Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
ENLARGE
Ed Buryn, of Nevada City, wrote travel books that influenced the writer decades later.
It's been more a decade since I perused the shelves of the Nevada County Library doing preliminary research on all the places I was dreaming of seeing (which was really a prioritized list of everywhere.)
I had almost exhausted the modest travel section when my fingers fell upon the spines of two books that changed my entire view on travel - and life.
"Vagabonding in Europe and North Africa," and "Vagabonding in the USA," both by Ed Buryn. Wondering how they had escaped discovery for so long, I promptly checked them out, and stayed up until 3 a.m. absorbing them both from cover to cover. It was exactly the inspiration I was looking for.
"It's up to you, that's what's great about being a vagabond. Once you decide that you can be a free agent, then that means you're really free to go anywhere you like. You're not dependent on travel agents or anybody else to make arrangements for you. You're the one who's going on the trip, so why not do it from the beginning? Plan it yourself; work it out yourself." - from "Vagabonding in Europe and North Africa."
Even though they were written and published during the 1970s, Ed Buryn's "underground travel classics" as the covers state, felt more timely in the 1990s - and still ring true to me today - than any travel guide I've read since.
I remember thinking the first time I read them: This is a rare, personalized literary work that somehow made it through the homogeneity mill of traditional publishing. If you go over to our local library, or better yet, track down copies for yourself, you'll understand what I mean.
Both books are completely unique, do-it-yourself, homespun, close-to-the-ground, idiosyncratic, truth-seeking, anti-guidebooks that entertainingly champion the individualized experience and self reliance that leads to true, authentic experiences.
I had almost exhausted the modest travel section when my fingers fell upon the spines of two books that changed my entire view on travel - and life.
"Vagabonding in Europe and North Africa," and "Vagabonding in the USA," both by Ed Buryn. Wondering how they had escaped discovery for so long, I promptly checked them out, and stayed up until 3 a.m. absorbing them both from cover to cover. It was exactly the inspiration I was looking for.
"It's up to you, that's what's great about being a vagabond. Once you decide that you can be a free agent, then that means you're really free to go anywhere you like. You're not dependent on travel agents or anybody else to make arrangements for you. You're the one who's going on the trip, so why not do it from the beginning? Plan it yourself; work it out yourself." - from "Vagabonding in Europe and North Africa."
Even though they were written and published during the 1970s, Ed Buryn's "underground travel classics" as the covers state, felt more timely in the 1990s - and still ring true to me today - than any travel guide I've read since.
I remember thinking the first time I read them: This is a rare, personalized literary work that somehow made it through the homogeneity mill of traditional publishing. If you go over to our local library, or better yet, track down copies for yourself, you'll understand what I mean.
Both books are completely unique, do-it-yourself, homespun, close-to-the-ground, idiosyncratic, truth-seeking, anti-guidebooks that entertainingly champion the individualized experience and self reliance that leads to true, authentic experiences.
Equally as entertaining is Ed's quirky writing style, hilarious road stories, and New Age travel philosophies that encourage the reader to see travel as a spiritual act while circumventing the mainstream travel industry like it's the modern plague.
His books are as much manuals on how to live bravely in the world as they are how to get out and see it.
"Travel is not just moving over the earth from one place to another in some kind of conveyance. It's not about where you're going or how you're getting there. It's not about getting away from it all, at all. In fact, more the opposite ... a way of getting to it all. Travel is a metaphor for life, a way of experiencing it more intensely and self-consciously. Traveling is not so much an action as an enlightened state of consciousness, opening you to fresh experience, to fresh looks at the world and yourself in it." - from "Vagabonding in the USA"
'Vagabond' books were different, even then
Most travel guides published today resemble something more like "How to Separate You From Your Money" guides, with some of the content consisting of mildly interesting local history, and the rest dedicated to biased hotel and restaurant ratings (read "covert advertising").
As a run-of-the-mill tourist, you are urged to travel thousands of miles to experience the banality of expensive beds and meals, along with a variety of controlled environments - and don't take more than two weeks doing it. This type of trip is all fine and good for the well-to-do folks who don't mind paying for safety and luxury, but this approach to travel ultimately isn't much different than staying home in bed. Ed reflected on this unadventurous state of travel then and predicted correctly that it would only get worse.
His books are as much manuals on how to live bravely in the world as they are how to get out and see it.
"Travel is not just moving over the earth from one place to another in some kind of conveyance. It's not about where you're going or how you're getting there. It's not about getting away from it all, at all. In fact, more the opposite ... a way of getting to it all. Travel is a metaphor for life, a way of experiencing it more intensely and self-consciously. Traveling is not so much an action as an enlightened state of consciousness, opening you to fresh experience, to fresh looks at the world and yourself in it." - from "Vagabonding in the USA"
'Vagabond' books were different, even then
Most travel guides published today resemble something more like "How to Separate You From Your Money" guides, with some of the content consisting of mildly interesting local history, and the rest dedicated to biased hotel and restaurant ratings (read "covert advertising").
