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View Full Version : Is it just the south or does hitching always work?



The Doctor
01-17-2008, 22:02
Just Curious, but I have only hiked in the southeast, but it seems like everytime I need a hitch I get one within 20 minutes (even in inclement weather). Is this just a southeast thing (Ga, NC, TN) or is this a common occurence all the way to Maine?

ScottP
01-17-2008, 22:12
Don't expect easy hitches in new england (other than Maine). I found people in PA to be just as friendly as those in the south.

A-Train
01-17-2008, 22:14
People who live near the trail are used to hikers being in their neck of the woods during the typical hiker season and are generally receptive to the need a hitch issue.

I'm sure folks on here will have stories of unfriendly encounters and difficult hitches up north, particularly around the mid-atlantic and southern new england. Luckily there are few places you need to hitch to in this area, as usually the PO's and towns are within walking distance. In fact, off the top of my head one could hike some 800 miles betwen Waynesboro VA and Manchester VT without needing to hitchhike.

I think you'll find it's not much of a problem anywhere. By the time you get up to Maine it'll be easy again. Having an attractive female around always helps. :)

hopefulhiker
01-17-2008, 22:15
As soon as I got to PA and tried to get a ride... I was out there on the road, pack on, thumb out and a car full of people rode by threw garbage out at me,*which hit me*, and screamed "Get a JOB!" Rides were harder to get until you get to Maine then people there seemed to be nicer...

Lone Wolf
01-17-2008, 22:17
hitchin is hitchin between GA and ME. no problem or better or worse in the south or north. all good

A-Train
01-17-2008, 22:17
As soon as I got to PA and tried to get a ride... I was out there on the road, pack on, thumb out and a car full of people rode by threw garbage out at me,*which hit me*, and screamed "Get a JOB!" Rides were harder to get until you get to Maine then people there seemed to be nicer...

Wow, I had the exact same experience. The first major road in PA (can't remember the number) had me standing there for over an hour trying to get ice cream. I usually don't mention it because I didn't NEED to go there, just wanted to. Also, it wasn't a real trail town per say. Still, the people around there were unfriendly A$$holes

superman
01-17-2008, 22:32
The people in the south were realy great but I've gotten rides all over the country. Here are some examples:

I was hitching back to the trail with Scott and Nora. We waited and waited. Then I suggested that Nora let her hair down. She did and the next vehicle gave us a ride.

Dolly and I were going to hitch to that town by the NOC. We each had a dog. I didn't think it would work but a guy in an SUV stopped and he had a huge dog. Three dogs, three people, no problem.

I never had a problem hitching with Winter. One time an elderly couple stopped for us and Winter sat in front with them. They asked Winter questions and I answered from the back seat as if it were Winter. Very sick but what the heck.

I thought I had been discreet when I changed my clothes behind a vehicle at the grocery store parking lot in Gorham, NH. I hiked on. Two or three days later I was hitching back to the trail again. A car slammed on her brakes and stopped for me. It seems that the woman had been sitting in the grocery store parking lot with her girl friend. She stopped and picked me up because she remembered my legs.:D

I was hitching with TUK and Rachel and not getting a ride. TUK hitched in the opposite direction and the guy turned around and took us to the restaurant.

Just smile and try not to look like an axe murderer.

Bearpaw
01-17-2008, 22:40
Actually my worst (never got one) was trying to get to Franklin, NC. I walked about 3 1/2 miles to a payphone at a campground and called a cab. However, I should mention it was COLD rainy day, and I was a bit of a BIG drowned rat. I never really needed to hitch any where I went the rest of the time I was in the south. You walk through LOTS of trail towns and easy resupply points.

I never had to wait more than maybe 20 minutes for a hitch any where else, and usually less than that.

mrc237
01-17-2008, 22:46
Hitchin' is like raindancing. Its all in the timing! :)

the_iceman
01-17-2008, 22:52
It was not getting picked as much as having no one come by for an hour.

Mountain Dew
01-17-2008, 22:52
They threw trash at you that actually hit you ? omg...That's hilarious. I'm sorry, but I'd pay good money to have seen that. The question that begs to be asked here is...

Did you go through the trash to see if there was anything good to eat on ? :banana

Sly
01-17-2008, 22:53
The worst time I've had recently was in Kalispel, MT trying to get to Glacier. I hhitched 3.5 hours before I gave up and rented a car. I had one guy yell out the window, "You need a woman!" Yeah, like I didn't already know.

