At the age of seventeen Ruth Orkin travelled across the United States alone, with nothing but her bicycle, her equipment and twenty-five dollars in her pocket. The first project of one of the great American figures of the last century is unveiled here for the first time.

Over four months she made three hundred and fifty frames: urban scenes, numerous self-portraits and striking compositions framed by her bicycle. In every city she visited, local papers covered her story, interviewing and portraying her; with the unexpected publicity she was invited everywhere and given tickets to shows.