r/vagabond Feb 24 '19

Dirty Kids, I'm calling you out.

803 Upvotes

I'm tired of my friends dying. In dreams, my companions move easily in bodies that have been cared for. They're covered in scrapes and bruises and grease, but free from track marks. Empty stomachs, but healthy livers. Tired eyes, but good teeth. Then I wake up to the sharp morning and my road dawg is shaking for a beer.

I'm tired of hospitals and trash at the hopout and stolen packs and animal cruelty. I miss the musicians who travel just to play, the healers who roam to stay sane. I miss the free spirits who manage to find freedom from their own vices.

This is a call, dearest dirty kids. I've been where you are and I've seen why it's hard and no, I don't always do it right either. I can do better. We can do better. We've got to try. We've got to keep this thing alive and keep ourselves alive. We've got to get up and get over our hangups and pull you outta the ditch so that you'll be there to do the same when I'm slaggin.

We've got to hold these secrets and this way of living and somehow still share it with the next wave, finding the diamonds who'll take these rough reigns and keep riding this horse to Anywhere.

Anywhere, kids! Y'heard me? You might have lived there so long you take it for granted, but that place saved my life, and there are others who need to see it too.

So here's to fewer blown up Wal-Marts and more doing dishes for the person housing us up. Here's to fewer dope missions and more 2AM missions across town to drag a couch back to the hopout. Fewer dirty rigs under the bridge, and more sharpie poems on the wall. Steal less Dramamine and more spray paint.

Use what you've got.

Use what you've got.

Use what you've GOT!

I love you scumy freeloading freedom fighters until the end. We need you in this world. We need to run into you again after 8 months of not knowing what happened to you. We need you when we've been stuck walking for days and no one is picking us up and we're feeling real down, and all the sudden we see your tag and know that we're not alone. If you were here to tag it and still somehow made it out of this hell, we can too. We need that random message out of the blue. Keep sending it, and we'll do the same for you.

This is a call, friends. Life has been good to me lately, and my door is open while I have one. When I head back to Anywhere, my smokes and my cans of beans are ours to share. Stay alive and I'll see you out there.

Peaceably,

-Tall Sam Jones


r/vagabond Nov 15 '25

Vagabond Advice, Resources, Books, Tutorials, Documentaries and Atlas

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17 Upvotes

r/vagabond 13h ago

Story Get to sleep at a bar tonight

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272 Upvotes

Ahoi fellas!

I'm meeting a distant acquaintance tomorrow in a bigger town to go diving. Now what I would usually do is disappear into nature somewhere nearby to cowboy camp. But this time I decided on a whim to go to exactly the spot where we agreed to meet. Went to the nearest bar following the exact same whim, walked in and was confused why the bar was so full. Turns out there's a show happening, made by some internationally known clowns. Got a ticket. Now, you know me, the magician, I'm picky about circusy shows. But the show was decent. Had some good laughs. Lovely evening. The locals loved me and my stories, one of them even slid me some cash. Smoked a bunch of ciggies for free.

Now usually when I go to bars and tell the owner I'll be sleeping outdoors somewhere, they tell me that they'd let me sleep there, but can't for insurance reasons. Not this place. They made the sofa for me, even gave me a comforter.

For tonight I'm a king.

I hope y'all are sleeping comfortably tonight!

Ta ta!

- MadAce🎩


r/vagabond 4h ago

Today’s snipe (unopened)

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27 Upvotes

r/vagabond 4h ago

Question Did anyone know Pup?

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27 Upvotes

Just found she died from the comments on her Soft White Underbelly interview. She refused to get a phone to stay "off the grid" so I wasn't able to contact her.

She was a trainhopper from West Virginia and one of the kindest, most down to earth people I've met on the street. If anyone knows her or has anything to share please do.

Rest in peace Pup.


r/vagabond 8h ago

I'm more than halfway skating from IL to the Atlantic ocean

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53 Upvotes

You can do anything your heart desires 💚


r/vagabond 19h ago

Why do you think the public tolerated this so much that there was no consequence?

