Looking for advice on my hitchhike trip plan
 

Hello everyone, for the first time in life I'm planning a hitchhiking trip. Also first time in the States.

I'm looking for the advice of experienced travelers about my journey plan:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=11Y...hI&usp=sharing

These routes don't take hitchhiking questions in account, so if you think I should use a different road or take public transport in some areas please let me know.

1. The most important question: Is it possible to safely complete this route in about 26-28 days? (My visa allows for 30 days after I'm finished with my work in mid August, in Michigan.) Not accounting for the extra days that I want to spend in some of the national parks, how many days would this take realistically?

2. Which areas are the most difficult to travel in the plan?

3. Is there something I'm not taking into account? Would you recommend this route for a brave beginner?

I'm grateful for all of your insight you can share.

A bonus question. I'm free to choose any city for departure. I'm contemplating the idea of flying over to Lima, Peru. If you think Los Angeles in not the most practical for that, but some other city, let me know.

Cheers!

Take a friend with you for protection in case you disappear or end up on the side of the road in some god forsaken place. Leave clues along the way.

In the 70's sure. But now PLEASE don't do this. In fact nowadays one seldom sees even local down and out-ers hitching.

Sure, there are specific places where it would be OK-ish. But almost no one will pick you up, and of the tiny % who would . . . you wouldn't want anything to do with half of them.

I drive a lot. I can't remember the last time I saw a hitchhiker.

Buy a SPOT so someone will know where you went missing.
http://www.findmespot.com/en/
Get to Chicago and ride the Empire Builder all the way to West Glacier, MT. See what you can of Glacier NP and then hitchhike down to Yellowstone.
It will be easier to hitchhike out of Glenwood Springs than Chrystal Mill.
If you can't get out of Glenwood Springs, take the California Zephyr all the way to Sacramento CA or Reno.

I hitchhiked a lot when I was on active duty back in the 1940s, but in those days people had a different attitude toward those in uniform. These days I seldom see a hitchhiker and would not pick one up anyway.

Thanks for all the tips!

Any ideas on my time calculation?

You're going to spend a lot of time standing on the side of the road. Few people pick up hitchhikers today.

Just don't! It is not brave. It is not smart!
I have not seen a hitchhiker in at least 15 or 20 years. Up to even the very early 80's I picked people up, but not now. I will offer a ride to someone in my neighborhood carrying groceries or something. That is it, sure not to someone out on a highway.

Rent a car to do such a trip, or simplify the trip.

You asked for advice. You would be wise to take it. Do not hitch hike.

With 28 days it is possible to get to most of those places, but public transportation in vast areas of the west is poor to non-existent.

I think you need to re calibrate your whole idea

The days of yore when hobos road the rails and hitchhikers crossed America are extinct.

But this blog is entertaining.

http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-bl...united-states/

Last time I picked up a hitch hiker I soon realized he may be a methhead. Never again. Although he made it to his destination in Hilo HI

Agree that nobody hitchhikes anymore. No one would pick you up.
Don't do it.

But he also mentioned public transport . . . I hope we've convinced him that hitch hiking is a non-starter. So maybe comments about how to get to the places on his map?

I cant help re public transport in the northern bits but I suspect the specific destinations would be difficult. The Vegas / LA part is easy.

While it is legal to hitchhike in about 44 of the 50 states in the US it is not legal to solicit rides while standing on the side of a major highway or thoroughfare.

As others have said, hitchhiking is quite rare nowadays in the US and very few people will stop to pick up strangers.

Forget that idea especially if you have a schedule to keep.
Very few people if any will stop and pick you up and that includes truck drivers due to either company policies or their insurance policy.
Build in time for the inevitable stop and search by local police and be prepared to show proof of funds so you do not get rousted for vagrancy.

Thank you for all of your replies, I'm definitely taking them to consideration. I've already decided to shorten my trip to finish in Denver. (Worst case, I'll have more time to spend in those beautiful national parks.)

