Is it possible/practical to not hitch? [Archive]

oldfivetango

01-20-2005, 21:26

orangebug

01-20-2005, 21:35

As a section hiker and a driver in NOGA, I hitch and offer rides frequently. It is a matter of using your street smarts and determining when it is safe. I never would place my pack away from me, preferring to have it sit on my lap, or ride in the bed of a pickup with it. I am similarly mindful of apprehensions of hikers I pick up.

I've met locals this way and have gotten lots of insight to their environment. I've gotten to hear and share stories of life and the trail. I can't imagine not hitch hiking or offering a ride to a backpacker.

MOWGLI

01-20-2005, 21:43

I knew 2 people in 2000 who did not ride in a car between Springer & Katahdin - Crinkle & Gizmo's Dad.

Crinkle had not ridden in a car in a few years. Pretty remarkable considering he was in his early 20s. His parents brought his bike to Katahdin, and he pedaled home!

Gizmo's Dad simply wanted to experience 5-6 months of not riding in a car. He wanted to walk - the whole way.

I'm sure that decision complicated their trips. Crinkle walked into Waynesboro, VA - and that's a long walk! He was rewarded by having someone throw a full Sprite bottle at him from a moving vehicle. It knocked the wind out of him! Talk about adding insult to injury!

So yes, it absolutely can be done. Both of those folks completed the trail.

I chose to hitch - alone and in groups - and had no problems. I preferred to hitch alone.

I met some of the nicest folks that way. I can understand someone not wanting to hitch if they have never done it. I hitched many thousands of miles in the 70s, so it wasn't an issue for me.

Little Bear

java

01-20-2005, 21:46

The short answer, no.
I honestly don't think that it is realistic to not hitch into town. Sure, you can walk into town, but road walking is really hard on the feet, and you're zero day will be wasted. (I don't doubt its been done, but I don't think its logical).
I'm a young(ish) woman, and I've done plenty of hitching around trail towns. I stress that I wouldn't hitch very far away from a well-known trail town.
Many of my favorite memories from hiking are from the hitches. I've even hitched alone, but not often. Follow your instinct, if it doesn't feel right, tell the person you're waiting for your mytical hiking partner then take another ride.
Or just decide you'll never hitch alone, it's easy to coordinate hitching with other hikers. Safety in numbers remember. Oh, and you'll often be in the bed of a pick-up, so if you need to bail, you can.
Or you could just take one of those $10,000 thru-hike slackpacking trips!

weary

01-20-2005, 21:48

Hey Folks,
I got real problems with the thought of hitchhiking-would never
do that alone.Would be bad enough in a group even because you dont know whether the kind soul that picked you up is sober or competent.I have people in my own family that i will not ride with dontchaknow?
- So i am wondering if it is possible to plan a thru that would avoid hitches alltogether.Any ideas?As slow as i hike it would be feasible to pay someone to buy my goods and wait for them up the line if i could find the right person. Anything like this ever go on out there?Inquiring minds want to know. Cheers to all, Oldfivetango:bse
I had similar worries as I started north from Springer in '93. I hadn't stuck out my thumb to get a ride in 40 years. But it quickly became routine. At first I hitched only reluctantly, and mostly with at least one other hiker I met on the trail. But I soon remembered all the tricks. Post an attractive girl on the roads and hang back. Once the car stopped, just ask if you could come along to.

All life is a risk. Typically, one is only hitching a mile or two. The odds of an accident happening are pretty slim. Only once was I seriously worried. When the car stopped I could tell some had been drinking. But it seemed impolite to refuse a friendly ride. Once in the car I discovered they were drunker than I had thought. As it happened the post office was closed and my ride wanted to hang around until it opened and then drive me back to the trail. I concocted a story about meeting a friend at the Post Office and they drove away. I ended up walking the two miles back to the trail.

But to your central question. Yes. It is possible not to hitch. But most don't make that choice. I enjoyed every minute of walking in the woods, rain or shine. I did not enjoy walking along a road with cars whizzing by. And I soon became reluctant to refuse offers of rides from friendly folks who would stop, even if I was walking facing traffic on the other side of the road.

