Hitchhiking

[earthbound]

I specifically want to hear from female thru-hikers on the AT- What did you do about resupply? I figure hitching with a guy makes it easier for both parties, but what did you do on resupply days? Did you purposefully wait for a male thru hiker to come by? or a female thru-hiker? Did you hitch alone? Plan ahead? Bring mace? Any sort of commentary on the logistics of getting to town safely would be appreciated.

[mambo_tango]

I almost always had someone to hitch with - not even on purpose. The few times I was alone was when I was in Maine and it wasn't that much fun. Mostly you have to go with your instincts about people so if you feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable don't get in. Also don't be afraid to ask for rides - if you are in town find a parking lot or a gas station that way you can kind of choose who you want to go with (I did that a few times).

[Pennsylvania Rose]

I've always been able to find another hiker to hitch with, especially if I stay or stop at a shelter the night before a resupply. The few times I've hitched alone I've only taken rides with other women.

[Lucy Lulu]

Over 15 years I've often hitched solo, and never had issues. Well, maybe that one hitch on the flatbed truck driven by the crazy teenagers in Maine. Thank god I had that chained tire to hold onto around the curves!

Anyway, I have always tried to use decent judgement. Fortunately, I have a fairly good radar for the "not quite stable", so I've tactfully turned down as many hitches as I've taken.

I do have a couple "rules of thumb" I basically try to follow. I don't hitch at night. I'll camp a few miles from roads and head in the next day. I try to get a good look at the vehicle I'm considering. I've stepped back into the woods to avoid sketchy looking vehicles on several occaisions.

Maybe I've been fortunate to date, but I don't restrict my ride selection to gender. I've always trusted my instinct and have been lucky enough to meet some great people hitching. Asking for rides is not a bad idea either since you can determine who you are riding with.

[oldfivetango]

I hope none of you ladies would even think about accepting
a ride from one or more men in a van.Just goes against my
gutt instincts.
Oldfivetango

[Blissful]

I was with my son so I let him do the hitching (and he loved doing it). My job was to let my hair down (so they knew I was female) sit on my pack and wait. We got several rides from women too. Our shortest hitch was 2 minutes. My son once waited 40 minutes. 20 minutes is average.

But we used a lot of mail drops and sent them to hostels, etc. And hostels often pick you up at the trailhead. I hate hitching though and tried to avoid it as much as possible. But there are cases when you must.

[chiefdaddy]

for some reason I love hitching or the idea behind it. Never had a problem except the crazed church goer driving crazy with us in the back of the pick up lol.

oldfivetango I once took a ride from two college girls in an SUV should I have been afraid kidding. I once read that Marines and Martial artist were prone to hitching and picking up hitch hikers.

[mindi]

I had to hitch alone a few times at the beginning of my hike. I didn't much like it, but I didn't have any problems. Actually only ran into two creeps, and both times when I wasn't alone, so go figure.

There were a few places where the hitching was really rough and it took FOREVER to get a ride. Twice in particular when Combat and I were hitching with another guy. I guess not many people want to stop for more than 2 people, so that may be something to think about. What ticked me off was that we were passed by several pickups that would have easily fit tons of people in the back, and we also saw several of the same cars passing us again in the other direction. It almost felt like they were just driving up and down the road to gawk.

That's not to say we didn't get some awesome rides, though. People who would go way out of their way to take you right to where you wanted to go, and people with really interesting stories.

[Lilred]

Most places you'll hitch will be in trail towns where the townfolk are used to hikers hitching rides. I only hitched alone a couple of times and never had a problem. Use common sense and hitch with others whenever possible.

[CherrypieScout]

I hitched for the first time this past summer. I wasn't comfortable about it, but jumped in the pick-up truck. Nice man - took me to my resupply. I was in North/Central, VA where hitching is common.

[Red Hat]

I hope none of you ladies would even think about accepting
a ride from one or more men in a van.Just goes against my
gutt instincts.
Oldfivetango

Well, I have had to think twice, but I have done it. The last time I had hiked through blinding snow and ice outside Erwin and was thrilled when I saw a hunter coming down the old forest road. I stuck out my thumb and he gave me a ride to town. I felt totally safe (of course I am old and ugly...) Anyway, I prefer to hitch with someone, but when I am alone and need a ride I consider where I am (not on a busy highway, but in the middle of the forest) Pervs don't go to the forest to pick up female hikers. Most folks out there are out to enjoy nature and are harmless.