However, pardon my straightforwardness, most of your replies seem to be based on whether you have seen hitchhikers or assumptions about drivers attitude. Have you guys actually attempted hitchhiking in these areas?

A very legitimate question. I have hitchhiked back in the day and I have picked up hitchhikers. Times have changed for me.

You might enjoy picking up a copy of "A Walk Across America" by Peter Jenkins to feed your wanderlust.

Do. Not. Hitchhike.

We are the ones driving the cars and not stopping to pick up a hitchhiker. We would like to live another day so we do not offer rides to hitchhikers.

If someone was hitchhiking now-a-days, I would worry they wouldn't live another day.

You might want to look into bus service between Michigan and Denver. During your work (summer camp?) make plans with fellow co-workers for a vacation after your work assignment is finished.

I haven't hitchhiked since the early '70s. I once hitchhiked about 50 miles with a 7mm Mauser. I took out the bolt and stuck it out instead of my thumb.
On a blustery Sunday morning in December I picked up a hitchhiker north of LaPine and took him to Bend.
I actually got him to go to church with me.
After the service I took him to a cheap Chinese restaurant on the east side of Bend where he could get a ride on US 20 toward Boise. He was glad to have a warm meal before the long ride.
Since you chose Denver, I think it would be wise to take the Amtrak California Zephyr to either Denver or Salt Lake City from Chicago.

In many states hitch hiking is illegal.

Look at one of the discount bus companies like Bolt bus or Megabus.

"However, pardon my straightforwardness, most of your replies seem to be based on whether you have seen hitchhikers or assumptions about drivers attitude. Have you guys actually attempted hitchhiking in these areas?"

Nothing wrong with straightforwardness. Those of us old enough will have tales of hitchhiking, but not since probably the 70's. It simply is not an option anymore. I travel in a camper van a lot (mostly in California) and I rarely see a hitchhiker. When I do see one, I would never consider picking him/her up. Sorry, that's just the way it is now. And it's sad to think times have changed so much. Back in the day I met a bunch of great folks who were hitchhiking to the beach. I never considered not giving them a ride. Today, not so much.

Hitchhiking is illegal in Wisconsin. Also puzzled by your route northwest of Madison, this is a rugged area called the Driftless Area with very meandering roads that's maddeningly slow going-- there's also an enormous, isolated Amish community in Cashton if you want to brush up on archaic German dialects and feel like you're in the 1820s.

Also really startled that you are starting in Sleeping Bear dunes which is quite pretty and not very well known.

You'd be better off going north over the Mackinac bridge and all the way west on US 2 and avoiding freeways.

Bottom line us there are only rarely hitchhikers seen these days, but not saying you couldn't do it. It would be riskier in Florida or California than up north.

Marcell: You simply cannot accomplish this trip via hitch hiking. And most likely cannot do it via public transport.

Can you rent a car? If so -- you can still do the trip cheaply by camping. You could either bring basic camping equipment, OR buy very inexpensive gear at local Walmarts

But -- hitch hiking is NOT a viable option.

I regularly hitchhiked and picked up hitchhikers in the 70's. now, I cannot imagine doing either; it is not only unsafe, it would be close to impossible to get rides or predict how long it would take to get from point A to point B. You might want to check out ride share arrangements such as shareyourride

Marcell,
What work are you doing in Michigan? Perhaps you will meet someone who would like to travel with you for at least part of your trip, or others who might meet up some place along the way.

I have friends who hitchhiked decades ago - across cast distances and safely and successfully. Cross country, to national parks, within destination in mind.

I have adult children who I am guessing are likely about your age. Neither of them, nor their friends, nor friends of friends know anyone who hitchhikes today. You are not likely to find anyone who has hitchhiked in your travel destination except many many years ago - your reasoning is circular. You want to find reviews on hitchhiking in an area (which makes sense) but if no one hitchhikes in that area, you won't find any reviews.

Go to the Thorn Tree forum. It would be a better place to look.