Weary

jeepcj258

01-20-2005, 21:48

I think that hitching is part of the adventure. I have not done a through hike so I am not speaking from experience in that aspect. But I have done hikes that will leave miles from a car and a ride is always welcome at the end of a long journey.

I second the above, it is a great way to meet people and hear what they have to say. Common sense and the good Lord will usually prevale in such situations. If it does not look/feel safe it probably isn't. If you do not feel safe about it do not do it. But make sure to calculate in your walk time for your planning.

God Bless
Seth

zephyr1034

01-20-2005, 22:10

I'm sure that decision complicated their trips. Crinkle walked into Waynesboro, VA - and that's a long walk! He was rewarded by having someone throw a full Sprite bottle at him from a moving vehicle. It knocked the wind out of him! Talk about adding insult to injury!
================================================== ============

At various times in my life, I've been subjected to catcalls and jeers while walking along roads. Sometimes I wasn't even hiking, but just trying to get somewhere. One time, in Prince George's County MD, someone tried to hit me by opening a door on a moving car. That really scared me.

Footslogger

01-20-2005, 22:16

Sure ...you can do an entire thru-hike without hitching but you're gonna do some road walking. No matter how well you plan out your food, sooner or later you're gonna need to get into a town for re-supply. Very few towns are actually ON the AT. Some are as close as a mile or so but others are anywhere from 3 - 10 miles from the closest road crossing.

Not sure if the issue here is the "act" of hitching or just riding with strangers all together ?? One option is always to start walking towards town once you hit the road crossing. Lot's of locals seeing a hiker walking toward town with a pack on their back will stop and offer you a ride. That's not technically "hitching" but it will save you a lot of extra walking.

'Slogger
AT 2003

Mouse

01-20-2005, 23:01

I was a bit intimidated by hitchhiking too. Baltimore Jack and Bramble both wrote documents on where to resupply that I found very helpful. (Thanks to you both!) They did not totally emilinate hitching but did minimize it.

I am a woman and had no problems at all with the hitchhiking that remained, aside from not getting a ride a few times. I would say that hitching is not really a problem. Sometimes I felt more exposed walking along the road than hitching a ride; one is exposed for a longer period of time.

Youngblood

01-20-2005, 23:23

rocket04

01-20-2005, 23:24

Yes, it's possible, and no, it's not practical. Posts before mine contain really good advice. I'd love to know of statistics of people running into problems (any kind of problem) hitching along the trail. Something tells me there's more to worry about the crime rate in your city (no matter how low) than when hitching. That's speculation, I admit. I hitched plenty, did it alone often, and the worse that happened was getting pulled over for speeding. I rode in all kinds of cars (old, new, fancy, ordinary, pick-ups, vans, etc.) with all kinds of people (men, women, old, young, etc.) and they all had one thing in common: they were extra nice and made my hike just a little easier.

kevin

01-21-2005, 01:19

Let me join the crowd and say that while it may be possible to avoid hitching, I don't think its practical (although how practical is it to walk from GA to ME for that matter). When I started my first section last summer I wasn't too thrilled about hitching as it was something I thought I'd never do if you would have asked me a year or two earlier. For awhile I got lucky...stayed at a shelter with a guy doing a weekend hike who had parked at Dicks Creek Gap the night before I was going into Hiawassee. Since he was driving out the next morning, he was nice enough to give me and another hiker a ride into town. Later at Winding Stair Gap I was heading into Franklin and had to stick out the thumb. Three or four cars later, a guy on his way to work picked me up and gave a ride to town and dropped me off at the hotel. Had a nice chat on the way into town and he said he usually will pick up hikers as long as he didn't have his little girl in the car with him.

I think part of it is that hitchhiking near the trail is different than away from the trail. People living around there are used to hikers hitching into town. Not that it is risk-free, but I wouldn't think of hitching around home and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again while on the trail.

