Photographer Doug Scaggs & writer Lexi Miller-Golub shed light on overshadowed natural wonders & the people who care about them
From January 15 to March 1, 2013, photographer Doug Scaggs and writer Lexi Miller-Golub will take a 45 day road trip to 15 locations, shedding light on overshadowed wonders that most Americans never knew existed and telling the untold tales of the people that wonder about them everyday
This project is not just about little known places but about people. This is not just the story of a writer and photographer on the road, but a vibrant account of the people they meet along the way and what matters most to them.
It is a story about the ways in which powerful places affect who we are and inspire us to believe in the people we might become. Above all, this is our story, the story of every person who has ever looked at a map of America and thought home.
You may have seen some of these sites in photography books before, but the goal of this project goes beyond images. We want to immerse ourselves in the local culture of each of these locations and go behind the scenes to show you things you won’t see in National Geographic.
That's why we plan to CouchSurf our way across the country! CouchSurfing is exactly what it sounds like: we'll stay with local people so that we can see the land through their eyes and share food and conversation at their dinner tables. Whenever possible we'll spend the night camping on location ( but this IS a winter trip so only in those warmer states will we attempt to sleep under the stars).
We hope to publish a book that will reveal an America you can't find on Wikipedia. We’ll be interviewing everyone from Native tribes to park rangers, rest stop waitresses to hotel managers.
Doug has already done work on location at the Grand Canyon, PA and
Centralia, PA.
We're excited about this project and hope you will be too!
For more info, check out OvershadowedUSA
THE COSTS:
*UPDATE! We were able to reduce our estimated budget from $16,000 to $14,000 by cutting some things (who needs food anyways?!)*
Fuel
Equipment
Food
National Park Passes
Incentives
THE ROAD MAP
PHOTOS:
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
This project is partly an experiment in trusting the goodness in people. These days, Americans don’t trust the media, politicians, big business, or their neighbors. Remember the days when people hitchhiked across the country? We don’t. We have only ever known a world where strangers were to be avoided at all costs. When we told our families about the plan to CouchSurf and stay with real Americans in order to see their America, to pick up the knickknacks on their shelves, to eat the meals whose recipes they refuse to reveal, to hear the stories that hold together their family narrative, our parents were terrified. “You’re going to get yourself killed!” was a sentiment we heard more than once.
There is a risk in trusting people we won’t meet until the day we pull up their drive and pull out their couch to sleep on. But maybe those supposed strangers are good people. Maybe, despite all our differences, there can still be a sense of camaraderie among the people who call this country home.
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
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$1,530
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Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on November 14, 2012.
Funding period
Oct 15, 2012 -
Nov 14, 2012
(30 days)
- First created · 0 backed
- Doug Scaggs 968 friends
- Website: overshadowedusa.com
Pledge $5 or more
1 backer
You'll receive 1 postcard of a photo taken from the road + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: Mar 2013Pledge $10 or more
5 backers
YOU'LL RECEIVE AN EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL PHOTO ALBUM OF OUR ADVENTURE, OPTIMIZED FOR iPAD AND OTHER DEVICES + 1 postcard of a photo taken from the road + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013Pledge $20 or more
5 backers
YOU'LL RECEIVE A SET OF 10 POSTCARDS TAKEN FROM THE ROAD + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: Mar 2013Pledge $40 or more
5 backers
YOU'LL RECEIVE 1 TEAM PHOTO POSTCARD FROM EACH LOCATION (That's 15 postcards!) + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: Mar 2013Pledge $60 or more
2 backers
YOU'LL RECEIVE A 8x10 PRINT FROM A LOCATION + ONE POSTCARD WITH A HANDWRITTEN MESSAGE TO YOU + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $100 or more
3 backers
YOU'LL RECEIVE ACCESS TO OUR VIP BLOG. 8x10 print from a location. One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $5 to ship outside the USPledge $200 or more
1 backer
YOU'LL RECEIVE 5x18 PANORAMA OF ANY LOCATION. One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $5 to ship outside the USPledge $400 or more
0 backers
YOU'LL RECEIVE A SIGNED 5x18 PANORAMA + OPTIONAL VIDEO CHAT with Doug & Lexi from the road. One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $5 to ship outside the USPledge $600 or more
0 backers Limited (10 of 10 left)
YOU'LL RECEIVE A SIGNED LIMITED EDITION PRINT! + OPTIONAL VIDEO CHAT with Doug & Lexi from the road. One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $800 or more
0 backers Limited (10 of 10 left)
YOU'LL RECEIVE A SIGNED LIMITED EDITION PRINT OF YOUR CHOICE + OPTIONAL VIDEO CHAT with Doug & Lexi from the road. One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $10 to ship outside the USPledge $1,000 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
JOIN US AT A LOCATION NEAR YOU! (excludes travel) + SIGNED LIMITED EDITION PRINT OF YOUR CHOICE! One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Ships within the US onlyPledge $1,200 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
SIGNED LIMITED EDITION 15x48 PANORAMA PRINT OF YOUR CHOICE! + JOIN US AT A LOCATION NEAR YOU! (excludes travel) + One postcard with a handwritten message to you + exclusive digital photo album of our adventure, optimized for iPad and other devices + Special Web Thanks!
Estimated delivery: May 2013Ships within the US only
