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 mathewww
Lurker.
Registered: 10/17/07
Posts: 926
Loc: Seattle, Cascadia.
Last seen: 2 years, 10 months
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 TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. 
#9925088 - 03/06/09 09:38 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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So, I thought making a thread in "The Great Outdoors" forum would get some real conversation and maybe even some momentum for real stories and experiences to be shared on the freedom and simplicity of hitchhiking.
I've hitched hundreds of miles and have some fun stories.
Presently, I may be heading out of Seattle by the end of this month for a nice trip. No limits, no time to be back, and possibly with no money. Just my rucksack and my wit.
Anyone else here hitchhike? Stories? Lessons? Tips?
I hope this blossoms into a nice hitchhiking reference for our fellow shroomerites.
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 bullfrog420
Stranger
Registered: 12/27/08
Posts: 643
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: mathewww]
#9925337 - 03/06/09 10:25 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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to many crazies for me good luck
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mathewww
Lurker.
Registered: 10/17/07
Posts: 926
Loc: Seattle, Cascadia.
Last seen: 2 years, 10 months
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: bullfrog420]
#9926407 - 03/07/09 02:19 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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All right, I'm going to admit to all the timid, air-conditioned addicted middle class of madness that there is whacko, intrusive creeps out there in the world. There's probably one or two on the same block you live on. It's odious to say you will limit yourself from that, when it's an inevitable factor in any situation outside your own home.
But, I'd love to share my one(out of the hundreds of rides I've received over the years) encounter with a creep wanting to give me more than just a ride to the next exit.
I had 2 days to get from Seattle to San Francisco. It was about this time a year ago (Late March) that I had set out for my first ever hitchhiking trip. On a chilled and dark morning I headed down to the King Street train station in downtown Seattle. I took the Sounder Train south to Olympia and started thumbing nervously for my first ride ever. It took a while for it to work, I was starting to think the whole idea was a a bust and I should just go home; especially when it started raining with a concord of thunder.
Yet, needless to say, I got a ride, and in fact made it clear to southern Oregon by sundown. Waving goodbye to an earnest and wise Vietnam vet, I walked into the "7 Feathers Casino & Truck Stop" out of the bitter mountain cold. They had free coffee so, I gulped a few cups and went outside behind a Best Western Hotel and laid out my sleeping bag and tarp and drifted of into a calm slumber beneath the stars.
It was 4 in the morning that I woke up, and couldn't manage to get back into a sleep, so I gave up and went back into the truck stop watching reruns of M*A*S*H* and E.R. A friendly employee of the station saw me and he knew what I was doing and brought me some warm hot-chocolate and some fresh donuts (a whole bag full). He provided friendly, sincere company until he need to get back to washing windows.
The sun was making its way up from behind the mountains and the sky was growing that colorful purple that transitions into the golden of the day and it was well below freezing. I stuck my thumb up on the I-5 south exit and waited out. Maybe one car a minute was swifting by; a slow morning. I climbed a mound of dirt encompassed by firs and loaded a little bowl of ghanj so I could roll with the punches of the windchill, then I stepped back out onto the road and feeling refreshed I smiled at the world - high.
About a good 20 minutes of kickin' rock and a cigarette, a red pick-up truck slows down to me and I swing the door open at anticipation of getting to San Francisco and out of the cold. I put my ass in the passenger seat and go to shake the drivers hand and it's an older man, quite older with a wrinkled chin an deep sacks of his eyes just below some thick-rimmed glasses and he's got a fleece coat and blue and red trucker cap. He smoked a cigarette slowly between his lips that were painted with maroon lipstick. He stared at me and then began to reach over me: "Here lets get your seatbelt on..." he said softly and I brushed his arm away and confessed "Uh, you know I'm going to get out, I don't feel comfortable in your car." He quickly shot back "OH! Okay, I understand.... I just... I just came to do you a favor." I nervously said [i'm baked] "I appreciate it but I'm getting out."
"I can do anything for you... I can give you... a blowjob."