Sly
01-17-2008, 22:56
I know this girl that got hit with beer bottle thrown from a trunk on 19E. There was no mistaking her for a man either. What's with that?

Sly
01-17-2008, 22:58
Hitchin' is like raindancing. Its all in the timing! :)

No kidding. I've resorted to making signs and at times to hold cash, without luck. Other times I can barely get across the street and I have a ride.

A-Train
01-17-2008, 23:02
I know this girl that got hit with beer bottle thrown from a trunk on 19E. There was no mistaking her for a man either. What's with that?

Southern Hospitality?

the_iceman
01-17-2008, 23:04
I know this girl that got hit with beer bottle thrown from a trunk on 19E. There was no mistaking her for a man either. What's with that?

We camped there in behind the sign because we hit there at dark. The locals noticed us and started driving by and whopping and shouting and throwing bottles out the window. It lasted 15 minutes and I slept with one eye open.

fiddlehead
01-17-2008, 23:15
I remember a long time ago, i hitched from CO to my home in PA, the last ride i needed was about 6 miles from my house.
A bunch of kids went off the road onto the shoulder to either try to scare me or actually try to run me off the road.
Oh well, you never know.

A sign in a Loo in England: "Hitching is like a pubic hair on a toilet seat - Sooner later you get pissed off!"

HIKER7s
01-18-2008, 11:17
As soon as I got to PA and tried to get a ride... I was out there on the road, pack on, thumb out and a car full of people rode by threw garbage out at me,*which hit me*, and screamed "Get a JOB!" Rides were harder to get until you get to Maine then people there seemed to be nicer...


Consider yourself lucky, I got paintballed last year!

SlowLightTrek
01-18-2008, 12:38
I tried to pick resupply points that were close enough to the AT that I could walk in case I couldn't get a ride. Worst place I had was Lincoln NH. I had to roadwalk 6 miles into North Woodstock. It took me less than 2 hours though.

Yahtzee
01-18-2008, 12:42
I find MD, PA, NJ, NY and NH to be the hardest states to get a hitch. The first four I think because of the proximity to the big cities and the distrust that sometimes comes with that. NH, well, people are just cold and distant up there. Til you get 'em drunk, of course.

I'd rank Geogia and Maine as the easiest places to get a hitch.

ChinMusic
01-18-2008, 12:56
With Hilton being a national story, the public may be less inclined to pick folks up this year.

When I was in 4th grade by best friend's father was murdered by a hitchhiker. It's hard NOT to think of such things.

dessertrat
01-18-2008, 13:44
The richer the area, the harder the hitch.

Jeff
01-18-2008, 14:02
Manchester, VT was the easiest hitch for me. Lots of nice folks there.

I had a hard time getting to N Woodstock, NH too. I think it's due to lots of "out of town" tourists driving down Rt 112 into town.

MOWGLI
01-18-2008, 14:04
The pick-up truck is the hitchhikers friend. There seem to be more of them in the south, as well as in PA & ME.

NorthCountryWoods
01-18-2008, 16:05
Manchester, VT was the easiest hitch for me. Lots of nice folks there.

I had a hard time getting to N Woodstock, NH too. I think it's due to lots of "out of town" tourists driving down Rt 112 into town.

Lots of hitching in VT. I pick up hikers hitching on the Green mountain spine all the time. Noticed hikers telling me they have been get passed over more often tho.

superman
01-18-2008, 16:38
The most amazing ride that I got on the whole AT was in the White Mountain notch that has the AMC by the railroad station. I'd sent a re-supply package to the AMC. When we were going back to the trail two ladies asked if they could give us a ride. They had the most beautiful Mercedes convertible with the top down. It had fine leather seats. My face must have showed my concern for the car with Winter’s claws. One of the women simply said “oh, don’t worry about the car.” The ladies asked a million questions about Winter. It’s amazing how many times I wind up feeling like just Winter’s assistant. Winter only needed me because I had the thumb to stick in the air.

squeeze
01-18-2008, 17:36
A cop near Pawling NY told me it was against the law to hitch hike in NY. He did a background check on me and then drove me to the trail.

http://www.digihitch.com/

Jack Tarlin
01-18-2008, 17:40
Gotta disagree with Wolf about hitching being easy anywhere on the A.T.

