# Hitching with a dog?



## Aeroe (Nov 16, 2021)

Looking for tips on hitching a ride with a dog. 

I understand that it is considerably harder.

I'm gonna assume most if any rides would most likely be in the bed of a truck.

Has anyone here had luck doing so?


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## Colinleath (Nov 17, 2021)

You really never know what's going to happen when you head out there. Maybe try asking on r/vagabond since that seems to have a lot more eyes. 

I'm just so impatient and i also hate cars that i don't really like hitching. I plan to walk/ cycle / kick scooter and if i get a ride somehow (it happens!) then great. 

Just go stand out by a road for a while with your pack and dog and see what happens.

I like to make a sign for where i want to go, but I see that some people don't.

Good to have a backup plan though, either walking or public transit, or?


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## Aeroe (Nov 17, 2021)

Colinleath said:


> You really never know what's going to happen when you head out there. Maybe try asking on r/vagabond since that seems to have a lot more eyes.
> 
> I'm just so impatient and i also hate cars that i don't really like hitching. I plan to walk/ cycle / kick scooter and if i get a ride somehow (it happens!) then great.
> 
> ...


I appreciate all the advice you've been giving me!

I've hitched/walked ( just walking with my thumb out) before I settled for a few years. but not with a dog.

There is a loves travel center next city over ( 5-6ish miles not far definitely walkable) I plan on posting at. alot of truckers in n out.

Seems like a solid starting point for my west/south bound trip.

again thanks for the feedback and tips! Soaking it up like a sponge


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## Colinleath (Nov 17, 2021)

Glad to help a bit. I've been pondering your situation. My backup plan when hitching was always either greyhound or camping out until i got a ride. It's getting a bit cold where you are now so what would you do if you got no ride? You'd need to ask people for shelter or find it or have enough gear and experience to stay warm and dry enough. And greyhound/Amtrak/airlines won't take your pet.

Anyways, i did a quick search for rideshare. Someone's going from Knoxville to tx tomorrow.







Curious to see how much trouble you get yourself in lol, but that's all part of the adventure. In the US, not having money or home, and being an introvert (begging for shelter etc i can do but don't enjoy), I'd be heading to a work trade situation in Florida or California (a smaller town area, not the big cities!). In California I'd get a state id, food stamps, health insurance and then just chill or get the kind of work i could do while camping out.


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## Aeroe (Nov 17, 2021)

Yeah I have a pack with plenty of gear. Cold weather mummy sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner, extra thick fleece blanket (mainly for doggo), tent, dog food (ofc), plenty of layers. 

(It's 70° here today supposed to drop end of week tho)

I'm really not too concerned (but I'm not going to be full of myself either) I've been obsessed with survival/bushcraft since I was in elementary and grew up in the middle of Reliance TN ( essentially I'm a domesticated hill Billy lol).

I can be hesitant to ask for things I need or a ride but also know my limits when stuff gets tough and can quickly overcome that shyness/introvert-ness


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## Colinleath (Nov 17, 2021)

Cool--some of my relatives now live near GSMNP / cades cove so i learned a bit about some rather self reliant hillbillies. . . There was a really cool book about this 90+ year old guy telling his stories showing/ teaching the skills.

Posting again to say it's been hippies and foreign visitors & immigrants and other odd types, as well as friendly normal Americans, who would pick me up though I did get a few rides with truckers. So curious to see how the truck stop compares to the open road. There are an insane amount of dog parents these days so maybe that works in your favor.

Maybe dress up in some weird costume like
I am bear sun. Though that's the extrovert way to get across and he is walking! (Actually he's running across starting in January (?)) First i heard of this guy he was walking from LA to Las Vegas in a bear suit on a lark. [Went back and looked at his old Twitter posts. . . I guess he's a designer/ artist and first used the bear suit he designed in the 2019 LA marathon and didn't finish. And then did an LA-SD-LV walk, then added SF, then went SF to NYC? Something like that. And in between finished the 2020 LA Marathon !]


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## hoebosto (Nov 20, 2021)

i've literally had folks pick me up *because* i had a dog with me. different people are going to have different reasons for scoopin you or not.


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