Photos by Cody Smart
November 29, 2007 8:31 AM Subscribe
Ouch. Sorry to see that New Orleans killed his trip.
posted by ColdChef at 8:37 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by ColdChef at 8:37 AM on November 29, 2007
If his camera gear was stolen, how did the pictures make it to the Web?
posted by SemioticRobotic at 8:45 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by SemioticRobotic at 8:45 AM on November 29, 2007
I'm hoping that this hitchhiking person doesn't bear any kind of resemblance to Rutger Hauer...
posted by miss lynnster at 8:47 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 8:47 AM on November 29, 2007
This is awesome. But I wish there was more explanation for more of the pictures.
Actually, no I don't, because I wouldn't read it. But I'd still like to know. I guess I'll have to hitch across America myself.
posted by DU at 8:49 AM on November 29, 2007
Actually, no I don't, because I wouldn't read it. But I'd still like to know. I guess I'll have to hitch across America myself.
posted by DU at 8:49 AM on November 29, 2007
Great website.
His faces section reminds me of Richard Avedon's In The American West.
posted by ericb at 8:51 AM on November 29, 2007
His faces section reminds me of Richard Avedon's In The American West.
posted by ericb at 8:51 AM on November 29, 2007
This is beautiful, thanks.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:54 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:54 AM on November 29, 2007
If his camera gear was stolen, how did the pictures make it to the Web?
Film, I assume. Or maybe he was uploading digital pics from libraries.
posted by DU at 8:58 AM on November 29, 2007
Film, I assume. Or maybe he was uploading digital pics from libraries.
posted by DU at 8:58 AM on November 29, 2007
Excellent. Thanks for this, dobbs!
posted by damnthesehumanhands at 9:01 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by damnthesehumanhands at 9:01 AM on November 29, 2007
IF(gas>0) OR IF(grass>0) OR IF(ass>0) THEN (Ride for free)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:17 AM on November 29, 2007 [5 favorites]
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:17 AM on November 29, 2007 [5 favorites]
Very nice, I'd pick him up and carry him down the road anytime he wants, I would give him a very stern lecture along the way about not using that horrible handwriting font for his little notes though.
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:23 AM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:23 AM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
excellent. this is why i love metafilter.
posted by rooftop secrets at 9:30 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by rooftop secrets at 9:30 AM on November 29, 2007
This is great. Though now I worry that when I pick-up hitchhikers they are only waiting for me to pee on my big rig.
posted by unknowncommand at 9:34 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by unknowncommand at 9:34 AM on November 29, 2007
I am not that brave or I would totally do this. Young turks eternal. Sorry to read he had to go through Bakersfield., but it looks like he also got to hit Big Sur. W00t.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:53 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:53 AM on November 29, 2007
I used to hitchhike everywhere when I lived in British Columbia - not that that's as ballsy as what this guy did. Hitchhiking is still relatively common in the interior.
Anyway, just wanted to mention that I liked it how people warned him he would be raped, robbed, etc. No kidding. I'd say one out of every... 15 or so rides was sketchy and regrettable.
At the same time, eventually you learn to eyeball what might potentially be a bad ride. And, as awkward as it may make you feel to say no to someone offering you, hitchhiker, a free ride, you learn to trust your instincts.
Point was though, it was totally worth it. It's an awesome way to meet really crazy people just once, and hear their wildest stories.
posted by Alex404 at 10:03 AM on November 29, 2007
Anyway, just wanted to mention that I liked it how people warned him he would be raped, robbed, etc. No kidding. I'd say one out of every... 15 or so rides was sketchy and regrettable.
At the same time, eventually you learn to eyeball what might potentially be a bad ride. And, as awkward as it may make you feel to say no to someone offering you, hitchhiker, a free ride, you learn to trust your instincts.
Point was though, it was totally worth it. It's an awesome way to meet really crazy people just once, and hear their wildest stories.
posted by Alex404 at 10:03 AM on November 29, 2007
I just did three weeks hitching from Portland, Oregon to NYC. I'm still alive. But my pictures are nowhere near that good.
posted by iamck at 10:21 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by iamck at 10:21 AM on November 29, 2007
I started hitching long distance in college from Vermont to North Carolina and back during breaks. I hitched across country twice, in 1993 and 2003. Like the subject of this post, I had many people warn me that I was asking for trouble. And yet I met some of the nicest people that way: folks who took me far out of their way, put me up for a night, bought me dinner, and gave me money. One fellow who did all of the above noticed me thumbing through his copy of Watership Down before I went to sleep, and gifted it to me the following morning; I later found a $20 tucked into it.