Jack Lincoln

01-21-2005, 04:42

I hesitate to mention this but I suspect that I should do so.

Lots of hitches, especially in New England, will involve queers attempting to pick you up.

I don't go that way but I resent the fact that most of them are usually interested in doing something that I consider to be perverted.

Of course, if that is your bag, then more power to you.

Jack

Grimace

01-21-2005, 09:47

just don't write. There has been a ton of dumb stuff written on Whiteblaze, but I think you just took the cake. You make West Virginia look bad with your ignorance.

tlbj6142

01-21-2005, 10:37

My first hitch was on a 5-day trip in ME 6 months ago. I was alone and needed to hitch back to my car. The whole process took almost 3 hours, but it was probably the most memerable experience of the entire trip.

I'd do it again. It was quite fun.

The Solemates

01-21-2005, 11:15

Is it possible/practical to not hitch?

Possible, yes.
Practical, no.

JoeHiker

01-21-2005, 13:12

Why would people call it not practical? Distance? Dangerous roads? Dangerous locals? How far is it usually from trail crossings to the towns?

Lone Wolf

01-21-2005, 13:15

Usually 5 or more miles. Roadwalking sucks when it's hot. Hitching is part of the gig.

Footslogger

01-21-2005, 13:34

Why would people call it not practical? Distance? Dangerous roads? Dangerous locals?===========================================
Just couldn't pass up the chance to tell this story ...

In 2003 a group of us hit a road crossing somewhere in VA (wish I could remember the route #). Anyway, we were all hungry and the handbook said there was a little convenient store that served hamburgers about 0.8 to the left. We were all over that opportunity and walked into the store. After feeding our faces we got back on the road and somewhat jokingly stuck out our thumbs as we began walking back out to the trail crossing. A guy stopped in a pick-up truck with a boat/trailer attached. Both the cab and truck bed were full but he said ..."if you're willing to ride in the boat, I'll give ya'll a ride". Long story short ...we all threw our packs into the boat and little by little crawled up into the boat. The scene was just too good to pass up ...6 hikers sitting in the boat seats. One hiker, not in our group, ran out of the convenient store and shot a pic of us in the boat (sure wish I had a copy ...where are you DIRTY FRANK ??). With that the driver took off at a pretty mean clip. The road was pretty curvy and that boat swayed back and forth on the trailer enough that we all had to hang on for dear life. That was the longest and most memorable 0.8 mile hitch I have ever had.

So yeah ...I guess you could say that hitching can be a tad dangerous, especially if you get picked up by a boat.

'Slogger
AT 2003

rocket04

01-21-2005, 13:35

Why would people call it not practical? Distance? Dangerous roads? Dangerous locals? How far is it usually from trail crossings to the towns? I don't think it's so much dangerous roads or locals, mostly distance. Granted, you're hiking 2200 miles as it is, but personally I wasn't interested in hiking on roads on the way to and going out of town. Here are a few places where I hitched and was glad I didn't have to walk:
Franklin, NC (10 miles)
Glascow, VA (5.9 miles)
Waynesboro, VA (4.5 miles)
Manchester Center, VT (5.5 miles)
Rangeley, ME (9 miles)
Stratton, ME (5 miles)

I mean, even places that are only 2.5 miles away, when you're just going in and out for re-supply, that's 5 miles right there.

rickb

01-21-2005, 13:39

As someone who once hitched out of central Bogota at 2 AM to save a $2 cab fare, I am probably not one whose advise on hitching is worth much, but FWIW...

1) At least one long distance hiker has been killed (accident) walking along a road, but none has been killed while hitching.

2) As a practical matter, I think avoiding hitches wouldn't be all that hard. You might carry a bit more food here and there, but nothing extreme. 3MPH is not an unreasonable road-walking speed. Today's hikers resupply way more places than they used to.

