View Full Version : How much hitchhiking is required for an average AT thruhike?
Sassafras Lass
02-08-2011, 13:39
Researching resupply points and it looks like a good many of them are anywhere between 3 miles and 15 miles away - in those cases, do you guys hitch or do you just walk to town, camp on the outskirts, and get on your way the next day?
Generally hitch.
But.... recheck your resupply points and see if you can't call someone for a ride from the trailhead if you're not comfortable hitching.
I imagine before it's all over you'll not only get comfortable hitching but you'll kind of look forward to it.
Agreed, hitch. Never had any problems getting a ride either. The longest wait I had was maybe 20 minutes hitching into Manchester Center.
garlic08
02-08-2011, 13:58
I hardly hitched at all--I only stuck my thumb out three times. My first hitch was in Vermont, over 1600 miles into the thru hike. But I had great luck with trail magic and meeting people at trailheads and asking for rides. I tried to plan my resupply stops at places I could walk to (two miles was my threshold). This meant a few more long stretches without resupply, but for me it was worth it. Sometimes I'd find a highway convenience store that had enough food for me to continue hiking without going into a nearby town.
It wasn't a fear of hitching that made me avoid it--I just preferred spending less time with logistics and more time hiking. Hitching into trail towns is usually fun and rewarding--you meet some great people.
I imagine before it's all over you'll not only get comfortable hitching but you'll kind of look forward to it.
Yes. Hitching became somewhat of a hobby for me. If I got bored with hiking and the opportunity presented itself, I would hitch into town just to get some real food or a cup of coffee. You get to meet a lot of cool, and interesting people, and you eventually get good at it. If you run into day hikers near road crossings, talk to them and at some point mention that you are trying to get into town. More often than not they will offer you a ride. Hitch hiking can be fun and not nearly as scary as most people think.
max patch
02-08-2011, 14:08
Most everyone hitches but its possible to thru without ever getting into a car -- someone did it the year I hiked -- if that is what you want to do.
Agreed, hitch. Never had any problems getting a ride either. The longest wait I had was maybe 20 minutes hitching into Manchester Center.
I had a tough hitch there as well. Lots of out of state plates, and fancy cars. You are not likely to get picked up by a mercedes with NY plates.
I had a tough hitch there as well. Lots of out of state plates, and fancy cars. You are not likely to get picked up by a mercedes with NY plates.
I got picked up by a construction worker and dropped off at a home-builder type supply store in Manchester Center.
A lady standing in line heard me ask for directions to The Sutton Place and she came over and said... "My husband would kill me but you don't look like an axe murderer so I'll take you over there.".
MC rocks.....
I looked a bit more like an axe murderer, or at least a drifter.:D
maybe clem
02-08-2011, 14:27
I hitched a lot.
Two Tents
02-08-2011, 14:27
I have a bandana that says "Hiker to Town"one side---"Hiker to trail" on the other. White with big green lettering. I use it all over the place to "hitch" when backpacking works great.
mlkelley
02-08-2011, 14:42
Hitching rides is fun. I've only had one somewhat sketchy experience. And that was just a guy that was a bit tipsy from his "cans of pop".:D It was a short hitch so I rode it out. Embrace the experience.
I had a tough hitch there as well. Lots of out of state plates, and fancy cars. You are not likely to get picked up by a mercedes with NY plates.
...........when it's raining and your muddy! lmao.
swamp dawg
02-08-2011, 15:09
The only problem we had was trying to get out of Manchester Center one Sunday in May. Stinger could not deduct why we were not getting a ride out of town. There were plenty of cars with folks in them but no one would stop. It all of sudden hit me that there were lot of couples all dressed up, it was Mothers Day. The decent couples weren't about to pick up some dirty hikers when they were about to eat a special Mothers Day meal. We did a lot of road walking that day. swamp dawg
Sassafras Lass
02-08-2011, 16:09
. . . what do ya'll do when you need to hitchhike where it's illegal? Suck it up and walk to town or just keep your thumb hidden when you see cops?
I learned to enjoy hitching as well and it added to the sense of adventure. Tips for success - try to catch a hitch with a female hiker. Don't hitch with more than one other hiker if at all possible. One guy who was section hiking carried a Marine Corp t-shirt that he wore when hitching. His son was a Marine pilot and he always got rides (Semper Fi) fast.
Sickmont
02-08-2011, 16:24
. . . what do ya'll do when you need to hitchhike where it's illegal? Suck it up and walk to town or just keep your thumb hidden when you see cops?