I hopped out as quick as I could and slammed the door. He pulled up in the gravel a football field or so up and stared at me until I got a ride from a trucker.
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Ego Death
Justadropofwaterinanendlesssea
Registered: 04/27/03
Posts: 10,447
Loc: The War Machine
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: mathewww]
#9926616 - 03/07/09 03:09 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Freaky!
I've never had a weird ride. They've always been really nice, a couple of times the people have gone out of their way to take me extra distance because they are so kind!
There was one guy with real trippy music that said nothing the entire time but I'm cool with trip heads like that.
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mathewww
Lurker.
Registered: 10/17/07
Posts: 926
Loc: Seattle, Cascadia.
Last seen: 2 years, 10 months
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: Ego Death]
#9926682 - 03/07/09 03:27 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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You ever get rides from any chicks?
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Ego Death
Justadropofwaterinanendlesssea
Registered: 04/27/03
Posts: 10,447
Loc: The War Machine
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: mathewww]
#9926835 - 03/07/09 04:35 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Not really. Women won't normally pick me up. I think they are a bit sketchy about picking men up.
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gandalf579
Mushroom Hunter
Registered: 09/28/07
Posts: 865
Last seen: 27 days, 9 hours
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: Ego Death]
#9927920 - 03/07/09 01:52 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Right after I got out of the Marines, I went backpacking and hitchhiking across Europe with a cousin for the summer. A lot of really nice people over there. A few of them even took both of us to their homes and fed us and gave us a warm spot inside to sleep for the night. The next morning they gave us breakfast and gave us a ride further down the road.
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mathewww
Lurker.
Registered: 10/17/07
Posts: 926
Loc: Seattle, Cascadia.
Last seen: 2 years, 10 months
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: gandalf579]
#9929166 - 03/07/09 06:02 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I love that!
I don't get that a lot here in the States, but occasionally there will be a very generous kind samaritan.
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tosatori
multiple organisms
Registered: 01/19/07
Posts: 355
Last seen: 1 month, 3 days
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: mathewww]
#9930288 - 03/07/09 09:43 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I'd love to try it sometime. Im considering perhaps trying Europe this summer, or next. Do you guys hold up signs or just your thumb?
Are you guys aware of http://www.couchsurfing.com/ ? A Network of friendly people happy for you to crash on their couch when travelling. Could be pretty useful to some of you.
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You are Exactly As Big As What You Love, and Exactly As Small As What You Allow To Annoy You
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Az0th
quantum transfiguration
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 53,455
Loc: The Void 
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: tosatori]
#9930945 - 03/07/09 11:36 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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When I was traveling around the US with virtually nothing but some clothes and a sleeping bag, I ran into many miracles along the way and was constantly blown away by the kindness of complete strangers.
I got a ride from 2 chicks from Georgia to Tennessee to Ohio.. that was quite the adventure. I went from Florida > Georgia > TN > Ohio > NY > IN > TX > AZ and hitched probably 80% of it. You are 2x more likely to be picked up wearing a large backpack.. it seems many people are inspired by backpackers and travelers and like to live vicariously through them even if that just means giving them a ride and hearing their story.. which can get old repeating over and over. But indeed there are many very kind souls out there and some who specialize in catering to weary travelers.. on the Appalachian trail they call them trail angels. People that will give you a warm bed to sleep in, food, company.. sometimes drugs.. and a ride to wherever!
I traveled a good 30% of the country and met many a kind person along the way and a lot of crazies too.
Never got a ride from any "freaks" while out there, everyone was very chill.
The only time I've been picked up and been freaked out was when I hitched in my own area.. by some fat mexican guy who was cool until we got about a mile up the road, then asked if I wanted to go to his house and he suck me off.. I was all uhh no thanks, and jumped out at the next light.
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~Thought Creates Reality~
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MisterMuscaria
Registered: 05/13/08
Posts: 27,324
Loc:
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: Az0th]
#9932987 - 03/08/09 01:26 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I havent ran into anyone too weird yet.
