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Offlineelcharrosays
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Advice for a first time hitchhiker?
    #12083238 - 02/23/10 12:51 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

So my good friend and I are going to head out and begin our adventure next week. I know it's only just starting to warm back up but fuckit we've been trying to go at this for too long and it feels like now or never. I'm trying to learn as much as possible about what we're getting into and what to expect. I've gone through a few threads here on the subject as well as the Ultralight Backpacking Thread and the Ultimate Backpacking Thread (thank you Shroomism,  :murray: you tha man) but I think I still have some questions.


We're heading out west from the east coast with no real destination, just kinda want to see what we can get into and meet some people along the way. I'm planning on going at it for about a month. Feasible? What would you guys suggest for places to sleep at night or what kind of shelter to bring? I want to pack as minimalist as possible and I think we're just going to take turns carrying one backpack while the other carries the guitar.

Food?


So far the things I have in mind are; road atlas, several cheap plastic rain ponchos for both us and the backpack/guitar, folding pocket-knife, one set of clothes worn + extra pair of jeans, a couple shirts, some shorts, lots of socks, one or maybe two books, sleeping bag, a water bladder, maaaaybe just a few hits of acid and.. what else? This is off the top of my head and I feel like I'm missing something.. any one else have any suggestions?


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Invisiblelegallyhomeless
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: elcharrosays]
    #12083397 - 02/23/10 01:23 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

a month seems short.

hitch hiking implies someone will pick you up. thats not always the case. you might walk for 3 days...

good luck man. I love meeting awesome people hitch hiking. a lot of good people out there. I pick up people when ever I can.


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Offlineelcharrosays
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: legallyhomeless]
    #12083426 - 02/23/10 01:29 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Yeah I just say a month because of my girlfriend but I don't really have any personal limits.

Any tips for shelter/sleeping?

What would you bring with you?


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OfflineRogerRabbitV
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: elcharrosays]
    #12083628 - 02/23/10 02:09 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

I'd bring along a large dog.  For some reason, it's a lot easier to get picked up if you're traveling with a dog.  People think you must be safe.

The cheapest shelter is a plastic tarp. Spread it out on the ground and crawl under it.  If you have time, suspend it with ropes from trees or stakes.  Get a heavy duty one, because the cheapie made in china ones leak.  You better bring along two backpacks to carry the stuff you'll need, such as a way to cook your food, and food itself.  If you plan to eat out every meal, you'll spend a fortune.
RR


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OfflinePDU
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: RogerRabbit] * 1
    #12087172 - 02/24/10 03:39 AM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Definitely bring 2 backpacks 40-50L each.

I traveled for 2 months across Canada and the US with a 47L, but barely had room for food and water if i was going to be without access to groceries for multiple days.

I would also strongly suggest a butane canister MSR stove or similar for cooking 1 pot meals and if you don't know how to cook 1 pot meals, i would start looking into that.

A tarp will be fine for camping at the side of the road or in the woods - in the city, just stay up all night and sleep in the park during the day, or go off to a wooded area. All sorts of options for urban camping, depending how adventurous you are, what the law is like. I've been run off many properties by security and priests.

I would never travel without a headlamp, i was given one on my first big hitch hiking trip.

I wouldn't bring a road atlas if you don't care where you end up - just bring a cross country map with the major hwy. routes, and check your progress on computer libraries along the way.

Id ditch the plastic rain poncho's - they are pretty much useless. If it rains you will want either good gear, or to wait it out - those ponchos won't be much help.

For clothing - Good quality long underware top and bottom, WOOL socks, boots or sturdy shoes, 1 pair of Carharts or sturdy jeans and a couple cotton shirts. Ditch the underware, its not necessary. I wouldn't really bring more than 1 pair of clothes, just bring layers... Denim and cotton are super heavy and bulky...

Toilet paper, small handsanitizer, soap to wash your cooking gear, sleeping bag (and you will be so much more comfortable from the hard and COLD ground with a blow up sleeping pad.)

Food ideas: Oatmeal with raisins, precooked "just add water" kashis rice packages with canned beans, apples, GORP (trail mix), peanut butter and honey sandwiches, small macaroni pastas mixxed with tomatos and spices....

I agree though, 1 month does sound short if you are planing a return trip - it will take you at least 5 days 1 day from new york to California, if you are lucky IMO.


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Offlinebiff
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: PDU]
    #12097279 - 02/25/10 05:53 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

good shoes. very key. hard walking with blisters all over your feet from cheap shoes. good luck.