That said, I have hitchhiked back in the day and am not afraid to pick up hitchhikers, but I haven't picked anyone up since about 1980 because I have literally not seen anyone thumbing since then. In bad weather I regularly pick up people around my small town and give them rides to the grocery, ferry, or post office. But mostly I have to ask if they want a ride. The idea of hitchhiking is just not part of the zeitgeist in the US any more.

You can look at university ride boards, where people offer transportation in exchange for gas money or help with driving and similar ride boards exist electronically on Craig's List. That's the only way you will be able to do some portions of your trip, like Devil's Tower.

In general, transportation east-west is much easier in this country than transportation north-south. you are planning a lot of diagonals.

I could offer suggestions about freight trains (illegal and uncomfortable) if you were going from Milwaukee to Seattle, but the rest of your trip would be a dead loss.

I agree with the Megabus or Bolt bus recommendation. .. often seats are available on major routes for a few dollars... planning helps, but these services are very popular with students moving around the country...

Read nomadicmatt.com
One thing that will determine what you can do is time. People hitching for adventure often have no particular time frame.

"most of your replies seem to be based on whether you have seen hitchhikers or assumptions about drivers attitude. Have you guys actually attempted hitchhiking in these areas?"

Yes, people have replied based on what they know. That's how it works.

Listen to the answers. I assume that's why you posted your question.

People do not hitchhike anymore. Period.

It's illegal to hitchhike on interstate highways, although you could stand on the on ramp and try. Truckers won't pick you up these days due to their liability insurance. You're more likely to be picked up by a state trooper.

Find cheap interstate buses.

Surprisingly, it seems hitchhiking is making a comeback in the USA as kind of adventure travel. Who knew? Anyway, there are several blogs, all kinds of statistics, etc. People who do it seem to go at it quite well prepared though, and the OP seems naive about it.

<i>Have you guys actually attempted hitchhiking in these areas?</i>

I haven't, and I haven't seen or heard of anybody who has in the past few decades.

HTtY

You may find help here: http://hitchwiki.org/en/United_States_of_America

HTtY

<You can look at university ride boards, where people offer transportation in exchange for gas money or help with driving and similar ride boards exist electronically on Craig's List.>

They had one of those at my university in the early 70s. Girl disappeared, never to be seen again. I wouldn't do that, either. Perhaps I'm just ultra-cautious.

Thanks for all of your replies. They are a major help.

I still intend to attempt hitchhiking - at gas station, not at the side of the road (not illegal), as much as I have influence on this. But I'm also allocating appropriate amount of money as emergency travel funds, which would allow me to take train or bus any time i'm falling behind expected progress. I'm updating my route plan to always be alongside some sort of secondary means of travel.

The reason for which I'm sticking so much with this idea is because there's a couple of online hitchhiker communities who also practice in the usa - and it seems out to work for them. Not as well as in lots of other countries, but they get by. There's a guy who did 2,5 times longer trip in 1/3 the time I calculated for myself. (https://warmroads.de/en/personal-bes...hhiking-speed/) But then again he writes this: (https://warmroads.de/en/hitchhiking-...usa/#more-2227)

So I really just have to see for myself, I guess.

Also, I nerfed my trip to only go till denver.

Just saw a hitchhiker at an onramp for I-25 in New Mexico.

Hitchhiking is also seen fairly often on Indian Reservations.

FWIW.

Clearly the OP is interested in a cultural experience that's not a bus or train. Having a foreign flag may spike pickup interest. Don't forget there are rest stops on interstates that may be good pick up spots also.

>>Don't forget there are rest stops on interstates that may be good pick up spots also.<<

Most folks who pick up at rest stops are looking for something other than a passenger . . . Regular arrests at the rest stops in this area.

Marcell -- then head to that website for assistance. (You do know there are 300,000,000+ people in the USA and the tiny handful that are posting about their hitch hiking 'successes' are not a useful sample size.)

Your plan is not practical and could be very dangerous.