3) On the other hand, I do think doing without hitches would be hard for psychological/social reasons. There can something irrationally difficult about walking "wasted" miles that when you are thru hiking. Hard to explain, but if you want to see a grumpy hiker, find one that walked a 1/2 mile down the wrong trail. Likewise, some off-trail respites can take on a irrational importance. Walking past them (when your friends are not) could be tough. Plus, you may find yourself parting company with other hikers who need not ajust their schedules in the same way you do.

That said, I think a person who does avoid hitches could have a truely amazing and different journey. To my way of thinking, it would be a fine choice-- but best made for reasons other than safety concerns.

Rick B

Lone Wolf

01-21-2005, 13:42

So bottom line oldfivetango, once you pop your hitchhiking cherry you'll see it's no biggie.

max patch

01-21-2005, 13:48

Its not only possible but someone does it every year. Grover the Rover did it the year I hiked.

The year I hiked a pickup with 5 hikers and a dog overturned. No injuries other than bumps and bruises as all were somehow thrown clear. On a personal note, the only time I was scared on my hike was on a hitch from Gettysburg back to the trail. The cleancut sober young adult drove 100 mph and passed everyone he could. I insisted he stop and let me out.

Your decision.

The Solemates

01-21-2005, 13:53

along 19E in NC/TN, a group of 4 of us got in the back of a truck and the driver took off before we were even sitting down. we nearly got thrown out the bed of the truck onto the ground. in fact, one guy would have if two of us wouldnt have grabbed him by his jacket. the driver was nuts.

The Solemates

01-21-2005, 13:55

oh, and then there's always Melvin Whittacker in Pearisburg, VA. 5 oxygen tanks in his car, one hooked up to him, and he's still smoking. four people with three packs inside a dodge neon with all these tanks. and the first words out of his mouth werent "ya need a ride" or "where ya goin", but dead serious...."you know they killed my boy."

well, "im sorry to hear that sir. can you take us to the pizza hut!"

everyone in town told us he was harmless, but wow this guy was crazy.

A-Train

01-21-2005, 13:59

Personally I think hitching is part of the exprience of thru-hiking the AT.
Everyone is afraid at the beginnging, but pretty much everyone is doing it eventually.

If you have reserves, try to bunch up with a female hiker, or a group of a couple hikers to ease your fears. It's helpful the night before going into town to talk to other hikers and see who is headed that way. Sometimes it's helpful to walk the trail with them that day so you both arrive together.

Once you do it once, it won't be no thang'

TankHiker

01-21-2005, 14:21

everyone in town told us he was harmless, but wow this guy was crazy.Ah, yes. Dirty Melvin. He was a hoot, wasn't he? He called us all potheads and told us dirty jokes. Then he showed us his "sex gun" (a gun that makes wooden figurines have sex when the trigger is pulled).

But back to the subject, I think most people (myself included) are nevous about hitching at first. It helps to hitch in small groups of 2 or 3. Often you'll find trail angels willing to give rides. I suppose it's possible to not hitch at all, but it would be difficult.

-TANK

Footslogger

01-21-2005, 15:35

Ah, yes. Dirty Melvin. He was a hoot, wasn't he? He called us all potheads and told us dirty jokes. Then he showed us his "sex gun" (a gun that makes wooden figurines have sex when the trigger is pulled).

But back to the subject, I think most people (myself included) are nevous about hitching at first. It helps to hitch in small groups of 2 or 3. Often you'll find trail angels willing to give rides. I suppose it's possible to not hitch at all, but it would be difficult.

-TANK=======================
Don't know how we missed old Melvin. Heard all about him from other hikers. Guess it's because we pretty much walked everywhere in Pearsiburg.

But yeah ...I think when I did hitch there was always someone with me. You gotta split up though if the group is too large (either that or have half the group hide in the bushes). Almost no one will pick up a huge group of hikers with their backpacks.

'Slogger

Jack Tarlin

01-21-2005, 16:28

For folks (especially women) who have reservations about hitching, A-Train, as usual, hit the nail on the head: It's usually pretty easy to find someone else who's planning to go into town or needs to go in, so pre-arranging to hitch in AND out of town is not that tough to do.

