"We Blew It!"
"... the end of this montage subtly suggests that the failure of the journey is also interpersonal: full shots of them riding show them seperating, moving apart from eachother, as well as moving backward within the frame as they literally move forward. It is the end of the road; it is the end of being on the road; and it is the end of wanting to be on the road" (Driving Visions, Laderman, pg 77)
In the film Easy Rider, Billy and Wyatt, the two main characters, embark on a journey, with the aid of drug money, to find what they deem as the 'counterculture.' They believe it will be then that they find true happiness and can rid themselves of conformity. Throughout almost their entire jounrey on the road, Billy, with his long hair, and Wyatt with his 'free' attitude feel as if they are representing a very non-conformist, rebelious lifestyle. Travelling on the road with their motorcycles further reiterates their belief. They live their life in a selfrighteous manner, but ultimately, they come to realize differently.
With the death of their friend George, Wyatt later states that "We blew it." Though he never fully explains what he means, the viewer is led to determine for themselves his meaning. I came to the conclusion that Wyatt is now realizing that what he thought to be the non-conformist life style has really turned out to be quite the predictable one for him. All this time, he thought he was being unique and different from the norm of society, but in reality, he was doing exactly what was expected of his kind: rebelling. Though it is true they do not fit the "redneck" stereotype, they certainly play into another one, that being of young 'hippy-like' men. I think Wyatt realizes that they conformed, just in a different way, and he ultimately feels defeated.
Just as the quote above states, once this realization occurs, the desire to be on the road, and live the not-so counterculture lifestyle is no longer wanted and thus the road life is no longer sought.