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gandalf579
Mushroom Hunter
Registered: 09/28/07
Posts: 865
Last seen: 27 days, 9 hours
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: tosatori]
#9933020 - 03/08/09 01:38 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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When my cousin and I backpacked through Europe, we rarely held our thumbs up to get a ride. Most if the times that we got rides it was when the driver and/or family pulled over or drove very slowly next to us and asked if we could use a ride. Thank god I had my cousin with me because he was the only one who could speak the native tongues fluently. Without his ability I don't think I would have gotten as many rides as we did.
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DarkMoon21
Child In Time
Registered: 01/31/07
Posts: 929
Loc: Vancouver, BC
Last seen: 6 days, 8 hours
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: gandalf579]
#9934295 - 03/08/09 06:10 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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This is inspiring, I'm planning to backpack down to Brazil soon, and I'll definitely be hitchhiking much of the way. Do any of you veterans have tips or advice?
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-=-Never Sigh For Better World
It's Already Composed
Played And Told-=-
Science gives a consistent how with an incomplete why.
Faith gives an inconsistent how with a complete why.
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gandalf579
Mushroom Hunter
Registered: 09/28/07
Posts: 865
Last seen: 27 days, 9 hours
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: DarkMoon21]
#9941131 - 03/09/09 07:13 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Before you take off, be sure to check with the U.S. embassy to find out if there are any conflicts between here and there. And find out how safe it is for U.S. Americans down in Central America. They will be able to tell you which areas to avoid. Also make sure you have all of the right paper work (passport, travel papers, etc...) with you at all times. Follow all of the laws because their police systems are nothing like ours. You don't want to end up in a jail cell.
And above all else, DON"T DRINK THE WATER!!! If you have to resort to drinking the water be sure to boil the hell out of it and use purification tablets to make it safe to drink.
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PDU
travel kid vs.amerika
Registered: 12/04/02
Posts: 9,517
Loc: beautiful BC
Last seen: 13 hours, 27 minutes
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: gandalf579]
#9943872 - 03/10/09 04:41 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I dont really agree with checking out the US embassy - they will overstate the dangers.
Although "looking into it" would be a wise decision.
You could get the lowdown from other backpackers who are already in the area from travel forums like bootsnall.com
Good advice otherwise though.
Ill response to this thread tommorow!
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GO OUTSIDE.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 79,831
Loc: underbelly
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: mathewww]
#9958287 - 03/12/09 03:04 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I used to hitchhike from Seattle to Gasquet CA. maybe five or six time a year. I have found many great wilderness areas by hitching around the west. But that was all 25 or more years ago. I spent a whole summer just hitching around with a backpack.
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"Hang on tightly, let go lightly" -anonymous
“under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet, every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. we have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. we have never seen a totally sane human being.”
― Robert Anton Wilson
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MisterMuscaria
Registered: 05/13/08
Posts: 27,324
Loc:
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: Icelander]
#9958362 - 03/12/09 03:22 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I plan to hitch again this summer.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 79,831
Loc: underbelly
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Nice to know some folk are still doing it. I rarely see a hitchhiker anymore.
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"Hang on tightly, let go lightly" -anonymous
“under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet, every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. we have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. we have never seen a totally sane human being.”
― Robert Anton Wilson
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PDU
travel kid vs.amerika
Registered: 12/04/02
Posts: 9,517
Loc: beautiful BC
Last seen: 13 hours, 27 minutes
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: Icelander]
#9986116 - 03/17/09 01:16 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Ive hitched around the interior/koots/coast of BC extensively in the summers between the ages of 16 and 21.
Hitched from Calgary, Alberta to Toronto, Ontario when i was 17 and then to buffalo ---> West Virginia and to Florida and then back up North before riding trains back out west.
I Used to hitch hike to festivals exclusively. I always found hitching exciting, ive met tons of interesting people -- from people who went on ascetic spiritual trips in India, racists, crazy people, crack heads, lots of dope growers and everything in between.
