I’m Benjamin Visserot, I’m 25 years old and I’m based in Paris, France.
April 2017, I’m leaving Paris for Illinois – for Windcity IL more precisely. The city of the wind, blues music and Al Capone’s birthplace. That was the big picture. The way my friends and I began to discover streets and – of course – pubs of Chicago IL.
A week later, we take off to the West – to Los Angeles CA. Where we’ve dug an old van out, an old Ford with just a tent upon it. Our new home for the upcoming weeks.
After a short walk around Venice Beach and on the mythical Mulholland drive, we decided to go to the East at dawn.
Here we are. This is where our journey began, really. We’ve travelled across the USA, passing through California to Washington states – among many others such as Nevada, Arizona, Utah or Oregon. 7,880 kilometers across the desert nearby Las Vegas NV. On the winding road of the Rocky Mountains. Through the narrow paths alongside Colorado river. On the red lands of Navajos. Lost in the wild forest from Oregon. I felt like if I was in Mike Brodie’s footsteps, within these old movies that made me dream so much!
We used to sleep in the middle of nature, in completely unusual places!
Today, I am reminded of those nights… That disturbing night, all three alone to fend for ourselves in the desert of Nevada. That outstanding night, 2,800 meters high in the mountains of Colorado. That hilarious night, where my friend was facing hypothetical bears in that forest, in the middle of nowhere. That magical night, all three around the campfire on the shores of Powel Lake. That unexpected night on carpark in Page AZ. And so much more.
That was our American dream. Living it all on the US roads. Losing ourselves in those incredible landscapes.
All images © Benjamin Visserot
