h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One way to pass the time while you're waiting for someone to pick you up is walking along the road. This differentiates hitchhiking from just plain hitching. A comfortable pair of shoes can help, especially if you're not used to walking alot. Once you start getting blisters on your feet, sit on your pack, or a guard rail for a while; after a week or more, your blisters will turn into hardened callouses, and you can walk further distances without your feet hurting so much. This is helpful, since by that time, your comfortable shoes will probably have a few holes in them. When hitchhiking in the US, it is advisable not to walk along the interstate highways; the authorities tend to frown on that, although in the southwestern states they don't seem to be so uptight about it.

*remembering his Keroac and Tom Robbins*

Hey, anyone seen Sissy Hankshaw lately? Man, what that girl born to hitch.

Back when Kerouac and the gang were out there on their crazy adventures, they also used trains to help out with their hitchhiking. It's not as easy or useful today as it was then, but I think it can still be done. When doing this, one doesn't run such a high risk of running into a psycho murderer... unless they're in Texas. However, you need to be able to run and you can't be a sissy about colder conditions.

Importent note about hitchhicking in many parts of the US....it is illeagal not that it is terriably harshly punished or not the only way to travel sometimes but somthing to keep in mind when talking to law enforcement typ people. also if in texas and can claim affiliation with one of the two major universities (University of Texas longhorns or the Texas A&M Aggies, note these teams are arch rivels) you will probably be picked up before you can blink twice.

My view on Hiking is that I have no intention of walking all the way, so the only walking I do is to get to a better place for Hitching.

My Hitching claims to fame are 15,000 miles in six months.....and London to Malaga in 4 days.

The former was a journey of love......every weekend, Huntingdon to Liverpool and back, then she dumped me.......

The latter was with my future wife in '70. We had a fantastic run to Malaga en route to Marakesh. In Malaga we found that she hadn't had a typhoid shot so we couldn't go into Morocco. Then she came down with smallpox fever from the vaccination that she didn't need for Spain......ain't life full of it.....

If she is still your future wife she is a very patient woman. Especially as to me that is just short of a lifetime.

*sings, Don't you know we're riding on the Marakesh Express? Don't you know we're riding on the Marakesh Express? They're taking me to Marakesh. All aboard that train.....*

Sorry, had a brain cramp. Or was it a flashback. Anyway....

US hitchin' is much different than I would guess in Europe. As several have mentioned, it can be against the law. Interstate hitchin' is against the law, but I would want to hitch on the Interstate system anyway. You don't get to see the wonderful places the US has to offer on them. Take the major highways of fame instead. Route 66, Pacific Coast Highway, any others marked as US Scenic Highway. I especially like Highway 2 from central Nebraska to the Black Hills. Takes you through some very unique geographic scenes.

Second point. I thought hitchin' wasn't about speed, but about experience. I wouldn't want to rush a hitch. I think I'd feel like I was under a deadline. To me, that's contrary to hitchin'. Just my own humble opinion.

*sticks an electronic thumb out and doesn't panic*
Strider

Thank you Strider,

the original of this article talked about hitchhiking as an experience, not just as a means of travel, but for some reason the editors chose to butcher it.

Granted it probably needed a little work but I'm pretty upset at the way they cut out the central message of the article and left something that is fairly worthless. I've tried to email mark (the editor) by replying to the congratulatory note he sent me but it was sent back undelivered. If I get no luck over the next few days I'll post the letter for all to see.

In the meantime the original article is at http://www.h2g2.com/a165665

chris

PS If anyone's interested I hitched as far as La'Ayounne (1500km's south of Tangier), around eastern Turkey and from New York to Los Angeles. Plus all the normal European and Australian stuff.

Thank you Strider,

the original of this article talked about hitchhiking as an experience, not just as a means of travel, but for some reason the editors chose to butcher it.

Granted it probably needed a little work but I'm pretty upset at the way they cut out the central message of the article and left something that is fairly worthless. I've tried to email mark (the editor) by replying to the congratulatory note he sent me but it was sent back undelivered. If I get no luck over the next few days I'll post the letter for all to see.

In the meantime the original article is at http://www.h2g2.com/a165665

chris

PS If anyone's interested I hitched as far as La'Ayounne (1500km's south of Tangier), around eastern Turkey and from New York to Los Angeles. Plus all the normal European and Australian stuff.

Thank you Strider,
the original of this article talked about hitchhiking as an experience, not just as a means of travel, but for some reason the editors chose to butcher it.
Granted it probably needed a little work but I'm pretty upset at the way they cut out the central message of the article and left something that is fairly worthless. I've tried to email mark (the editor) by replying to the congratulatory note he sent me but it was sent back undelivered. If I get no luck over the next few days I'll post the letter for all to see.
In the meantime the original article is at http://www.h2g2.com/a165665
chris
PS If anyone's interested I hitched as far as La'Ayounne (1500km's south of Tangier), around eastern Turkey and from New York to Los Angeles. Plus all the normal European and Australian stuff.
PPS If you're having trouble reading this it's because I'm in a public library in San Diego and their software won't let me use line breaks.

