# North American Hitch Gathering 2010



## r3353 (Jun 16, 2010)

A Hitch Gathering is a non-commercial, volunteer based, self-organized project that supports the promotion of Hitchhiking. The idea is simple: Once a year a place is chosen and everyone (hitchhikers or non-hitchhikers) gather together to celebrate, to share, to learn and to discover! It's a time to get together and be happy, to help one another, to talk and meet, and to develop our ideas and then pursue them further. 
The North America Hitch Gathering is a proposed project/gathering set to take place August 21st, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado, with a pre gathering in Denver, CO on August 20th. There will be peripheral meeting-ups in pre-determined spots in cities 'on the road' to Denver in preceding days, i.e. Salt Lake City UT, Albuquerque NM, Kansas City KS, Cheyenne WY on the 19th and farther-out cities on the 18th and 17th respectively(exact cities and location yet to be determined). This is to help aid participants meeting up with others and build camaraderie for the actual event en route 
* Our Goals*



 To promote the concept of hitchhiking in North American society and build goodwill toward hitchhikers
 To stimulate the community of hitchhikers
 To have a good time doing the above, while traveling and meeting old and new friends.
 To skillshare any knowledge through playshops in relation to travel, foraging, camping and safety
 

 


Boudler, Colorado


* Where*

The North American Hitch Gathering is taking place in Boulder, Colorado this year on August 21st! The exact location is still being determined, though it will most likely be an open area with basic services, possibly a good place in Nature (but still close enough to the city) where we can gather together, camp and live for a few days, a place where we can be free and well. 
There will also be a pre meeting in Denver on the 20th of August. Again, the exact location has yet to be determined, though it will most likely be a city park inside the city. The pre-day gathering is for those that arrive early, those that are interested in meeting hitchhikers and travelers in an accessible location in Denver, and for anyone interested. The afternoon will most likely be spend at a park; then the evening resting with friends (Couchsurfers, Hospitality Club, possible community centre, rooftops), or other arrangements (to come). The next day there will be a gathering around noon in Denver where everyone can join together, and then all Hitch together to Boulder (20 kilometers away). We're envisioning a great group of people all leaving together, maybe with media involved, and off to Boulder we go! 
* When*

August 21st, 2010 and it should last a couple days. There will be a pre meeting in Denver on the 20th. 
* What*

Hitch Gatherings have happened twice already in Europe, as well as other gatherings in North America. In every case, hundreds of hitchhikers gathered to promote hitchhiking in Europe, North American and Around the World. The first European gathering met in Paris in 2008, participants camped for three days in front of the Eiffel Tower. Then in Odesa in 2009 at Shevchenko Park, where they camped at a nudist beach. We hope that this year the North America Hitch Gathering in Boulder will be even better, as well as the European gathering in Portugal. 
* How it started*

A small group of enthusiastic travelers had decided early 2008 to organize the first European Hitch-hiking Week. It started as an art-project but moved quickly into something bigger, something wider as more people joined in. 
The aim was now to give one location and time for a rally, and broadcast it to all the hitch-hikers of the world. The place was decided to be the "Champs de Mars" in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France; and the time 8pm on the 08/08/08, hence the name of "Project 888". See "Paris 888 hitch hiking trailer" on YouTube. 



150 people showed up from all around Europe and stayed for the 3 days week-end. It was a very intense time of exchange, smiles, and french wine. We held playshops on urban camping, safety issues, sustainable travel and many other things travel related. 


 


Odesa 789


* Odesa 2009*

It was so good that we decided to do it again. The community had grown and more people wanted to join. This time though we wanted to meet up somewhere more east, where we could also meet up with hitchhikers from Russia (less visa-issues for everyone). The place chosen was Odesa on the Black Sea in the Ukraine. The challenge was much harder this time. Paris was an easy go for most of us, but the Ukraine was a lot further. Many people embarked on a multiple day hitchhiking trip, traveled non-stop or met up at the pre-meetings that were organized along the way. 
In the end we gathered with a bit over a hundred hitchhikers from all over Europe, mostly experienced hitchhikers. A few didn't even make it though, it was too far for them. We spent three days together talking, partying and sharing our skills. 

See "Odesa 789" on YouTube

* 2010*

What will 2010 be like? Do you want to join? Do you have ideas on how to participate? We hope that this time in Boulder, Colorado and in Portugal even more people will join us than last year! 
*Participate*

Everyone is invited to contribute to the event with stories, pictures and videos. The event lives from it's participants, and of course everybody is invited to help along, may it be organizing a (pre-) meeting, translating text into other languages or just by telling the world about this project! If you have an idea, you're the one who makes it happen! Leave an idea at the forum and find people to join you. 

If you have made it this far, please check out na.hitchgathering.org for Boulder/Denver
and hitchgathering.org for Barcelona/Portugal


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## xbocax (Jun 17, 2010)

I am verrrrrry up for this


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## lyndonfroese (Jun 18, 2010)

The HITCH ROBOT hitchhiking statistics team plans to be there. I'm looking forward to more information as it comes out.


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## stanktank (Jun 28, 2010)

This is awesome
I too am very very up for this.


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## menu (Jun 29, 2010)

just an FYI boulder just recently passed a law about people sleeping outside and they're cracking down on it. Im from fort collins(like 40 miles north of boulder). although we dont have any better sleep spots here. just kinda want to let people know. but I will be seeing you all there. fuck a bunch of camping tickets. whats a few more?

Boulder council strengthens no-camping law, despite push from homeless advocates - Boulder Daily Camera


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## mandapocalypse (Jul 5, 2010)

Excellent!


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## r3353 (Jul 13, 2010)

Hey, thanks for the article Deveranti.
Has everyone joined the website na.hitchgathering.org? Its been a bit stationary the last week and we could utilize some more feed back on how we want it to develop. More than likely, the camping will be out ov the way, and besides, if there is a group ov us with a representative to speak with 'ahem' authorities and press, i don't imagine they will be spitting out tickets like promises from a president. It seems that article is more for vagrancy than camping-with-intent. So i ask you to log into the site and make your voice heard. i may not even be able to attend. im on probation and it may not be possible to get travel papers from MN. Thanks for your time


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## menu (Jul 13, 2010)

no problem!! Ill be seeing ya'll here too.


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## usuallyonthefloorsomewher (Jul 19, 2010)

if schedule allows, im all about advocating the most rewarding way to travel. the mighty thumb


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## menu (Jul 20, 2010)

usuallyonthefloorsomewher said:


> if schedule allows, im all about advocating the most rewarding way to travel. the mighty thumb


 
I dunno about the most rewarding....


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