All photos courtesy of @WhereYouSmoke
@WhereYouSmoke sprouted in a moment shared between a spliff and the great outdoors. Run by an anonymous artist who grew up in LA, the Instagram account and online platform celebrates cannabis lovers who like to light up alongside Mother Nature.
Each week, we’ve asked @WhereYouSmoke to share a few favorite Instagram uploads with MERRY JANE, and so far it’s been nothing but picturesque snaps and chill-ass stories to boot. For this week’s edition, we decided to forego our usual photos of spliffs under the sky in order to focus on a more extreme faction of outdoor smoking enthusiasts: people who bring bongs and glass into the woods. Now these folks are inherent risk takers, for better or worse. In other words, is it really worth bringing that custom-made pipe with all those fancy percolators up a mountain side and risk breaking the MF’er? What are the logistics of packing such gear? How often do these smokers break their bowls? Before we dive into some interviews, @WhereYouSmoke had this anecdote to share:
When I was in high school, the majority of my seshes took place in the car with homies, usually featuring music blasting and sun pouring in the open windows. I was more of a spliff kind of gal, but lots of my friends had beautiful bongs and skillets that they’d usually leave in their car for toking on the go. One day, a few of my friends and I were chilling on a street by one of our houses, packing bowls in a particularly beautiful Illadelph. The sun was beaming and we decided to hotbox the car — not one cloud in the sky, not one care in the world.
We chilled like this for a while, packing bowl after bowl, until we were all decently faded. My friend took a final snap, and just as she was exhaling, a bright light started shining into the car — it was so bright, it startled us even during midday. Then came a knock on the window. One friend in the back opened the door to dump the bong water out, and another friend — clearly very faded — proceeded to blow smoke out the window, right near the face of one very inquisitive police officer.
The cop looked around the car and asked, “Hello, everyone… do you all live around here?” My friend, whose house was just around the corner chirped, “Yes, I live just over there!” pointing nervously. The cop gave us one final look over, and then simply says, “Alright, have a great evening folks,” before walking away, entering his car, and just driving away. We all just sat in silence for a good few minutes, then finally burst into laughter. Needless to say we were very lucky — not only because this cop was clearly the homie, but because we even remembered to leave the fancy bong outside the car (stoner points!) and still have it to commemorate this crazy day!
All interviews have been edited for length and clarity
@dave___831
25-Years-Old
Photo Taken at Mount Rose, Nevada in October 2014
@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@dave___831: This picture was taken on the top of Mt. Rose, Nevada. It was during the middle of the week, which was was perfect because nobody was on the slopes.
What do you like about smoking out of a bong in nature?
I like using a bong because it gets you stoned the fastest. Couple bong rips and I'm stoned for a few hours — pipes and joints just aren't the same! The only downfall of bringing a bong out on adventures is the risk of breaking the piece. I've never broken a piece when I've brought it with me… I've broken more bongs at home than on adventures outside [laughs]. I'm always a little nervous to bring bongs, but just be careful and it won't break.
What’s a fav high memory of yours?
Best memory of being high in nature is snowboarding stoned. I feel like I'm flying when I'm shredding down the hill!
@vanessnicholeee
21-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Grass Valley, CA in March 2017
@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@vanessnicholeee: This photo was taken at my dad’s house in the mountains of Grass Valley. It’s about a 40 minute drive up into the mountains, off the main freeway. This day will be one I remember forever because it was the first time I showed my father all my bongs. I always smoked during my teenage years, but I never told my parents. It was only about last year when I discovered my dad smoked and grew his own plants! It was honestly the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me. Now every time I go to see him we roll up and smoke all day, just catching up and enjoying life at his beautiful home. It has seriously made our relationship a lot closer.
Do you usually smoke out of a bongs?
I prefer to smoke out of my bong when I'm alone just trying to chill and/or when I don't have time to roll up. I find smoking blunts is more of a social thing for me because I don't get as lit and I can socialize more. When I smoke out of my bong, I want to be relaxed with no worries about time or my surroundings. I can also get a lot more lit out of bongs (especially clean ones), which I love! I bring one of my bongs with me on every adventure or outdoor activity I do.
What do you love about smoking alongside Mother Nature?
I prefer to smoke outdoors any day of the week, rain or shine! I love being outside, I love hiking and exploring. I feel high off life and the beauty of my surroundings. It's so much more enjoyable and relaxing when I smoke. Smoking at the beach is one of my favorite things ever, as well. Being high and listening to the ocean and feeling the breeze is something I cherish and am grateful to have the opportunity to do. It's easy to pack your glass in a bong bag and you don't have to worry about rolling outside in the wind or wherever I'm at. It's sometimes annoying try to roll outside with the wind, and sometimes you get a bad swisher or something, but with a bong there is no worries about anything going wrong. Also it's quick and relaxing!
How does weed benefit you most?
I turned to weed when I had extremely bad headaches that were uncontrollable, especially with my being allergic to Advil. It was my medication and soon became a big part of my life. I would take one snap from my bong and my headache would be gone in minutes. I smoke almost every night before bed, and it has helped me so much with my health. I don't only find tree as a medication but also an escape from stress and life. I forget all my worries and I just always feel good about myself. I feel happy, loved, warm, and overall more excited about life. I appreciate things on a whole new level when I'm high.
@alexcarlins
23-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Chicago, IL in Summer 2014
@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@alexcarlins: This photo was taken at my condo in the Aqua Radisson Blu hotel in Chicago. It's so nice being able to go on that balcony 75 floors up and see the cityscape while you smoke.
Are you a bong-lover, generally?
I love smoking out of a bong, but I break them about once a month, which becomes expensive. Sometimes, I smoke Js, too, and once I was smoking Js in Central Park on a trip to NYC with my best friend. At one point we thought we got caught because a cop on a bicycle was riding toward us, so I threw away the remainder of the joint. Of course, it turned out that the cop was going up to these teenagers a little past us for smoking cigarettes underage. So he wrote them up, rode away, then we finished the joint.
Have you ever had anything truly wild happen to you out in, well, the wild?
The most interesting place I've ever smoked was in Rwanda. I brought weed with me in a peanut butter jar, and I was smoking out of an apple while watching monkeys play. One of them stole the apple I smoked out of and ate it… I wonder if he got high.
@themagnificentlandino
22-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Newhall, CA
@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken?
@themagnificentlandino: This photo was taken up in the mountains in Newhall, CA. We had a fat sesh then hiked up the mountain and rearranged the rocks that said "USA" into a giant peace sign.
Why do you prefer to use a bong outside?
I use my bong for a number of reasons… I end up taking around .3g every snap, so I like smooth hits that will actually work for a few hours. That way I'm not wasting a bunch of bowls trying to get stoned. I enjoy fresh rips! If it’s black and burnt I usually don't want to hit it. Personal rips are the way to go for me and I always keep my water clean in my bong. I can't stand harsh rips from the resin or ashy water. If I can't smoke out of my bong, I prefer joints. Anything else I'm cool with, besides blunts.
As a musician and a snowboarder, how does weed fit into these two areas of your life?
I look at herb as inspiration and comfort — it helps me meditate, and I get done what I need to get done while using it. Weed inspires my feel for the music and my creative abilities, especially with guitar, skating, and snowboarding. Herb gets me into my passions even more than I'm already into them, and it only helps me focus on them more and more.
If you like to photograph your outdoor smoking adventures, check out the submission page at www.whereyousmoke.com. And follow @WhereYouSmoke on Instagram.