As others have pointed out, it's theoretically possible to hike the whole Trail without hitching or catching a ride from a stranger, but it sure isn't practical, especially up North, where the towns and town services are often miles from the Trail.....you are NOT going to want to roadwalk from the Trail (and then back again!) into places like Manchester Center, North Woodstock, Gorham, Andover, Stratton, Rangeley, and so on. But then again, you're not gonna want to roadwalk into places like Hiawassee, Franklin, Gatlinburg, Erwin, Bland, Waynesboro either. There are places up and down the Trail where it'd be very inconvenient to walk into town, and there are a few places (Waynesboro comes to mind, or Front Royal) where the road-walking on a very busy highway would probably be more unsafe than hitch-hiking.

In short, you will in all likelihood have to hitch a ride at some point in your hike, but if you have reservations about this, there are ways to make it safer, and as A-Train pointed out, the best way to do this is to plan ahead and find someone willing to hitch with you. This really isn't that tough to do.

karensioux

01-21-2005, 19:27

I am a woman and hitched alone last year and met THE most wonderful people. I would do it again in a heart beat. I even got a ride from a guy in a white paneled serial killer van......I wouldn't NOT have that experience for anything. The people are what made my trip.....on the trail AND in the cars!
sparepocket
p.s. he wasn't a serial killer though.......

Peaks

01-21-2005, 21:38

Is it possible/practical to not hitch?

Possible, yes.
Practical, no.

I'll agree with that. Frankly, it all depends on your goals for a thru-hike. Myself, I wanted to minimize hitching during my thru-hike.

If you choose to minimize hitching, it will require you to carry more supplies between resupply and skip certain towns. For example, you will want to carry enough out of Fontana Dam to get you to Davenport Gap and thus skip Gatlinburg. Not a problem, just plan accordingly.

And you might want to blue blaze into some towns. For example, follow the Carter Moriah trail into Gorham, rather than the Rattle River Trail (AT), and then take the Mahoosuc Trail out of town rather than the Centenial Trail (AT).

Resupply though the White Mountains without hitching into town will mean that you carry enough supplies out of Glencliff to get you to Pinkham Notch. Likewise, there is no resupply close the AT in Maine between Gorham and Carratunk. Many go into Andover and Stratton. I hitched into Rangely instead.

Anyway, the choice is yours. Everyone's hike is different.

Skyline

01-21-2005, 22:53

Well, once you do figure out that hitching is better than roadwalking, you'll want some tips on how best to get that ride. Below are four ideas, and I'm sure others can add to them.

1) Choose the PLACE you're going to hitch to maximize your chances for success. Try to get in the mindset of a DRIVER. You should stand where drivers can see you from several hundred yards away, minimum, and where they can safely slow down to get a look at you (yes, these are the 5 or 10 seconds when the decision to stop, or not, is made). Just AHEAD of where you choose to stand should be a place where a driver who wants to give you a ride can safely pull OFF the road (especially paved roads with traffic).

2) Try to look as little like one of the Manson Family and as much like one of the Osmond Family as you can. Just kidding, Donny and Marie we ain't. Well, only half kidding. See #1 above. You will be judged on your appearance by many potential rides.

3) Many people in the vicinity of the A.T. may pick up a backpacker, but will rarely if ever pick up any other kind of hitchhiker. Just the world we live in today. Use that to your advantage. Hitchhike with your pack. Use your pack as a prop. I've had better luck getting a ride if I take my pack off and place it beside me where it can be seen by drivers, than if I attempt to hitchhike while wearing the pack. Not sure why, but it may have something to do with looking less threatening. A 6-foot guy wearing a pack may look stronger (read: more threatening) than the same guy NOT wearing a pack. I've also had better luck getting a ride when I had that pack with me, than if I tried to hitch without a pack. Besides, it's not really a good idea to hide your pack in the woods while you hitch somewhere in search of ice cream.