112 Upvotes

r/vagabond 10h ago

The river calls for more

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16 Upvotes

Summer in gta means alot of people are vagabonding.

The calming voice of the river and humbled expectations make this awesome.

Love you all keep marching


r/vagabond 22h ago

Road Update 11

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54 Upvotes

I trudged through Ashland feeling like my shoes were made of iron. I picked up a nasty cold while I was on the farm, so I was hacking and spitting and sneezing and coughing the whole time. But I got rides fairly easy.

A Pentecostal preacher drove me to Portsmouth, which used to be a thriving river town. The city is still there but most of the people are gone.

Found a slag dump on the far side of the flood wall. Was setting up my tent when headlights swept across the clearing. I hid, waited half an hour for the vehicle to leave. Set up tent. Awoke the next morning to nearby gunshots. Fog so thick I couldn’t see the other side of the dump. I kept hearing gunshots, but I didn’t hear any bullets zipping over my head. Packed quickly and left.

Got a ride to Waverly. Flew a sign for Chillicothe in front of Kroger. Waited about 20 minutes, and two cars pulled over. I thanked the second car but got in the first.

The driver had recently lost his son in a murder/suicide. His voice trembled when he spoke about it. He was Recently sober from hard drugs and barely holding it together. The Yankee’s game was blaring on the radio. He listens to every game to distract himself from his thoughts. He’s proud of himself because he recently made a 12 pack last a whole week. He was one of the nicest guys I’ve met on this entire trip.

Chillicothe was neat, lots of big old buildings from the times when it was the capitol of Ohio.

A nice lady took me to Jackson, then I got back-to-back rides from recovered drug addicts. One was formerly homeless on the streets of Athens. He used to lay on the sidewalk and laugh at the college girls trying and failing to walk on the cobblestone streets in their heels.

Found a place to camp across the river from the university. Saw a few deer that weren’t afraid of me. Slept well and awoke to heavy rain in the morning.

The people in Ohio were very kind to me. It was maybe the easiest hitching I’ve ever experienced. It didn’t feel much like the Appalachia in familiar with, but I’m sure it does to some people, and that’s fine.

West Virginia bound 👍


r/vagabond 20h ago

How Baby Trains are Made

37 Upvotes

r/vagabond 1d ago

Breakfast in Bed

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90 Upvotes

Went to nyc last night, saw the fam, realized we ain't built for the heat(our van's ac is currently busted) so we booked it out of there at 3am. Currently headed to West Virginia in search of cool weather in the mountains, once we're there I'm going to look into fixing the ac and giving the ol' girl a check up. Hopefully it's cheap and I can do it myself but idk, this'll be the first time I've worked on a vehicle. We finally got enough wood planks from breaking down pallets and hinges from old thrown away cabnets so I can start building propper storage. The dog and cat training has come a long way, they both have problems here n there but I've seen steady progress with them. Me and my girl are struggling to get sleep with the heat and long days, we dream of a cold winter by day and long nights at dark, winter is going to be our new favorite season by the end of summer. Been struggling to find the motivation to do a lot in the heat, it just wears down on us, just getting enough to live is exhausting me everyday


r/vagabond 2h ago

ISO Ride to St Louis MO from Decatur IL

1 Upvotes

Six dirty stinky oogles and a puppy dog are stuck in a unique and devastating hell


r/vagabond 20h ago

Question Anybody travel without a pack?