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OfflinePDU
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: biff]
    #12100146 - 02/26/10 04:53 AM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Meh - i have size 10 feet, and definitely hitch hiked for 2 months in size 13 converse given to me days before i left.

Feet were fine, but they were shitty shoes for jumping off a moving train and especially shitty for climbing chain link fences.


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OfflineGrok
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: PDU] * 1
    #12109332 - 02/27/10 05:06 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

There's really no need to walk while you hitch. Find a good spot and stay there. These are usually before/on/after highway onramps. You want traffic to be going slow, they need to be able to see you, and MOST IMPORTANTLY: they need a safe place to pull over. The longer they have to pull over, the more likely they'll stop IME. Also, try to stay away from major city centers when you hitch. You can easily get stuck in these. Stick to the outskirts when hitching if possible, near major exit routes.

You will always get picked up if you wait long enough. Your patience will wear thin sometimes, however. Hitchhiking can thus be a bipolar sport: lots of frustrating boredom and then lots of excitement. But that's what makes it appealing for me: the constant uncertainty.

Get a lightweight drybag for inside of your backpack. Keep all our clothes, sleeping gear, and stove inside of it. Take a rain jacket and an umbrella...fuck the cheap ponchos. You'll be much more prepared for wet weather. IME wet weather works to your advantage because people will pity you if you're getting rained on and will pick you up. An umbrella is also nice if you're standing in the sun, and it helps make you visible.

Appearance is important. If you look clean cut, your odds of getting a ride increase substantially. I make an effort when practical on this front and I get many rides from people who "don't usually pick up hitchhikers" or "have never picked up a hitchhiker, but you looked safe/clean/nice/etc." Also, make sure your pack is visible. A pack signals that you've got some sort of intentions and aren't just a total loose end.

Hygiene is more challenging on the road, but make an effort to smell...tolerable. This is the least you can do for someone willing to share their space with you for hours on end.

Smile and make eye contact. Don't wear shades when you're hitching. Do a little dance or something sometimes. Even if it seems ridiculous, it's a great way to entertain yourself and passersby and you won't be nearly as bored. Also, be proactive. Don't just sit on the side of the road. Try to engage every driver.

I'm personally divided on using a sign. It helps establish that you have some intention, but I also think it gives people an excuse not to stop if the destination is way out there or something. Plus, it undermines what I think is the most effective safety measure you can take: whenever someone stops for me, I ask them where they're going before I jump in. This is your chance to feel-out the vibe of the driver. If the ride seems dodgy, you can say that you'd rather wait for someone else going closer to your intended destination (which is easier if you don't have a sign, because then they don't know).

I always offer to help pay for gas. Nobody has ever accepted this offer though, unless I've insisted on it because they went out of their way for me.  People assume hitchhikers are destitute and are often times exceptionally generous towards you. This is actually my least favorite part of it, because I just do it for fun and I don't like all the pity directed at me. A couple weeks ago I was hitching here in NZ and this old guy walks past me and starts going off about how he's so sorry for me. Ugh, what can you do.

Stay positive. This can be challenging; many drivers will look on you with scorn and contempt, you'll get really bored sometimes and feel stuck, and there are MANY unexpected things that will come up. A positive attitude is the most effective weapon you have against any of this, so make sure to keep it handy. Plus, nobody wants to pick up a moody hitcher!

I think hitching is safer than most people believe it to be. You don't have to be hitchhiking for some f'd up shit to happen to you. Plus, with two people, you're fine really. There are a variety of measures you can take, if you're so inclined. One is to carry a cell (or SPOT), and after getting a ride, text the license plate # and your intended destination to someone back home or wherever, and update them on your progress.

I have two articles of baggage. I have my main pack, and then something much smaller that I can keep handy when in the car with snacks, water, maps, pens, etc inside of it. Keeping your load down will help you get rides, or at least make them more comfortable when you have to origami yourself into a small car with all your gear on top of you.

I think it's proper etiquette, if you encounter other hitchers at a spot you're at, to offer to either wait for them to get a ride first or go 'downstream' and hitch from there, if they were there first. It's hard to hitch in groups > 3 anyway.

If you plan on doing some recreational backpacking while you're out, you will want a good pair of shoes. I'd say shell out and get something like this: http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web07f/ms-jn-five-ten-camp-four . These are the only shoes you'll need: they're good enough for backpacking/hiking, they're comfortable and lightweight for everyday use, and they dry out pretty quick if you get them soaked.

Bah, there's so more I could say. I'll add more later perhaps. If you have any more questions please ask! Otherwise enjoy your travels!


