Lost Soles of the Highway
My photographic journey of lost shoes alongside roadways all across America
I once was a lost soul myself; confused about my destination in life, seeking happiness, seeking fulfillment. While on a long road trip from New York to Ohio, with the radio turned off and listening only to my thoughts and the road noise, I soul searched. For hours I thought about my life and what it had dealt me, and what I desired from it going forward. I was distracted from my soul searching by a glimpse of a single shoe lying alongside the interstate. How the hell does a person lose one of their shoes going 70mph down the interstate 80? This wasn’t the first time I’d seen a single shoe alongside a road, and it wasn’t the first time I asked that kind of question. My thoughts went off on this strange phenomenon and it was at that moment that my soul searching turned into sole searching; it was clear to me what my next journey in life was to be... To solve this lost sole mystery!
The first opportunity to photograph a shoe after my epiphany was about a month later. I was traveling on Route 36 in Coshocton, OH, headed to West Virginia to visit my mom and sister. When I spotted the shoe my heart raced in excitement and I quickly turned my car around to go back to its location; pulling off the road so as it was sitting in front of me, peering back at me with delight. However, my excitement quickly switched over to fear and I froze; staring out at all the traffic whizzing by I couldn’t stop thinking how foolish I would look taking a picture of a single shoe lying on the side of the road to all of the passerby. I looked in my review mirror and saw a police car headed my way, I freaked and turned my body towards the passenger seat, pretending to be fumbling with something. He slowed down but kept on going. I’m still not sure how I managed to gather the courage to get out of the car and snap three quick pictures, but I did.
Once back in route to my destination the monkey chatter started, and I pondered all of the thoughts and emotions that filled every crevice of my being. I beratingly told myself that I was never going to be able to go through with this project, it was just too embarrassing to have people stare at me and think their thoughts; even though I would have no idea what those thoughts might even be. A few miles into all of this negative self-talk a vision of the shoe that I had just photographed popped into my mind. In this vision all I could really seem to focus on was the Nike swoosh symbol and as it stared back at me I heard these words – “Just Do It!”. That shoe spoke to me from a place deep inside of myself; I smiled and knew that with time I would get past this ridiculous aversion.
I’ve had many opportunities to snap photos of lost shoes since I started this project back in 2004 and it has proved to be scary, exhilarating, and even comical at times. I have made more U-turns than I can count and have found many different types of shoes: old worn out sneakers, crushed pumps, faded work boots, filthy flip-flops, shoes that looked brand new and even pairs of shoes that were sometimes placed neatly side by side. It has been an interesting and fulfilling journey and I have learned a lot about myself in the process. I can’t say that I’ve “solved” this great universal mystery, but I have gained confidence in myself and a better understanding of who I am, why I’m here, and the lessons that life teaches. In a sense, we are all like the ‘Lost Soles of the Highway’; there is a reason behind why we are where we are in life. If the shoes could talk they would tell you why they are there just as we ourselves can look deep inside and know those reasons as well. Like the soles, we have a story to tell; the places we have been, the things we have heard and seen, the comfort that has been provided (or not). But when it comes right down to it... our souls/soles have a purpose.
Jamie McGlothlin, creator of
Lost Soles of the Highway
Theory #1
Kids will be kids.
* Imagine if you will, a small child in the backseat. Strapped in her car seat trying to amuse herself she takes off her shoes and thinks it’s very funny when one goes flying out the open window on a warm spring day.
* Siblings in the backseat are squabbling with one another and in the height of the argument a shoe is flung missing the intended head of the brother/sister and sailing right out the, once again, open window.
Theory #2
The case of the stinky shoes.
Maybe you have just played a great game of basketball or have been to the gym for an invigorating workout. In any case, these shoes smell so bad the inside of your car is now fumigated with sweaty, stinky feet stench. You have no choice but to throw them out in order to retain normal breathing abilities.
Theory #3
The forgotten shoes.
Oops! You placed your extra pair of shoes, be it walking shoes or work shoes, etc., on top of your car. This could be done for any number of reasons....needing an extra hand to find your car keys, load something into the trunk or backseat, strap your small child into its seatbelt, changing out of specialty work shoes and leaving them on an open tailgate or side step of the work truck. Whatever the case may be you forget they are up there and drive off. They ride steady for a good portion of the trip, then that sharp turn or big gust of wind sends them sailing.
Theory #4
A new pair of shoes!
You just can’t wait to wear these new shoes. You lace them up and put them on your feet before you even leave the parking lot. You are so excited about finally replacing those old, worn-out shoes that are scuffed up and dirty with the soles wearing thin, that you immediately pitch them saying “Adios my long time faithful friend, you have been good to me and my feet!”
Theory #5
Accidents.
Not the theory we really want to hear about but still.....a theory. I have heard of some accidents jolting their victim’s right out of their shoes. I choose not to think about this theory when I see a lost sole, theories 1-4 are much more pleasant and comical. But yet we can’t ignore the possibility that some of these lost soles are from this type of event.