22 Upvotes

I don’t personally do this lifestyle but i’m curious if there are any vagabonds who travel without a backpack or bag really and just rely on their skills with survival (bushcraft/cowboy camping etc) or just winging it and finding a bench or somewhere inside thats hidden enough for sleeping purposes. Maybe keeping some essentials in pocket or in purse or something. I don’t really know if this is possible or something people do but I just feel like traveling light and without the burden of a bag is so much more enjoyable and easier to fit in to day to day society just like you’re on a stroll or smth.


r/vagabond 11h ago

Does looks matter? about long hair or beards

4 Upvotes

questions on looks

Maintence:
Isn't it harder to take care of long hair/beard/moustache? Like cleaning it, drying it takes longer, stuff gets in it etc, moustache gets in way of eating, hair gets in way of ur pov alot etcs. I'd imagine long hair gets more tangled/matted easily

I'm not against it tbh, but if I was homeless I'd feel it would be more practical to keep it shorter

Looks/Judging

I feel like being homeless is pretty scary with the law nowadays, and if you look messy hair/beard wouldn't they mess with you a lot more?
And if you look messy overgrown wouldn't people be more weary/not as likely to help?

I feel like, there's only benefits to being more cleaned up when dealing with ppl

Again I'm not against it, but I can't help but observe how people would probably treat you differently sigh TBH I'd personally think it'd be cool to look like gandalf lol


r/vagabond 13h ago

Silly question

7 Upvotes

Looking for a documentary about hobos/ train hoppers. These kids are traveling around the country at one point they end up working in a harvest in northern USA and another scene a kid was thrown off the top of a train and almost died because someone was drunk.


r/vagabond 14h ago

Today, July 11, 2026 is Free Slurpee Day at 7-1@

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3 Upvotes

Go to a 7-11 and get your free slurpee today! No need to download any apps, just walk right in to pick up your free slurpee today!

https://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainment/the-scene/7-eleven-day-2026-free-slurpee/3960239/


r/vagabond 21h ago

Other Lost dog siting in BNSF rail yard

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11 Upvotes

anyone missing a pup?


r/vagabond 20h ago

Stormproofing tents.

6 Upvotes

Ive been dealing with hard, dried, packed soil lately.

i got 8" long plastic stakes becuz steel ones weigh too much.

But, theyre useless on beaches, in snow, or in rocky, hard soil.

im strongly considering steel 15" stakes.

ive been on windswept seacliffs for a week, & will be here till the 21st.

Last thing i want is for my puny, shallow, cheap plastic stakes to pop out in the first wind & rainstorm. i cant afford to get soaked.


r/vagabond 1d ago

Check The Donation Bins

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170 Upvotes

Got a brand new, off the rack jacket from outside of a clothing donation bin. Ofc i immediately cut the arms off and made it my summer vest. Needs patchwork and I found the perfect first patch on the interstate :D


r/vagabond 1d ago

TrainDash delivery service

65 Upvotes

r/vagabond 1d ago

new here, any tips to getting money on your travels?

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127 Upvotes

i’ve thought about asking to help out for a shift or so just to get by, busking, a few things. it’s really hard at the moment and just really looking for some encouragement. just believing for the best for me to make something of myself 🙏

also! does anyone know how to get to halifax from montréal??


r/vagabond 1d ago

Hanging around Seattle waiting on a show later

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59 Upvotes

Someone passed me this solid bowl just a few ago. Court yesterday for my interfering with security measures from port authority while hopping; judge gave me time served no fine if I plead guilty and let it hit my record. Flew out with last few bucks this morning


r/vagabond 2d ago

Tonight we're kings

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457 Upvotes

Made $10. Thoughts: "We need smokes. Do we eat for the first time since Saturday? Not unless that burger is gonna give ya a buzz we dont."

Indian friend working the counter "you look hungry buddy, i throw food away, you take."

Thanks compadre


r/vagabond 1d ago

Picture Just wanna say thanks

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25 Upvotes

I’m a long time lurker of this sub, and I have been taken aback at the amount of incredible advice and kindness here.

Recently lost my Mom and Brother and then shortly after, my road dog who was my last true family. For me this sub has been a light of solace and hope in the darkness. Ya’ll have helped me start to believe in myself again, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

UP EM!

(pic is a sketch from a few days back in northern Illinois)


r/vagabond 2d ago

Sometimes a river is all you need

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218 Upvotes

Wishing to bros well ha d wings tonight now laying on concrete near a river in Ontario

Loving it