The only time I was ever at all worried was on a trek from NY to Detroit through Canada. The guy asked me to drive, then took some sort of "medication" before he began to flip out. First he began seeing things fly out of the car (despite all windows being rolled up), then he dropped the dash lighter by my feet and went after it vigorously. Finally he took out his map and stared at it; then turned it upside down and stared at it some more; then began to shred it lengthwise, giggling. This is when I yelled that he'd better calm the fuck down or I'd make him wish he had (here's to false bravado), and turned on the radio. Seemed to work. He later dropped me in a really ugly section of Detroit, where I sat glumly watching the sun set until some police arrived to escort me somewhere safer. I've never been more happy to see cops, and that's but one reason I don't hate 'em all.
I highly advise hitchhiking as a great way to meet some funky people, tell some stories (you can be whoever you want!), and see the country, or at least what a strip-mall most of it has sadly become. Wish I'd had a camera like this person did, though I do still have my journals. Which the border police can legally read, making me really glad I didn't have anything on me I shouldn't've.
posted by waraw at 1:05 PM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
The only time I was ever at all worried was on a trek from NY to Detroit through Canada. The guy asked me to drive, then took some sort of "medication" before he began to flip out. First he began seeing things fly out of the car (despite all windows being rolled up), then he dropped the dash lighter by my feet and went after it vigorously. Finally he took out his map and stared at it; then turned it upside down and stared at it some more; then began to shred it lengthwise, giggling. This is when I yelled that he'd better calm the fuck down or I'd make him wish he had (here's to false bravado), and turned on the radio. Seemed to work. He later dropped me in a really ugly section of Detroit, where I sat glumly watching the sun set until some police arrived to escort me somewhere safer. I've never been more happy to see cops, and that's but one reason I don't hate 'em all.
I highly advise hitchhiking as a great way to meet some funky people, tell some stories (you can be whoever you want!), and see the country, or at least what a strip-mall most of it has sadly become. Wish I'd had a camera like this person did, though I do still have my journals. Which the border police can legally read, making me really glad I didn't have anything on me I shouldn't've.
posted by waraw at 1:05 PM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]
Fantastic post, the pictures were outstanding. Fascinating glimpse of America.
posted by Acey at 1:20 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by Acey at 1:20 PM on November 29, 2007
I used to pick up hitchhikers all the time. Some of them I even let live.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 1:57 PM on November 29, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 1:57 PM on November 29, 2007 [2 favorites]
I love this country. Goddamn.
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:02 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:02 PM on November 29, 2007
I just went through the website again. Damn. Alaska sure is beautiful! I gotta make it there sometime.
posted by ericb at 2:42 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by ericb at 2:42 PM on November 29, 2007
sometime... b4udie.
ericb, it's 100% worth it. Breathtaking.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 4:57 PM on November 29, 2007
ericb, it's 100% worth it. Breathtaking.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 4:57 PM on November 29, 2007
Great stuff, thanks for posting it Dobbs. Hopefully the guy (Cody) will notice this thread and become a MeFite, and give us all some more stories!
posted by cell divide at 5:25 PM on November 29, 2007
posted by cell divide at 5:25 PM on November 29, 2007
Really great set. Did anyone notice anywhere what equipment he was using? Judging by his blog (accessible from the main site), he does at least some work in film.
Thanks, Dobbs!
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:02 PM on November 29, 2007
Thanks, Dobbs!
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:02 PM on November 29, 2007
Thanks for the post. Like Ladies, I Sure Do... etc., I love hitching. It used to be my main way of getting around when I was young and (even more) impoverished. Most of those who picked me up had either hitched themselves, or had kids who did.
Of course, in the UK, we don't have anything like the epic journeys (or black bears running across the road) that the US has to offer. I did once see a pair of red kites on a mountain in Wales though as we chugged up the road in an old VW Beetle. Sadly, I don't seem to see so many hitchers on the roads these days.
posted by Myeral at 4:41 AM on November 30, 2007
Of course, in the UK, we don't have anything like the epic journeys (or black bears running across the road) that the US has to offer. I did once see a pair of red kites on a mountain in Wales though as we chugged up the road in an old VW Beetle. Sadly, I don't seem to see so many hitchers on the roads these days.
posted by Myeral at 4:41 AM on November 30, 2007
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posted by CitrusFreak12 at 8:35 AM on November 29, 2007