We've launched an exciting new project of our own! Introducing the Kickstarter app for iPhone!
Photo-main

Surf America tells the tale of two young men riding bikes cross country in search of the limits of American generosity. And weirdness.

Surf America is a modern gonzo plunge into the limits of the cyber travel movement. With sites like Couchsurfing and Craigslist, the emergent hobby of cyber-nomadism is within reach of those few brave enough to chance it.

"Surf America" is a proposal for a book telling the tale of two young men traveling by bike from St. Louis to Los Angeles following one simple rule:  staying with strangers and answering the strangest online ads they find, even if that means a little acting and a lot of potential weird.

Travel writer Chris Stewart met illustrator Zachary James Kraft in college in St. Louis.

The idea was simple. In the summer of 2012, Kraft and Stewart would bike from St. Louis to Los Angeles following one rule: they would only stay with people met on Couchsurfing and would spend their time in each city along their route interviewing the strangest people they can find, answering the oddest online work and personal ads they read, and never turning down an opportunity for adventure.


"Surf America" is part roaming art engine, part performance piece, and all travelogue. A book composed of the wry, passionate writing of Chris Stewart and the lively, vivid illustrations of Zachary Kraft, "Surf America" is a project for those who believe that the final frontier was never conquered, it's just hiding.

FAQ

Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.

Ask a question
11
Backers
$255
pledged of $3,000 goal
0
seconds to go

Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on July 20, 2012.

Funding period
Jun 30, 2012 - Jul 20, 2012

  • Pledge $10 or more

    2 backers

    A set of three personally-illustrated postcards from stops made during "Surf America", two-month bike trip from St. Louis to Los Angeles

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $25 or more

    9 backers

    A signed hardback copy of the book "Surf America" at the project's end.

    Estimated delivery: Dec 2012
  • Pledge $50 or more

    0 backers

    A signed hardback copy of the book "Surf America" at the project's end. A set of three personally-illustrated postcards from stops made during "Surf America", and a listing in the book's acknowledgments of donators.

    Estimated delivery: Dec 2012
  • Pledge $250 or more

    0 backers

    A signed hardback copy of "Surf America", a set of 5 personally-illustrated postcards, and an full-sized original illustration from the book. And a listing as a prime contributor of the book.

    Estimated delivery: Dec 2012