SIDELINES //
The Underground World of Real Life Vagabonds
by Mike Richard
Years ago, over drinks one night, my clean-cut yuppie roommate turned to me and said: “F**k it. We should just quit our jobs and ride the rails around the U.S.”
He was rarely serious about such ludicrous, idealistic off-the-cuff comments. But the sincerity in his voice told me that if I was on board (so to speak), we’d leave tomorrow.
We were both 22 years old and it was one of those ideas that, at the time, made sense and seemed without real consequence. But I told him he was nuts and we both raised our beers and got up the next day for our morning return to cubicle hell. Part of me wondered: do people really still do that? I pictured Boxcar Willie in stained corduroys, a tattered wide-brimmed hat, and the requisite bottle of Old Granddad.
As it turns out, the vagabond lifestyle is alive and well.
This intriguing, heartbreaking and poignant photo essay tells the tale. (Warning: contains some graphic photos)
All photos © Ziza.es
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About the Author
Vagabondish editor, Mike Richard, lives in Rhode Island - a spit of land in the northeastern U.S. He is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats, small, declarative sentences and speaking in the third person.
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October 22nd, 2007
They can’t be for real, those have to be models for some high fashion designer. Please say it ain’t so.
October 22nd, 2007
You would think so, Debo. It certainly looks that way.
But I’m afraid it’s the real deal.
October 22nd, 2007
I too have always wondered whether people actually still hopped trains, and I was really enjoying the set – then the last shot killed it for me.
Seriously, a f*cking possum?! They’re going to eat a possum?!?!
October 22nd, 2007
Hey next time warn us about blood and guts! Eeew!
October 24th, 2007
Sorry about the graphic content, all. I’ve added a disclaimer to the original post.
October 24th, 2007
[...] Vagabondish. And btw, if you haven’t read Vagabondish, you should. Especially if you love the more [...]
October 26th, 2007
I hang out with train hoppers and squatters at times.. but they’re usually crust-punks. The kids in these pictures look like gypsies lol
March 16th, 2008
ive been thru the mill. train hopping myself for 10 yrs. “hopper” was known by, bridgeport, ct. spent most of my misery in new orleans. that was my bi-polar without meds journey. yes, its real. very real. gutterpunks, runaways, vagabonds, whatever u callem. its just a way of life thats been around as long as the freight train.
April 13th, 2008
Hello All,
I have been back and forth to Richmond,VA and am by no means a hopper. Whenever I am on Carey St. in Richmond. I see a group of these “Hoppers” and most times I hand them a few bucks. I became curious and found this site and others with the same photo essay. Does anyone know who took the photos and where they were taken . One of the guys in the set was in Richmond this weekend. There should be more about these modern day vagabonds. They seem like very interesting people. Maybe a little on the edge but it seems like that is what life’s about, especially that particular life style.
July 18th, 2008
is hoppin still possible
August 3rd, 2008
Of course it is.
The thing is is that you have to be very discreet and not ruin it for other hoppers.
Once you hop….you’ll never stop
August 5th, 2008
the photographer is the polaroid kidd. mike brodie is his real name
August 17th, 2008
Hey, these guys are just surviving, you might think it strange but its just another lifestyle different from the large group, and I respect them for the decisions.
November 27th, 2008
best lifestyle in the world.
March 12th, 2009
I’m finally picking up and going nomadic/vagabond myself. Maybe I’ll run into some of these folks one day, who knows?
For all the nay-sayers:
Get over yourselves. They’re not forcing you to live like this. For some it’s a conscious choice, for others it’s merely the best/only option available.
Live and let live.
March 22nd, 2009
This seems as though these were once privileged kids who decided to try hoboing it for a while. Indications being the nice guitar, the pots, and some expensive attire despite the fact that it is covered in filth. I can understand the curiosity but don’t understand the shack as the whole point of hoboing is to have no ties and to be one place one day and another the next.
March 22nd, 2009
And someone has a nice camera.
April 7th, 2009
daniel you don’t get it and never will.
May 22nd, 2009
hope you all learn how to hit a bn hotshot on the fly ive been ridin 25 years it gets in youre blood be careful dont try to hop the silver bullet its no fun ha possum alias critter
May 22nd, 2009
i admire everyone that hops trains,
id like to try it someday i think but i havent really decided.
i hangout with trainhoppers and street kids sometimes,
and they’re my favorite people to be around.
they have the best stories and you can tell they are happy about what they do.