My most memorable time hitch hiking went like this:
I was hooking up with this crazy psychedelic artist chick that just stumbled into my life outta nowhere. She took my keys while i was sleeping and when i got to work that day, i had to open and never had the keys. So i posted a piece of paper saying: "i quit" on the door, turned off my cellphone and went hitch hiking down the sunshine coast...
The guy that picked me up outside of Gibsons was on the way to his ex's house to drop off the divorce papers and was pretty eccstatic and mixxing me drinks and giving me cocaine. While we waited for a ferry he bought me drinks at a bar (despite being underage)... It was awesome, he was so stoked on "leaving the bitch." + i got to share in the celebration.
Anyways, when i was hitch hiking out of powell river going home i got a ride with a lady who dropped me off at an organic permaculture farm that was just getting started. They had this british guy that was an excellent cook who grew pot for med patients, and psychedelic cactus's - i didn't really want to be there, but it was pretty cool, they took care of me for a day or so and i helped out a bit, although i was really antisocial at the time...
UM..... I got a bunch more stories:
I hitch hiked a couple times when i was in South America and stuck in the Mountains on a horrible road between Chile and Bolivia run out of money and food... On the last stretch of road, about 60kms i hitch hiked with a truck towing another truck, both fully loaded with people. The driver only had 1 arm that worked and had to signal out the window and drive the standard all at once.
They were all getting wasted on the way to Chile vs. Bolivia Soccer game and were blasting down this dirt road hitting massive pot holes, the rope connecting the trucks kept falling off... The road was so narrow and uncomming busses and semis would dust the whole road making vision impossible. It was crazy + the most scary driving experience ive ever had.
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I remember after the first time solo hitchhiking from Shambhala festival (Salmo BC, back to the interior, i got dropped off in a tiny town 30 minutes from my destination. Standing at the edge of town 4 kids walking to the convenience store yelled out "hey, my friend wants to fight you." - Right then a friend from highschool pulled up in a truck and told me to hop in, and gave me a ride to the next town... The next ride that tried to pick me up with a super hillbilly lady driving a car that had holes in the floor and offered me whiskey and then a beer and asked me to roll a joint. I got out before we went far and ended up paying some guy to drive me home...
I remember i was hitching to vancouver to buy a bunch of drugs and i got a ride with a guy who was a club manager in Calgary. he said he hired the ladies that gave him blowjobs during the interview. Then he told me he'd kill anyone that gave his kids drugs. - I kept my mouth shut regarding my interests.
Hitch hiking is fun. Easier when i was a young and crazy looking punk than now that im 23 and more or less normal looking.
I dont really like telling the stories anymore. Hitch hiking has lost its novelty.
Also - its FUCKING HELL in the US. I think i was out east in 03 and nearly everytime i tried to thumb a ride Cops would stop me and threaten to arrest me if they seen me again.
As soon as they'd leave and go around the next corner id frantically wave my arms or some such, and i always got a ride before getting arrested. :S
I dont think i've ever waited anywhere more than 4 hours, and usually its less than a half hour...
You probably wont see me hitch hiking much anymore unless out of necessity. For adventure id rather ride trains... although im pretty domesiticated with a car these days..
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GO OUTSIDE.
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MisterMuscaria
Registered: 05/13/08
Posts: 27,324
Loc:
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Re: TRAVEL: Hitchhiking. [Re: PDU]
#9986155 - 03/17/09 01:23 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Awesome stories, you make me want to get out there and do it again right now.
If anything I find it easier now that Im normal looking than when I was young and a crazy looking punk though.
I suppose my strangest experience would be getting a ride on a bus full of fellow travellers. There were about 23 kids and 8 dogs on this bus and one night about 5 different fights broke out all at once. Two guys hopped out of the bus and one said crying "Im 24 but I just want my mommy!!!". We were taken to a horse ranch where this native american former street performer lived with his millionaire wife(he was a street performer until he met her) who was a complete bitch, but after they would fight and make up she would always buy him something. They were also both crackheads. The ranch was one of the most beautiful places Ive seen in my life.
Edited by MisterMuscaria (03/17/09 01:29 AM)
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