It's HORRIBLE in Connecticut and New York, not so great in some parts of Massachusetts, and not always great in PA.

Hitching a ride is MUCH easier down South, and I think there are three main reasons:

*The people are friendlier, period, and are less fearful of strangers.
*They tend to be church-goers, i.e. they are charitable by nature, and
have more faith in their fellow men.
*Lastly, and here's the big one: The further south you go, the likelier you are
to get a ride........in a pickup truck!

A-Train
01-18-2008, 17:47
This should be helpful to folks planning their trips and resupplies for 2008. Consider using towns where you don't need to hitchhike to resupply in, thus not relying on others. Towns like Bear Mountain, Kent, Salisbury, Dalton, Chesire, rt 2/n.adams come to mind.

DuctTape
01-18-2008, 19:40
I think hitchhiking in Vermont and Maine is just as easy as down south. NH maybe not quite as easy, but still good.

Trying to get a ride in NY, CT sucks.

oruoja
01-20-2008, 10:25
Lots of hitching in VT. I pick up hikers hitching on the Green mountain spine all the time. Noticed hikers telling me they have been get passed over more often tho.

I have been noticing that as well, meaning it's getting a bit tougher to get a hitch here in Vt. Just like the rest of the country we too have had our share of strange crimes and people are probably getting a bit more nervous and careful.

Undershaft
01-20-2008, 13:26
I never expect to get a ride. When I plan my resupply stops I choose the towns or stores that are located very close to the trail. Every time I have stuck out my thumb, I have never gotten a ride. I usually just walk in/out of towns and if a car stops to give me a ride I take it, but never expect a ride and I'm never disappointed.

chiefdaddy
01-20-2008, 15:57
ok so once I hitched close to fontanna and a redneck guy picked us up and gave us the ride of our lives in the back of his truck, my dog had crapped(got sick that morning) on me it was freezing and the guy was "going to church" i was holding on for dear life!

Another time this old couple picked myself and a girlfriend up while hiking down the USFS road at springer parking lot, we(I) had knocked a hole in her oil pan(jetta) and were stranded late and in the wrong season for anyone to drive by. The couple was cool and took us all the way home :D

LIhikers
01-20-2008, 17:57
Last summer my wife and I hitched into Williamstown, MA with no problem. We stood at the curb, with my thumb out, for about 20 seconds.

hammock engineer
01-21-2008, 14:21
I didn't have a problem hitching in GA the last couple of weeks. If you are a woman you shouldn't have problems. Tourons and families never seem to pick anyone up. Other than Lurary, VA I never had a problem.

Unfortunatly I think it is going to make this harder with the past events. But I think it will be more likely to cause issues up north where people are not as used to it. Last week in Franklin 4 of us got a ride right in, a family in Shonies offerrend and drove us to PO, grocery store, and back to the trail. We got multiple ride offers in the PO and grocery. Hopefully this holds true for everyone. I think people that are used to hikers realize we are not all like that and will still help out.

Lone Wolf
01-21-2008, 14:27
Gotta disagree with Wolf about hitching being easy anywhere on the A.T.

It's HORRIBLE in Connecticut and New York, not so great in some parts of Massachusetts, and not always great in PA.

Hitching a ride is MUCH easier down South, and I think there are three main reasons:

*The people are friendlier, period, and are less fearful of strangers.
*They tend to be church-goers, i.e. they are charitable by nature, and
have more faith in their fellow men.
*Lastly, and here's the big one: The further south you go, the likelier you are
to get a ride........in a pickup truck!

i disagree :) it's no problem anywhere on the AT

ki0eh
01-21-2008, 14:31
Wow, I had the exact same experience. The first major road in PA (can't remember the number) had me standing there for over an hour trying to get ice cream. I usually don't mention it because I didn't NEED to go there, just wanted to. Also, it wasn't a real trail town per say. Still, the people around there were unfriendly A$$holes

So THAT's why there's a sign warning of the road crossing ahead on reaching PA 16...

The Snowman
01-21-2008, 20:34
got to say CT is the easyest state to get a ride. the only promblem is if you look like a hiker people assume you want to walk and are to polite to ruin you day by asking if you want a ride. we will Just wave to you and drive by.