It seems addicting and for some reason i find myself attracted to these people.
if i could surround myself with them all the time i definately would.
(:
May 26th, 2009
I know that train hopping is commonly associated with being a vagabond. But it is much more than that. A vagabond is a drifter, someone who travels a lot by any means-hitch hiking, walking, biking, caravan/rv and of coarse train hopping. We are artists, musicians, and even just aimless wanderers who live on the fringe of society doing what ever comes our way. A Vagabond has no job or anything to tie them down, we live in the moment and are ready to travel at a moments notice. Adventure is our life and enjoying the journey is the purpose. Cheers everyone – to Life
June 2nd, 2009
I have been vagabonding around the country for a while hopping trains and hitchhicking… it has been amazing and I would highly recommend it. Just go with poeple who have been doing it and road dog it with them
June 30th, 2009
i ranaway very young from the USA. spent years on the streets. eventually broke away from the people that sold me.
i met other street kids, i found it easier to survive on my own.
made it to the east coast …. for about 4- 5 times.. lost count, went everywhere.
i stayed with the rainbow tribe for awhile, lived out of a purple school bus, did alot of LSD.
i got into hopping trains and hopped from St. Lawrence Kansas and ended up in Regina Saskatchewan Canada.
Now im a Canadian citizen in the Northwest Territtories and i may go to Nunavut this July.
July 2nd, 2009
I hitchhiked across country with a dog and guitar. Met so many interesting people. I even met a rodeo cowboy who hitchhike from Canada to Dallas every year. I lost my stero-type thinking and found myself. I also hopped the freights. It was great–sometimes scary but so is driving freeways. From these experiences I wrote a book and it has been published. If interested email me at jeromep21303@yahoo.com. It’s in the journey.
July 30th, 2009
Yeah its real you fucks!!!!!!!!!
“Gutter punk Rock n’ Roll” I wrote the song
August 10th, 2009
i love this
i live in a very popular
street kid town
its the portland of the south
asheville NC
New kids come every summer
many of them just left last week
and its hard spending all summer with such interesting unique individuals only for them to leave
some come back next year
and some i’ve never seen again
keep wandering kids
lost colony!
August 11th, 2009
But what about lack of showers? Oral hygiene? Hunger? The cold? Man, what a tough life it must be at times.
August 11th, 2009
Yeah and the bugs down in San Fran. really suck!!! You should try them sometime
September 9th, 2009
i think this would be a good psychological experience. understanding what its like to have nothing but fleeting friendships that parallel this impermanent existence.
however–
this type of lifestyle is extremely unhealthy. what is one to do if they develop cancer and tumors. am i being naive? are they to be left behind like a sick wolf? to suffer and die in the forest or may i say train yard?
September 30th, 2009
Dudeeee streeetkids hit me up on myspace.(:
http://www.myspace.com/amber_hinkle
October 30th, 2009
Hey everyone, I’m thinking about wandering around for a couple years next fall. I’m sure it’ll be tough, and I don’t really know what I’m getting into. But I suppose that’s the way it is. I just want to go. my main concern is that I plan on taking my guitar, and I plan on going alone. I was just wondering how I could not get my guitar stolen when I’m sleeping. Any advice would help. Thanks.
October 30th, 2009
Hey Josh, I’ve hitched myself with a guitar and I’m telling you it ain’t easy. However in answer to your question what I would suggest is to sleep in areas where there isn’t a lot of people. If that isn’t going to work then consider tucking it in with you at night. You could also tie a rope from you to the instrument. Conceal the rope of course. Hope these suggestions help and good luck. If you don’t mind carrying a bit more baggage take along a tape recorder. You never know what the creative juices might conjure up. Hope these suggestions help. Good luck. thumbflagging.blogspot.com jeromep21303@yahoo.com
October 30th, 2009
Those ideas were something along the lines of what I was thinking. But I hadn’t thought of tucking it in at night. Thanks alot for the suggestions.
November 14th, 2009
This type of thing is the future–unhealthy, exciting, interesting, nowhere else to go, not chosen, just accepted, not new; but when you got no job and no hope, you’re stuck.
November 15th, 2009
dont bring your guitar, you’ll end up pawning it for crack rock. if you see a white truck driving around the train yard. flag them down, they’ll give you great information on where the trains are going and where you can hide. also make sure you wear the lightest colored clothes you have so you are visable for the train conductors at night. safe travels!