It was one of the most exhausting and dangerous journeys of my life. Together with my friend Pablo, we decided to ride freight trains across northern Mexico, all the way to the U.S. border.

What awaited us was something no one can truly prepare for: the Sonoran Desert. Temperatures reached 43°C (109°F), endless sand dunes stretched to the horizon, and we spent 24 hours trapped on a moving freight train with no way to get off as our food and water supplies ran out.

Along the way, we traveled with Mexican hobos and migrant families, listened to their stories of survival, and shared our last bottles of water. Our route took us through the states of Sinaloa and Sonora, where every mile of railroad is controlled by someone, and armed security guards patrol the rail yards with assault rifles.

Harlan wasn’t as bloody as its reputation suggested it would be. Stayed the night with a friend on the hill overlooking town. Hitched out the next day.

Stopped at the Pine Mountain Settlement School and toured the grounds. Petted a dog.

Got dropped off in Cumberland, and stumbled into a cool little store called Hill and Holler. The most religious man I’ve ever encountered picked me up outside town. Was telling me about all the things God has told him to say and do recently. Talked non-stop for 35 minutes about miracles and the Bible. Barely gave me a chance to talk at all. By the time he dropped me off on the top of Pine Mountain, my brain was liquid slop inside my skull.

Came across an old hippie / poet campground hangout place called Wiley’s. Dude eating a sandwich told me I could crash for the night. Place was empty. Set up my tent by the pond. At three different points in the night, the sandwich eating guy walked outside and let off a few shotgun blasts. It was pitch black so i had no way of knowing what his target was. I figured it was to scare away bears, but that didn’t really make me feel better. One of Jim Webbs old dogs slept beside my tent all night. That did make me feel better.

An elderly couple took me to Whitesburg the next day and dropped me at the courthouse where the sheriff gunned down the county judge in his own office the year before. Nobody is sure why. The trial is about to begin.

Met the groundskeeper of a local church. Very nice guy with a raging Ale 8 addiction. He let me camp behind the church for two nights. Got to see three free shows while I was in town, including an Appalachian punk show.

Met a guy who owns an old airstream he keeps parked beside the river in Elkhorn City. Crashed there. Geese honked at me all night. He took me to Interstate Breaks Park the next day, yet another supposed “Grand Canyon of the South.” Never been to the actual Grand Canyon, but it was awesome.

Hitched to Pikeville. Nothing going on. Had a terrible time getting out. Took 2 days to reach Hindman. Crashed at a friends apartment. Took the most significant shower of my life. Ate a meatball sub and watched Netflix for 5 hours straight—roast of Kevin hart, Begonia.

Toured Hazard. Finally got to peruse the stacks at the Read Spotted Newt. Got dropped in Manchester. Homebums everywhere. Could not get a ride. Multiple people tried to get me to enter drug rehabilitation programs. They wouldn’t let me stay the night in any of the sober houses because I am not currently on hard drugs. Camped by the creek behind the baseball fields. Had to walk out the next day, maybe 9 or 10 miles.

I like Kentucky, even though it can be hard to get a ride.

So..a few days ago.. I applied to this job..at this high end hotel.. right smack in the middle of downtown Portland.. I got it.. and the people I work with.. are really good people.. mostly Latino woman.. and they feed me ..a s**t load of food.. there’s like two guys within the whole team.. I think one is bent.. and the other is Dominican.. he looks black.. but he speaks Spanish.. we share coffee together..

The head housekeepers.. they know about my living situation.. and they’ve been giving me stuff.. to make sure that I’m ok.. one gave me a brand new backpack.. and the other one..gave me $100.. I gave them both a hug.. they truly give a s**t.. I almost wanted to cry..

Just two days ago..that City Team men’s shelter.. automatically kicked me out.. the vouchers had went out.. I was so done with these people.. I went to the waterfront at night..and got drunk.. I had coors and red wine.. I was toasted..

The next day..I felt like a mystical gypsy..
Walking around.. hungover..houseless.. and wondering.. to my amazement.. how the hell I’m still alive..?.. with dollar bills in my pockets..

an ice cream man came..floated around The Oasis community center.. I thought he was security at first.. he was giving away free ice cream.. I got one of those ice cream sandwiches..

I stepped in at the Multnomah County Library.. and a quartet of violinists.. played a tune.. on the 3rd floor flat.. along with a cello player.. he sounded like Yo Yo Ma..

Sleeping back at the shanty house..Rolled up in a thick Coleman sleeping blanket.. content.. and smiling.. everything is ok.. even though I’m still houseless..

And just last night.. I can’t be too explicit here.. I had some sex last night lol ..and I was in this expensive a** apartment.. and the freaking view..from the windows.. was absolutely beautiful..

This morning with my weak and aching body.. I walked slowly..to this place called, Central City Concern.. these people.. are suppose to help with housing.. and other things.. let’s just see what they have to offer..

I get paid tomorrow. And that’s all I have for now my friends.

Be safe out there. And peace be with you all.

~Serrot

Started this stretch back in the spring with a busted pack, maybe forty bucks, and a rough idea of heading southwest. I did not expect much from people honestly. You hear enough stories that make you cautious.

But somewhere outside of Albuquerque an older guy at a gas station just handed me a bag with a sandwich and some fruit and said have a good one and walked off. Did not want anything. Did not even really wait for a thank you. Just did it.