[sourwood]

One of my rules of safe solo hiking has been to not hitchhike alone. However , I have done it a few times. Once was from Palmertown to a bus stop in Slatington when I was sick and heading home and all attempts at finding a ride in another way failed. I was picked up by a very nice local man. This summer I hitched in and out of Manchester Center, VT. I needed to resupply and it's a long road walk. I got a ride easily in and out of town, but this is an area where hikers hitching in and out of town is a common sight.

Julie

[Cindy from Indy]

I've gone through the Trail Data Book and calculated my drop box points, re-supply points, etc...

I'm finding that I'll need to hitchhike at several points on the trail. Since I'm leaving in the 3rd week of April, will there be trail traffic enough for me to find a hitching buddy? How 'bout later when I'm in Maine in Sept?

I've never hitchhiked in my life. My Dad used to when we would run out of gas or the car would break down on the road, in the 60's and 70's. And, he would pick up hitchhiker's while we were on vacation. Most of the time our whole family would be invited back to the hh's home for a meal! LOL

[jessicacomp]

Is just walking into town too hard to do? I kind of thought I'd be able to do just do that, but is it not commonly done?

[DuctTape]

[quote=jessicacomp;516840]Is just walking into town too hard to do?/quote]

Sometimes, yes.

I think most women just get someone to hitch with them - on a thru-hike this isn't hard to organize.

[Wise Old Owl]

I've gone through the Trail Data Book and calculated my drop box points, re-supply points, etc...

I'm finding that I'll need to hitchhike at several points on the trail. Since I'm leaving in the 3rd week of April, will there be trail traffic enough for me to find a hitching buddy? How 'bout later when I'm in Maine in Sept?

I've never hitchhiked in my life. My Dad used to when we would run out of gas or the car would break down on the road, in the 60's and 70's. And, he would pick up hitchhiker's while we were on vacation. Most of the time our whole family would be invited back to the hh's home for a meal! LOL

I have to admit I am trying to stay out of this area, but you folks raise very interesting questions, Indy why do need to hitch when there are clearly posted pick up's and registered drop off people in the shuttle area. Wouldn't that be safer.?

[Cindy from Indy]

I have to admit I am trying to stay out of this area, but you folks raise very interesting questions, Indy why do need to hitch when there are clearly posted pick up's and registered drop off people in the shuttle area. Wouldn't that be safer.?

Yes, absolutely. But I'm finding that a few of my stop/re-supply points require me to go into a town that doesn't have any trailhead shuttle service and the town is 5 or more miles away. This is mainly in the northern regions.

Perhaps I should re-work my hiking schedule. To be honest, I am really trying to limit my trips into town. But, either way, to get groceries or to pick up a drop box, I gotta go into town.

[quasarr]

This summer my boyfriend came to visit me in Leadville, Colorado. He called the Leadville tourism info line to ask how to get there from the airport in Denver. They actually suggested that hitchhiking was the best way!

I hitched a ride together with my boyfriend once, but that's the only time. I've always heard that a 1 male, 1 female pair is the best way to get picked up. The female puts drivers at ease, and the male hopefully deters anyone with bad intentions. And most people have room for 2 passengers.

[ATSeamstress]

Is just walking into town too hard to do? I kind of thought I'd be able to do just do that, but is it not commonly done?

I'm a 2009 planner, and that was my thought. I'm looking at resupply points within two miles of the trail, either to buy or send a maildrop. If these places are more than a week apart, I'm looking for hotel/hostel owners who offer pick-up/drop-off with stay and who either take a maildrop or are close to a market. I realize that might be cost-prohibitive for some hikers on a budget, but that's my plan. I would always offer gas money.

That said, I've talked to enough thru-hikers to know that after a few weeks the plans all change. I have hitchhiked three times, and all three times it was with two other people. All were pleasant experiences.

I've got my rough plan on a spreadsheet if anyone wants to see it.

[tina.anderson]

I have never hitchhiked and I never plan to in the future. I know most people are good people, but it's the few bad seeds that makes me so mistrustful.