Here's an interesting thought experiment: You're driving down Interstate 80 in rural Iowa, USA, and you see a disheveled man walking on the side of the highway with his thumb out. He has long hair and a long beard. He looks like a transient type, except for his Gucci loafers, Gucci track pants, and a Gucci poncho. Do you pick him up?
If you run into this situation sometime in the near future, this could be Area Hitchhiker Jared Leto. The 30 Seconds to Mars frontman/Method Actor told Ryan Seacrest that he plans to hitchhike from coast-to-coast as promotion for the band's new album, America.
“It’s a pretty big adventure,” Leto said. “I’m going to hitchhike, among other things, across the country from New York City to Los Angeles. I may jump on a donkey in the Grand Canyon or take a hot air balloon. I got the gear. I got the gear.”
Certainly, he does have the gear—head-to-toe Gucci, as is the traditional hitchhiker fit.
But does he know the best hitchhiking practices?
For one thing, it's going to be hard to go from New York to Los Angeles, when hitchhiking is illegal in New York—along with Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming, according to Nomadic Matt Dot Com (no relation to this writer).
Area Hitchhiker Jared Leto might run into some other problems with his promotional journey across the country, though. Nomadic Matt Dot Com offers a few other tips for would-be hitchhikers.
Look presentable: While Leto has the high-end clothing, it might be tough to get a ride with the sunglasses, beard, and long hair, Nomadic Matt advises.
Stay safe: While it's probably not the best idea to be flaunting a Gucci poncho, Nomadic Matt suggests packing some sort of weapon because "it’s likely that some weirdos will pick you up."
Good luck with your spiritual quest, Area Hitchhiker Jared Leto!
Matt Miller is a Brooklyn-based culture/lifestyle writer and music critic whose work has appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The Denver Post, and documentaries.