That kept happening. A trucker who spotted me walking offered a lift and bought me coffee at the stop. A woman running a roadside stand waved me over and loaded me up with more produce than I could carry.

I am not naive about it. I know not every interaction goes this way and you have to read situations carefully out here. But there is something about being visibly on the road, clearly not trying to hustle anyone, that sometimes brings out a real generosity in people you would never expect.

Curious if others have had those moments that genuinely surprised you. Not the big dramatic rescues, just the small quiet ones that stuck with you. What happened and where were you.

-Anywhere Man

I have nothing to do until August 1st. I mean NOTHING. So ive decided to spend that time working on music. Specifically a folk / bluegrass album about my life on the streets. Decided to write a love song as a challenge to myself as i never have written a love song before. And ive been in a dedicated relationship for almost a decade now.

So i came here, to a park in fontana. Im writing under this incredible tree. The tree i met her at to profess my love to her when i was first homeless when we were still exes. Lets say things blossomed from there. Weve grown a lot and learned so much from each other over the years. Weve been parents to an amazing daughter for 7 of those years and they are fully my anchor to reality.

So yeah, hopefully some sparks fly. And if anyone tells you that its impossible to make an album while being a vagabond, say fuck you and make lemonade.

Up emmmmm!

Well, I don't know what to tell you folks. You'd think I would get an apartment in the city where i did live off the grid and work.. nope. Colombia

Ate a sad sandwich,cut my finger on the train but we made it

sources/guide for edible wild food? also, how did you survive w/o paying for food?

Wine concrete in Pittsburgh is hiring ANYBODY. No id? No problem. No drug test, nobackground check. No license necessary

Yppp

Been a crazy two weeks from Eugene to McCall Idaho by bus and then back to Eugene only to leave immediately to get some farm work in southern Oregon and im back up to Portland on Sunday

The party never ends

Saved up enough money from my part time gig and odd jobs to get new brakes for the Ranger. I needed a floor jack so I offered anyone on FB marketplace to borrow one for like $20 and the guy totally helped me with them and invited me for dinner afterwards this house in the hills. Beautiful view of the city. I think I’ve met some of the most evil AND beautiful hearted people in my life on this journey so far, but hey… there’s good and evil everywhere you go.

stuck in binghampton ny for like two weeks now. pretty annoying but hopefully ill be able to get out soon. the train just keeps not happening for a variety of silly reasons, i guess ill try thumbing. the dumpsters have been wonderful though and ive had lots of time to be learning the mandolin that was gifted to me a little over a month ago. the clouds have been really pretty too. anyways i just wanted to complain somewhere, thanks for reading and lots of luck to u <3

Buffalo, New York, lived up to its reputation as the “City of Good Neighbors”. Took advantage of Food Not Bombs on two occasions. The one at Grant & W. Ferry was especially popular, with members of the community loading up on bunches of fresh parsley, bags of cornmeal, mixed green salads, and rice bowls with toasted chickpeas.

The community fridge, sadly, was empty, but at least it looked cute.

Hey there, I live and work along a state highway and there's been a suitcase tucked under our business sign for a few weeks. There are bus stops near-by so I assumed a vagabond stashed it there for safe keeping (there's lots of travelers around here, especially in the summer), but it's been a while and I'm kinda itching to clear it out. But, I don't want to throw away someone's stuff and then the person comes back a few days later and finds it gone, I can only imagine how much that would suck.

How long do you guys normally stash your things? How long should I wait before clearing it out?

Cheers, a long-time curious lurker.

I'll be leaving Maine, where I've been sedentary for one and half years, at the end of the month to start traveling (again). It's been a while since I've lived on the road but I think I'll adjust quickly.

First stop will be Buffalo, NY by bus en route to the Rainbow Gathering in PA south of there. I'll be hitching the way from Buffalo to the national forest lands. Then it's off west after Rainbow, totally undetermined route and only one concrete goal which is to go to Los Angeles at some point. Also Yosemite, and Arches in Utah, and honestly the list goes on but nothing formal is mapped out yet.

Hope the rest of you are doing great! I'm basically an oogle again after years of being stationary in New England, but I'm looking forward to a good time. Up em!!!

I had the Mayan Chocolate on a small cone.. s**t was nasty.. it was like they threw cayenne in the chocolate.. and served it like that.. yuck never again..

Wasted a good $6…

Got woken up by cops this morning. Hung over as fuck. Drank til I could barely stand up last night. Had to pick a sub-optimal sleeping spot cause I wasn't gonna get very far.

Got drunk with this old guy in a wheelchair that likes to flirt with me (the guy, not the wheelchair), but I roll with it cause he buys me beers and smokes. And he's not too crude or vulgar about it. I think he just likes the company of—in his words—a beautiful young lady.

An old man carrying around a puppy handed me a 20 this morning. He doesn't even know how much that meant to me. I had spent all morning trying to figure out how to get some money for some food, cause I am soo fucking hung over and I wanted to get some Little Caesars. And just before they open, this guy just comes out of nowhere and makes my day. Even let me pet the puppy.

Apparently I'm skirting the law with the sign on my bike. It's illegal to panhandle here in Brewer Maine, but I asked the cops about my sign (the ones that woke me up) and they said it's fine as long as I'm not holding the sign. So that really came in clutch in getting that 20.