As a run-of-the-mill tourist, you are urged to travel thousands of miles to experience the banality of expensive beds and meals, along with a variety of controlled environments - and don't take more than two weeks doing it. This type of trip is all fine and good for the well-to-do folks who don't mind paying for safety and luxury, but this approach to travel ultimately isn't much different than staying home in bed. Ed reflected on this unadventurous state of travel then and predicted correctly that it would only get worse.
In the spirit of the age in which his books were written, he outlined numerous ways of vagabonding: by camper van, train, motorcycle, bus, bicycle, hiking and even hitchhiking. Most people today understandably wouldn't consider hitch-hiking a viable option (and many never have).
I've ridden my own out-stretched thumb an estimated 25,000 miles during the past 12 years, across North America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia - inspired initially by Ed Buryn's books - and even I often hesitate to promote hitchhiking today. But that being said, hands down (or perhaps thumbs up), some of the most amazing times of my life have been spent traveling the world's not-so-lonely roads, getting to know real people in real ways.
Searching for the author
Early on, after reading his books, I was curious where Ed Buryn ended up. Was he still hitching rides in Eastern Europe somewhere? Did he renounce it all and become a stock broker? Did he simply disappear?
It was about my third or forth time checking them out of the library that one of our friendly librarians finally said, "You must really like these books. You know Ed Buryn lives right here in Nevada City, right?" I pointed at his grinning face on the cover, "This Ed Buryn lives here in town?" I flipped through the phone book, and sure enough, there he was. I promptly called him and excitedly asked, "Is this the same Ed Buryn that wrote 'Vagabonding'"?
"Yes it is," he replied with a chuckle, "but of course was a long time ago."
I've ridden my own out-stretched thumb an estimated 25,000 miles during the past 12 years, across North America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia - inspired initially by Ed Buryn's books - and even I often hesitate to promote hitchhiking today. But that being said, hands down (or perhaps thumbs up), some of the most amazing times of my life have been spent traveling the world's not-so-lonely roads, getting to know real people in real ways.
Searching for the author
Early on, after reading his books, I was curious where Ed Buryn ended up. Was he still hitching rides in Eastern Europe somewhere? Did he renounce it all and become a stock broker? Did he simply disappear?
It was about my third or forth time checking them out of the library that one of our friendly librarians finally said, "You must really like these books. You know Ed Buryn lives right here in Nevada City, right?" I pointed at his grinning face on the cover, "This Ed Buryn lives here in town?" I flipped through the phone book, and sure enough, there he was. I promptly called him and excitedly asked, "Is this the same Ed Buryn that wrote 'Vagabonding'"?
"Yes it is," he replied with a chuckle, "but of course was a long time ago."
It took a little doing, but he agreed to meet me at the Mekka coffee house in downtown Nevada City. For two hours I pointed a tape recorder in front of him with the idea of getting some kind of exclusive interview. I asked him every question my naive, 22-year-old mind could think of.
Thinking back on it now, Ed was extremely gracious and patient with my youthful and perhaps overbearing enthusiasm. I found him to be an older, wiser version of the same grinning character suggested on the cover of his books. He was still full of passionate ideas, the same off-beat views on life, the same quirky sense of humor found throughout his writing.
Finding my passion
I hadn't fully realized at the time, but I, too, wanted to become some kind of travel writer. It took me 10 years, but I finally managed to stay in five places (and five colleges) long enough to receive a bachelor's degree. During that time, Ed and I stayed friends. He gave me valuable advice and encouragement, whether I was picking apples in Tasmania or attending classes in Chico.
In fact, I recently decided to give writing a serious effort. I'm presently studying for a master's degree in creative writing at Northern Michigan University. All my writing efforts seem to relate to travel somehow. I guess I can't help it, because we all write what we know. Personally, if I ever succeed as a travel writer, I'll know where it all started - that day I found my inspiration at the Nevada County Library through the works of out local vagabond.
ooo
Brenton Netz, currently living in the U.P. of Michigan, is proud to be a Nevada County native.
Thinking back on it now, Ed was extremely gracious and patient with my youthful and perhaps overbearing enthusiasm. I found him to be an older, wiser version of the same grinning character suggested on the cover of his books. He was still full of passionate ideas, the same off-beat views on life, the same quirky sense of humor found throughout his writing.
Finding my passion
I hadn't fully realized at the time, but I, too, wanted to become some kind of travel writer. It took me 10 years, but I finally managed to stay in five places (and five colleges) long enough to receive a bachelor's degree. During that time, Ed and I stayed friends. He gave me valuable advice and encouragement, whether I was picking apples in Tasmania or attending classes in Chico.
In fact, I recently decided to give writing a serious effort. I'm presently studying for a master's degree in creative writing at Northern Michigan University. All my writing efforts seem to relate to travel somehow. I guess I can't help it, because we all write what we know. Personally, if I ever succeed as a travel writer, I'll know where it all started - that day I found my inspiration at the Nevada County Library through the works of out local vagabond.
ooo
Brenton Netz, currently living in the U.P. of Michigan, is proud to be a Nevada County native.
