Stories. Everyone has them. Whether a person lives their entire life in small town Iowa or spends their life dodging military checkpoints and hopping ocean freighters, everyone has a story to tell.

These stories are what travelers Bill and Liz wanted to hear when they set off on their “Talk To Me!” journey.

After the 2004 election, they set off to see what the nation really had to say. Setting off on bicycles with a “Talk To Me!” sign, the duo covered thousands of miles, circling the United States and setting their sign up everywhere they could, including: the Sears Tower, outside maximum security prisons, Navajo reservations, Wal-Marts, Google headquarters, rodeos, and even a lingerie convention.

When they set up their sign, people from all walks of life came up and they talked, opening up about their lives and experiences, discussing everything from restraining orders against abusive husbands to Swedish nougat.

In their year of travel, they spent only $33 on lodging, spending most nights with people they met along the way or camping out. Read their Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about their journey.

Their website also offer tips for talking to strangers, with advice on how to approach people, ask questions, and tips on where to find people with time to talk on weekday mornings (hint: think senior centers and dog parks).

If you don’t have time to stake out dog parks to chat with strangers, a new website can help you share and exchange life experiences with people from all over the world. The Human Known Project is a modern adaptation of oral tradition, capturing and collecting a treasure trove of knowledge, passing life experience and wisdom along to others. Visitors can share and exchange stories, search the story database, and interact with other users. To contribute your experiences to The Human Known Project, sign up for an account, search the database to hear what others have to say and share your own experiences.