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OfflineRebirtha
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: elcharrosays]
    #12115395 - 02/28/10 06:29 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

From my experience you are 10 times more likely to get picked up if you have a respectable looking girl with you. The guy above me said you won't be walking, which may be true for him, but if I don't get picked up in one spot after a couple hours I usually move on. Another good spot might be a fair walk away.

Truck drivers will sometimes pick people up.. offering to help unload is a bonus they might agree to. I've also had good luck at gas stations because you have a chance to talk to them.

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InvisibleShroomismM
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: Rebirtha]
    #12115535 - 02/28/10 06:49 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Not 10 times. Probably something more like 5,000 times more likely to be picked up if you have a girl with you.
I don't have any scientific proof or solid numbers on this, but based on preliminary field research that is the closest approximation I can come up with.
Two dudes could be walking for multiple hours easily in some parts of the country with 100 cars whizzing past them a minute
Have a nice looking chick with you and someone will stop within 30 seconds to a minute.. almost everytime. Once we had 3 cars stop at once.


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Offlinefazdazzle
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #12115729 - 02/28/10 07:07 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

I can see a dog having mixed results...some people wouldn't want to have a random [large] dog in their car, especially if it's raining or has been - for obvious reasons.

I've always been interested in hitch hiking but I don't know if I could pull it off...I'm not real street smart. It seems like you'd really have to have your wits about you, especially when going through big cities.

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OfflinePDU
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: Grok]
    #12115861 - 02/28/10 07:26 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Great post Grok!


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InvisibleLeftyBurnz
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: Shroomism]
    #12128224 - 03/02/10 02:41 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Quote:

Shroomism said:
Not 10 times. Probably something more like 5,000 times more likely to be picked up if you have a girl with you.
I don't have any scientific proof or solid numbers on this, but based on preliminary field research that is the closest approximation I can come up with.
Two dudes could be walking for multiple hours easily in some parts of the country with 100 cars whizzing past them a minute
Have a nice looking chick with you and someone will stop within 30 seconds to a minute.. almost everytime. Once we had 3 cars stop at once.





just to solidify this, i have NEVER picked up just a guy.  always just girls or a guy and a girl.  maybe because i never came across any guys that didnt give me the creeps just by looking at them.  and i certainly wouldnt pick up a pair of guys.


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InvisibleSleepyF0x
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: LeftyBurnz]
    #12196689 - 03/13/10 06:40 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

i've traveled with a male friend, at times 2, we always got picked up - just as long as you're friendly looking. though, to be fair, we were pretty young at the time - 16 and 17.


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OfflinePDU
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: SleepyF0x]
    #12197560 - 03/13/10 09:45 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Quote:

KrishnaDreamer said:
to be fair, we were pretty young at the time - 16 and 17.




This is something very important to take into consideration. I used to get picked up easily all the time when i was that age, even though i was a dirty punk kid.

Last time i tried hitching when i was 22, i was with a clean cut friend about 25 and we hitched for hours with no luck and ended up taking a bus. I've been reluctant to try at all anymore..


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OfflineGrok
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: PDU]
    #12198616 - 03/14/10 01:12 AM (14 years, 10 months ago)

No doubt. The older you get, the more people expect you to have your shit together and not be hitchhiking like a bum; they'll reckon there's probably some reason you can't make your own way, and whatever it is they don't want any part of it. I suspect it won't be worth the effort past 25 or so. On the other hand, it seems like there are two broad categories of drivers who stop. Some stop for practically anyone, and some are very picky/don't regularly pick people up. The former crowd is a sure bet practically regardless of your age.


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InvisibleSleepyF0x
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: Grok]
    #12201938 - 03/14/10 05:47 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

well, to be more fair - i had a couple hitching partners that were 33 and 35 when i was 18, we hitched all over the northwest with no problems; we even got picked up in the pouring rain by a female school teacher who drove us some 300 miles, and she fed us homemade banana bread haha.


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OfflineGrok
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Re: Advice for a first time hitchhiker? [Re: SleepyF0x]
    #12202701 - 03/14/10 08:01 PM (14 years, 10 months ago)

Yeah, sometimes the ride you get is the last one you'd expect! I was hitching with a dude I met doing likewise. He was cool and we got along great, but he'd been in the mountains a lot recently and I thought his scraggly appearance was a drag on our prospects for a ride. Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong. Some older couple picked us up in a flash Lexus SUV. The driver was a highly successful business owner; in the course of talking with him it came out that he had several million just in collector cars...he was outspokenly conservative, and just seemed like the type that'd never stop. Likewise I've gotten rides from girls quite often, some of them rather attractive. Truly, there's no hard rules about getting rides or who gives them.


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