Thank you Strider,
the original of this article talked about hitchhiking as an experience, not just as a means of travel, but for some reason the editors chose to butcher it.
Granted it probably needed a little work but I'm pretty upset at the way they cut out the central message of the article and left something that is fairly worthless. I've tried to email mark (the editor) by replying to the congratulatory note he sent me but it was sent back undelivered. If I get no luck over the next few days I'll post the letter for all to see.
In the meantime the original article is number A165665
chris
PS If anyone's interested I hitched as far as La'Ayounne (1500km's south of Tangier), around eastern Turkey and from New York to Los Angeles. Plus all the normal European and Australian stuff.
PPS If you're having trouble reading this it's because I'm in a public library in San Diego and their software won't let me use line breaks.

Thank you Strider,
the original of this article talked about hitchhiking as an experience, not just as a means of travel, but for some reason the editors chose to butcher it.
Granted it probably needed a little work but I'm pretty upset at the way they cut out the central message of the article and left something that is fairly worthless. I've tried to email mark (the editor) by replying to the congratulatory note he sent me but it was sent back undelivered. If I get no luck over the next few days I'll post the letter for all to see.
In the meantime the original article is http://www.h2g2.com/A165665
chris
PS If anyone's interested I hitched as far as La'Ayounne (1500km's south of Tangier), around eastern Turkey and from New York to Los Angeles. Plus all the normal European and Australian stuff.
PPS If you're having trouble reading this it's because I'm in a public library in San Diego and their software won't let me use line breaks.

Thank you Strider,
the original of this article talked about hitchhiking as an experience, not just as a means of travel, but for some reason the editors chose to butcher it.
Granted it probably needed a little work but I'm pretty upset at the way they cut out the central message of the article and left something that is fairly worthless. I've tried to email mark (the editor) by replying to the congratulatory note he sent me but it was sent back undelivered. If I get no luck over the next few days I'll post the letter for all to see.
In the meantime the original article is http://www.h2g2.com/A165665
chris
PS If anyone's interested I hitched as far as La'Ayounne (1500km's south of Tangier), around eastern Turkey and from New York to Los Angeles. Plus all the normal European and Australian stuff.
PPS If you're having trouble reading this it's because I'm in a public library in San Diego and their software won't let me use line breaks.

If you ever get this far, after the multitudinous copies of my last posting caused by San Diego public library, I have posted a copy of the email I sent to Mark Moxon at http://www.h2g2.com/a184637

- Well he didn't reply, did he?

Well, it's been a while since hikers have stopped by this forum, so I thought I'd post a new message. Might try to get things started with a topic this time.

Okay, here goes......

What do you all think of carrying a hand gun while hitchin'? Does it really protect a hitcher? Does it cause trouble? I know there's difficulty with borders and all, but does anyone carry one? IMHO, I think they would lead to more trouble than a hitcher would want to bring on themselves. What say you all?

Wouldn't try it around here. There may be a ceasefire but with my accent I'd get lifted and charged under the prevention of terrorism act.

Not really an option in most countries except the USA, and even so I think that Texas is the only state that allows for concealed weapons, isn't it?

I met someone once who spent time in jail after successfully defending himself against a hitchhiker that attacked him (in the USA) and courts seem to take the view that hitching is asking for trouble. In other words if you ever get into a situation where you have recourse to your illegal weapon you're probably going to end up in a cell with a sex offender.

I had a few scary incidents as a kid while hitching, and used to carry a knife which I could be seen to be carrying as a deterrent. I don't know what would have happened had I ever needed to use it, but the point is that I didn't.

The advice that Ken Walsh gave in his HitchHiker's Guide to Europe (The book used by DNA on his travels) is not to get into any car if you have the slightest feeling that it might be a bad idea. And it works.

If you learn to trust your own judgement (another benefit of hitching) then problems tend to happen to other people, not to you.

I hitched around the USA 10 yrs ago and never, ever, found myself in any kind of threatening situation. I did have to explain myself to the police a few times and having a handgun in my belt might have been a bit awkward, tho'!

Thanks for stopping by.
chris

Hitching in the US also, never came close to a situation where self-defense was necessary (not to say it couldn't happen.) This might sound silly, but I've always thought that carrying a weapon attracts threatening circumstances.

The thing about a gun is that it is specifically a weapon. There is noting constructive that you can do with a hand gun. If you hope not to use it, as I hope every would, then you are just carring usless dead weight.

Seems like a thumbs down for that idea then.

Shall we ask ffmike for his input?