Apparently its not illegal to hitchhike. At least according to this site:
http://www.digihitch.com/usa428.html
And there was a whole thread about state laws and hitching came up a lot:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=67895
Two Tents
02-08-2011, 16:26
. . . what do ya'll do when you need to hitchhike where it's illegal? Suck it up and walk to town or just keep your thumb hidden when you see cops?
See post #11- I doubt having a sign is illegal. Just sayin
Sassafras Lass
02-08-2011, 16:29
Apparently its not illegal to hitchhike. At least according to this site:
http://www.digihitch.com/usa428.html
And there was a whole thread about state laws and hitching came up a lot:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=67895
Hmm. My '10 Companion says that hitching is illegal in NJ and NY (haven't checked the others states) . . . .
Two Tents
02-08-2011, 16:30
I got my fist "hiker to town" bandana at Mountain Laurel Designs. (A friend just had to have that one) The second I got from The Outfitter AT Harpers Ferry, both on line buys.
Slo-go'en
02-08-2011, 16:35
Hmm. My '10 Companion says that hitching is illegal in NJ and NY (haven't checked the others states) . . . .
Thankfully, your not likely to have to hitch in those two states, stuff you need are close and sometime on the trail.
Sickmont
02-08-2011, 16:36
Hmm. My '10 Companion says that hitching is illegal in NJ and NY (haven't checked the others states) . . . .
To be honest, i'm from NJ and i do know it's highly *frowned upon* in a lot of areas, but the few times i got nailed for it by the cops they just wrote me a warning and told me to go away and to "never let them catch/see me there again". I never actually checked to see if it was truly illegal or not.
Hiker stands up for their rights, $200. Hiker spends the night in jail, $100. Hiker gets free breakfast, priceless.
Sassafras Lass
02-10-2011, 09:26
Back to my original Q - how often did you find it necessary to hitch on your thru?
I hitched a lot more on my thru than I do now - but I still do hitch a bit. I'd say an average is to hitch about 3-4 miles total per 100 miles - so, 75 miles of hitching total for a thru-hike. I guess, that seems about right - I probably hitched about twice that in 1985. I'd say you really don't have to hitch at all and in some states they are pretty strictly against it (NY /NJ /CT) - in other states, it's more or less overlooked for people who are obviously AT hikers. Alternatives are - walking the roads and blue blaze trails into towns, catching rides with day hikers and section hikers you meet (not exactly hitching - this happens a lot and works well). Sometimes weekenders just offer rides. Most hostels have shuttle services and a lot of people in trail towns make a few bucks (and have fun) running shuttles for hikers. They typically leave their "business cards" or flyers in the shelters near major roads.
fiddlehead
02-10-2011, 10:13
About once a week. Or once every two weeks sometimes.
On average.
Up to you! like other posters have said.
By the way, in Wyoming on a CDT hike, the police stopped and told use we couldn't hitch.
So we made a sign and just propped it up by our packs.
He came back and said "It is illegal in WY to solicit a ride"
We had to go to a bar and pay somebody to take us back to the trail.
It was in the mighty metropolis of Jeffrey City
Do you offer a tip when someone picks you up?
I usually do offer to pay for a bit of gas or something if someone takes me somewhere that they were not already going (or offers to wait while I shop and bring me back to the trail) I've really had this happen a pretty good bit.
If someone is going that way anyway and just drops you out of the back of their pick-up at the red light - just a big thank you and a smile is usually fine.
It is seriously important that the impression you leave on everyone is that hikers (even those that are hitching) are good, trustworthy people. It makes it better and easier for everyone else. If you have a few bucks to give and it seems appropriate, then I think it is totally fine to offer it.
Hitching tips:
1) put the good looking girl(s) out to hitch and keep the boys in the woods - totally sexist, I know, but it works, sorry
2) always wear you pack and smile - don't look like a homeless vagrant (even though that is sort of what we are. Don't wear a hat or sunglasses - (hat ok in rain). Big smile - I'm serious.
3) hitch right next to AT trail crossing signs - people will understand what you are doing better
4) if you are a girl, tell whoever picks you up that your husband,boyfriend, etc. is meeting you at a place in the town you are going. Also (sexist here, sorry - don't mean to be) - find another hiker to hitch with you if possible - safety in numbers.
5) case the driver out just like he / she cases you out - police shouldn't "profile" - you CAN! - family in a mini van: great! - college student/ hipple / hiker/ someone with bike racks/ : perfect! - so is a contractor with a pick-up truck - fine - you ride in back. Maintenance people - working: cool ---- Sketchy people, sketchy vehicle - just walk back to the trail if you don't feel right - lie, whatever - use your good instincts.
