Crossing rockies to fairy creek with hwy closed.

[Roadtroll]

Ive hit a block. Rather not backtrack and take an alternative route as im trying to make best time to van isle.

Im in canmore / banff and am really tempted to hop rail but itll be first time n im not certain i know enough yet to do it safely.

Are there other routes via thumb that are getting good rides etc.

The destination is fairy creek blockade shuttle locations.

 

[Jimmy Beans]

I don't know anything about that particular area but from the hitchhiking experiences I have- It doesn't really seem like there's any certain routes that are any more known for getting good rides than others. There's definitely some friendlier parts here and there but I think it mostly comes down to your style of hitching.

All the obvious stuff. Are you filthy, are you clean? Do you look like an axe murderer or a kind soul? Are you in a horrible spot for drivers to pull over, or in a really convenient spot? Is your sign written in small print "Hi, I'm Roadbird. I'm trying to make good time to Van Isle by way of fairy creek blockade shuttle locations" or does that shit just say "South" in big bold letters? (the latter is far better if that isn't clear).

Are you wearing a mask? I would. Are you wearing dark sunglasses? I wouldn't. Are you smiling? You should! Do you have a way of making the passerbys laugh? It helps! Do you have 3 suitcases and a couple goats? That'll probably make it harder. Are you smoking cigarettes? That will definitely limit potential rides.

It's all of those things and some more things that make getting a ride easier. So just get your hitching game all dialed in. I generally spend more time finding a nice clean white piece of cardboard/writing my direction nice and neat on it/making a huge cardboard hand with a giant thumb that I use as a prop, etc. than I spend actually thumbing rides.

Good luck!

 

[Roadtroll]

Sorry i should have made sure there was important info in here.

Theres been alot of forest fire activity this year and theres conflicting reports online of where n when theyve been.

This is why im looking to see if any of us have noted good routes atm.

Theres even evac routes in place

 

[ali]

You might want to get in touch with @waywardmel - i think she passed through there recently. If you want to take a train you will need to go to Field, but hitching should be fine all the way down to Kamloops at least. The highway was closed between Hope and Merritt for a while, but i think it's open again. There's ways around the fires, we've been dealing with this in BC since June so people have figured out different routes. Still a lot of travelers on the roads. Fruit picking season is in full swing in Okanagan if you want to head down here, but the island will be less smoky for sure.

 

[wayward]

You will need to go to field if you want to hop the train like ali said. The yard in banff is a tourist attraction. Trains do not stop there. Was there two days no trains stopped, even if they did there are tone of cameras. It would not be a good spot.

I hitchhiked from red deer to field no problem. In canmore just go sit on the side of the trans canada highway and find a good spot for cars to pull over, there are plently of stretches of flat ground, should get a ride in no time. Banff/camore has lots of hitchhikers ive heard because they are tourist towns. Highways south are open again, although lots of people dont realize this. We had one guy stop for us and say hes going to Vancouver but the highways closed so hes not going south onky for him to stop further up the highway and wait for us after googling and realizing they were. Lots of strange looks and angry gestures at kelowna sign as well. That was yesterday so mirght not be a priblen abyway3
hitchhiked from Kamloops to summerland and am currently working on a farm here. Not surr they will be open for long though. Field is a bit of a strange spot to catch out of but pretty easy once you get the patterns down, although i recommend you get a mentor for your first train ride. If you want to talk more dm me on discordPs. I am drunk so sorry if none of this makes sense)