to get paid to do the things you want to do, so maybe I'll find a way to get paid to make a travel show about that, or I'll find some way to do that.

With Keoghan's love of travel and people and adventure, it's apropos that he landed the job as host of the "Amazing Race."

"My book is all about opportunity and so I do believe in the saying that 'luck is the residue of design,' so I do believe that when you throw your hat into the ring to try new and different things, the things you want come to you," he says.

Since his book is about encouraging people to write things down on paper, some of the things that were on his list before he got the 'Amazing Race' job were - travel, meet people, and take on challenging experiences.

"If you look at the themes of my book like - test your limits, face your fear, break new ground, aim for the heart - all of these things are found in the 'Amazing Race' so it was complete and utter serendipity that I ended up on this show and there was a time when I was actually up to host 'Survivor' and I would have loved to have done that, but I do think 'Amazing Race' is closer to my personal philosophy," Keoghan says.

Jeff Probst, a former Celeb Drive, is of course is the person who did get the host gig of "Survivor."

Keoghan really believes in creating one's destiny. "I've always encouraged people to write down what they want to do as a first step to making things happen. It's about focus in life. It's about really honing in on the things that are important to you."

In addition to driving cross-country, Keoghan has also ridden his bicycle across America to help raise money and awareness for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

He first got involved with them in 2006 when he sponsored a local Santa Monica cycling team. Part of his team's mission was to raise money and take part in the Southern Californian Bike MS event.

"I started because I was asked to support the team and then I met people with MS and then fell in love with the organization and their mission," he says. "I've carried on my fundraising. One of the things on my 'No Opportunities Wasted' life was raise a million dollars in my lifetime for a charity."

He decided to work on that personal goal in 2009 and has since crossed that off his list, having achieved it.

"I thought the best way to generate media would be to jump on my bike and ride from the Santa Monica to New York - 3,500 miles working with local MS Chapters along the way," Keoghan says.

The ride took 40 days. He rode with a buddy and his dad drove the support vehicle. They started out in Los Angeles in Santa Monica, rode to their first stop of Victorville, Calif. and then ended up biking an average of 100 miles a day, all the way through to cities like Las Vegas, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C

"CBS helped me create a grassroots media campaign and by the time I completed my ride we had generated over $500,000 dollars."

Part of the success was also due to the daily video blogs that he posted each night. The video blogs were later cut into a full-length feature film, which they then screened around the country at Regal Theaters.

"Regal agreed to give away 100% of the box office and pretty soon we hit the $1 million dollar mark," Keoghan says. "The film was later picked up by Showtime (where it still airs). To keep the momentum going we then created a professional women's cycling team. In addition to winning races our pro athletes teamed up with people living with MS and together they would ride tandem bikes in Bike MS events across the country."

The NOW cycling team became the top team in 2013 riding for MS awareness, he says. His professional women's team ran for three years and now he has an amateur team of both men and women, which is focused around creating awareness and raising money for MS.

For more information please visit www.noopportunitywasted.com

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