4) Solo hikers get rides faster, on average, than duos. Duos do better than larger groups. Hikers without dogs do better than hikers with dogs.

Pooja Blue

01-22-2005, 08:28

To answer your question: I'm sure it's possible but I wouldn't want to thruhike that way, personally. My $.02:

I would never have hitchhiked outside of my thruhiking experience. I understand where you're coming from. I never felt comfortable with it and it was awkward each time. Before I left home, I did a few things that helped make it a little better:

1. I promised friends and family I'd follow three rules. I never hitchhiked at night. I never got into a vehicle when I couldn't see in the back (like a van). I never got into a vehicle that had two men in it.

2. I printed out 8.5x11" sheet of paper that said in block letters "POST OFFICE" on one side and "APPALACHIAN TRAIL" on the other. I took it to a Kinko's and had it laminated. It didn't weigh much at all and it was really worth it to have a sign that clearly indicated where I was going. Many of the people who picked me up said they did so because of the sign and they knew exactly where I needed to go. Since it was laminated, it was waterproof and didn't run or dissolve in the rain.

Being from L.A., hitchhiking is just wrong, wrong, wrong to me, and I had some anxiety about it before I started my hike, but I never once had a bad experience with it and rarely had to wait more than a few minutes for a ride anywhere. Mostly people were just wonderful and incredibly kind. To be fair, though, I'm bigger than most men, I'm a former triathlete, and I have six months of self-defense training from a course similar to "Model Mugging." I think a self-defense course is a good idea for any traveller, single or otherwise, hiker or otherwise, personally. It just gives you some greater awareness and options.

Hope that helps.

rocket04

01-22-2005, 11:26

p.s. he wasn't a serial killer though....... You sound disappointed! :D

Kozmic Zian

01-22-2005, 22:43

=======================
Don't know how we missed old Melvin. Heard all about him from other hikers. Guess it's because we pretty much walked everywhere in Pearsiburg.

But yeah ...I think when I did hitch there was always someone with me. You gotta split up though if the group is too large (either that or have half the group hide in the bushes). Almost no one will pick up a huge group of hikers with their backpacks.

'Slogger Yea.....Hitchin'. Hitch into town, and back to The Trail, exactly where you got off. Usually, some local will be curious enough to give you a ride when they see your pack and gear. Some don't, so be patient and try to look happy. Look like you're having a good time, etc. Don't schlump or sit down, never get rides that way. Hitchin' is as much a theatrical art as anything. Make 'um wanta' give you a ride. Look as sharp as possible so they won't think you're too foul. Works for me. And like Slogger says, try to hitch alone....3's a crowd, usually. Some of the girls would probably prefer to hitch with a partner, though. Good Hitch Hiking! KZ;)

wacocelt

01-23-2005, 09:14

sure wish I had a copy ...where are you DIRTY FRANK ??

I'll see if I can dig him up for you.

weary

01-24-2005, 21:00

....And you might want to blue blaze into some towns. For example, follow the Carter Moriah trail into Gorham, rather than the Rattle River Trail (AT), and then take the Mahoosuc Trail out of town rather than the Centenial Trail (AT).

Resupply though the White Mountains without hitching into town will mean that you carry enough supplies out of Glencliff to get you to Pinkham Notch. Likewise, there is no resupply close the AT in Maine between Gorham and Carratunk. Many go into Andover and Stratton. I hitched into Rangely instead. Anyway, the choice is yours. Everyone's hike is different.
Arrive at a trailhead near Andover after 4 p.m. and you are likely to find a business person anxious to take you to town. I sense the competition may have slacked off a bit lately, but several businesses selling rooms and bunk space tend to patrol the roads looking for customers.

When I walked home in '93 I routinely sought out blue blaze trails leading diagonally into towns and and diagonally out of town to minimize having to hitch. But I was just out exploring the country. One trail was as good as another to me.

I was several hundred miles into my walk before I realized that a few hikers seemed to think that their was something special about passing every white blaze.

Weary