EBay 'Hippie Vacation' Auction Spawns Cult Following

Oct. 4, 2005 — -- Michelle Land was not so thrilled when her brother-in-law, Cody, pulled up to her Arkansas home in his "huge hippie van" a few weeks back and set up camp in her backyard.

Cody, who is 24 and had been living in the van in California, is, as Michelle says, "a little touched in the head."

During his short stay in Arkansas, Cody lost a job at the local Butterball factory, was arrested for a number of misdemeanor violations and was spotted by neighbors running around the property naked.

"He just does stupid stuff," said 29-year-old Michelle, who also worried Cody might not be the best influence on her three young children. "He thinks he can do anything. He talks kind of crazy."

Michelle and her husband, Sam (Cody's brother), figured it was about time for Cody to be hitting the road. As avid eBay sellers, Michelle and Sam came up with an original scheme to get Cody out of their hair -- market a cross-country trip with him as the "Ultimate Hippie Vacation" and sell it to the highest bidder.

On their auction page, the Lands enticed a broad spectrum of potential buyers:

Old Hippies -- Relive the Good Ol' Days!
New Hippies -- Experience the USA Like You Never Have Before!
Crazy People -- Hang Out With One of Your Own Kind!

There were, however, a few caveats for the trip, including having to sell T-shirts for gas and food money. In return, Cody was promising "the most craziest vacation you will never forget."

Some strange items have sold on eBay. A 10-year-old grilled-cheese sandwich bearing the likeness of the Virgin Mary was sold to a casino for $28,000. Some entrepreneurial types have even auctioned off body parts for use as advertising space.

But here was an intangible experience up for sale -- the value dependent upon the adventurous spirit of the buyer. Though Cody often hits some snags on the road -- vehicle breakdowns and brushes with law enforcement among them -- he also has met many interesting people and had countless "unbelievable" experiences, say the Lands.