6) thumb DOWN if the cops come by duu!
7. Don't be smoking cigarettes.
(if I pulled over to pick up a female hitchhiker and a dude jumped out I'd drive right off.... I hate to be messed with like that.)
8. Put away the butcher knife.
Spirit Walker
02-10-2011, 13:54
On the AT, I rarely hitched until New England. As a single female, I thought I would never hitch. I planned my drops in towns that were either on the trail or very close. There are a lot of places within 3 miles of the trail. But I discovered that sometimes I would be so hungry for 'real' food I'd stick my thumb out at road crossings to get a ride to a diner where I could get some good food. When I saw how easy it was, I became willing to go farther off-trail to resupply. It helped prepare me for the western trails where town may be a long way off the mountain.
Even so, there are always people who hike the trail without hitching. They either carry heavier packs (i.e. 10 days or two weeks food instead of three or four days) or they walk a lot. I knew one on the AT and one on the CDT who did that. These days, given the number of hostels and shuttles that offer rides, and the number of hikers with cell phones, you can avoid a lot of hitching simply by calling for a ride. If not, trailheads are good places to get rides by simply walking up to a dayhiker or someone out walking their dog and asking.
jacquelineanngrant
02-15-2011, 22:06
You can actually hike the entire trail and never hitch if you don't want to. I hitched only twice last year and neither was a neccessity. Most trail towns have hostels or hotels that will shuttle you if you don't want to hike in to town.
Having recently seen that infamous Stephen King movie/book, Deliverance, I'm a bit warry of appalachain locals (even though I am an appalahcian local). I think "yellow blazing" it takes something away from the experience: just walk to town. The flat, even road will be a nice vacation from the trail.
jfarrell04
05-01-2011, 20:28
James Dickey = author of Deliverance
Jim Adams
05-01-2011, 22:56
Hell, I've heard of some thru hikers hitching about 2,165 miles!
geek
I imagine before it's all over you'll not only get comfortable hitching but you'll kind of look forward to it. 10-k
Yup.
I had great luck with trail magic and meeting people at trailheads and asking for rides. Garlico8
Yup. Part of getting where you want is NOT ALWAYS about HAVING TO stick your thumb out!
Yes. Hitching became somewhat of a hobby for me. If I got bored with hiking and the opportunity presented itself, I would hitch into town just to get some real food or a cup of coffee. You get to meet a lot of cool, and interesting people, and you eventually get good at it. If you run into day hikers near road crossings, talk to them and at some point mention that you are trying to get into town. More often than not they will offer you a ride. Hitch hiking can be fun and not nearly as scary as most people think. Pony
Yup. Me too.
Hitching rides is fun. I've only had some... sketchy experience. ... Embrace the experience.
Yup. I've had lots of sketchy rides, but I'm usually the sketchy one! Show persepctive rides you are more common than sketchy. You are just doing an uncommon thing - hiking through the woods for 2200 miles! EMBRACE THE JOURNEY! And, carry a BIG GUN!
I learned to enjoy hitching as well and it added to the sense of adventure. mlkelly
Yup. Notice the pattern forming? Those with the best attitudes and adaptable personalities not only get the quicker rides but also have learnd to enjoy the process! Hey, that can be applied to thru-hiking too! Who would have imagined that?
bigcranky
05-02-2011, 08:04
The flat, even road will be a nice vacation from the trail.
Ha ha ha ha. No flat, even roads go into town from the trail. The trail crosses the roads at gaps in the mountains, where the road has to climb the mountain to meet the trail. The roads tend to be very steep, noisy, dirty, dangerous, and nasty. I'll stick out my thumb, thanks.
How much hitchhiking is required for an average AT thruhike?
About 117.4 miles!
Having recently seen that infamous Stephen King movie/book, Deliverance, I'm a bit warry of appalachain locals (even though I am an appalahcian local). I think "yellow blazing" it takes something away from the experience: just walk to town. The flat, even road will be a nice vacation from the trail.
you sure got a purdy mouth boy.
get real man. it ain't like that down here and you know it. if you were really an appalachian local you would not be bothered by appalachian locals. transplant.
I think "yellow blazing" it takes something away from the experience: just walk to town. The flat, even road will be a nice vacation from the trail.
There's a difference between yellow blazing to skip a section of trail, and hitching into town. That being said, I feel that hitch hiking enhanced my trail experience rather than detracted from it. I've never heard of a hiker looking forward to a six mile road walk into town after walking 20+ miles. Heck, most hikers, once in town won't walk two blocks from a hostel unless it involves food or beer.