The “Roads Scholars” – Class of 2009 – Graduated at Burning Man on September 3rd

This past summer four young adventurers, with talents for writing and photography, were selected from over 100 applicants to be “Roads Scholars”. Given that the open road is great teacher, the Roads Scholarship’s was  intended to help enable them to road trip North America and share their journey on their blogs and on Matador Travel.

After roaming across the Western states of North America and sharing their journeys in words, photos and videos, these scholars converged on the Black Rock Desert north of Reno, Nevada for the Burning Man Festival and their graduation ceremony. To learn more visit Burning Man 2009.

Future Road Scholarships – 2010 and Beyond

We at “Vagabond U” plan on offering Roads Scholarships again in 2010. If you are interested in being considered please subscribe to our updates (see top of right column). We’ll then send you site updates and a notice in the Spring of 2010 when we begin accepting proposals.

The 2009 Roads Scholars

This years primary “Roads Scholar” is Kyle Smith from New York – age 23.

This young man is pretty amazing. He has an amazing sense of humor, writing and video editing talent and sense of adventure. He’s funny as Hell and yet his impressive writing and video blogs can be touching and poignant.

He’s done facetious videos ranging from a zombie rights rally in San Fransisco to a man named Ron Werstler who is the world record holder for board breaking and travels the US breaking boards to raise money  and awareness for cystic fibrosis.

Beginning July 1st of 2009, Kyle vagabonded and camped his way through America’s western wilderness and small towns  accompanied by his video camera, DSLR camera, laptop and his girl friend Kristin for part of his trip. He mapped out his itinerary and succeeded in seeing virtually all of it in two months.

“Starting in the Bay Area, I will be winding my way through the Western states with stops at Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Ed Buryn’s Hippie Commune Farm, Arches NP, Zion NP, Rocky Mountain NP, Badlands NP, Yellowstone NP, Glacier NP, Seattle, Portland, and finally Burning Man. Along the way I’ll be meeting independent thinkers, businessman, artists, brewers, and entertainers, even spending a day as a rodeo clown in Idaho. Follow along for blog and video updates from the road.”

Read his original proposal.

To follow Kyle’s journey visit his blog and Matador profile.

Honorary Roads Scholars:

JoAnna Haugen – 28 year old Female – Las Vegas, Nevada

JoAnna is an experienced world traveler and professional writer with an impressive track record of sharing her journeys online. Her writing is personal and unpretentious – like her. She’s a nature lover and intends to live free in the wildernesses of the Great American West for part of this summer. She feels that, now more than ever, people need to discover “their own backyards and how important simple pleasures like bird watching really are. Travel is about exploring new places, but it is also about figuring out what is important on an individual level.”

Her accounts of her backpack adventures in some of the epic national parks in the American West remind others of the beauty, serenity and freedom that’s theirs if they claim it. Kudos to her for her brave vision!

Follow JoAnna’s journey on her blog Kaleidoscopic Wandering and Matador Profile.

Marina (aka Rinamarina) – 22 year old Female in Denver, Colorado

This young woman’s photos truly invoke feeling and go well beyond simple pretty snap shots. They speak. She also has a philosophical outlook. Some people travel and take snap shots and comment on the obvious, including what they had for lunch, while others like her see the poetry. The poets make art from life. They put their heart into their journey and their sharing of it. She has this gift. She’s already a true vagabond at heart.

Marina cast off on her journey after America’s Independence day and journey through the Southwest and up the Pacific Coast – mostly couch surfing her way along on a tight budget.

To follow Marina visit her blog “Journey’s of a Modern Day Drifter” and her Matador profile.

Alanna (aka – Roadsonmyface) – 27 year old Female in Austin, Texas

This woman seems truly “far out” to me – perhaps way far out. Her name on her myspace page is “Adrenachrome”, which for those who’ve seen the movie “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” know this drug is a wild brain ride.

Some how I suspect that turning her loose on the open road might be much like consuming a shot of Adrenachrome. She also has some intense and poetic writing skills to go with her wanderlust. She’s also very fired up make the journey to Burning Man and join the Roads Scholars, Class of 2009, graduation party.

To follow Alanna’s journey to Burning Man at the end of Augutst visit her upcoming blog and at Matador Travel.

Promoting the Roads Scholar’s Journeys

Please become a Facebook Fan of Digital Vagabonding to help get the word out about this amazing adventure.

To follow future Scholars’ and Pat the Digital Vagabond, register as a member of the Digital Vagabonding Tribe.

Roads Scholarship Background

Pat the Digital Vagabond has been making the world his office and playground for the past several years. He believes that independent travel is the greatest education. To encourage others to discover the world and themselves, he launched the Digital Vagabonding “Roads Scholarship” in the spring of 2009. This scholarship is co sponsored by the outstanding travel community – Matador Travel. They intend to make the Roads Scholarship an annual event.

During the past two years Pat has primarily explored North America in his motor lounge, Destiny. The highlights from this ongoing road trip are featured on the “Great American Road Trip”.