# What constitutes a "good town"?



## Vulture (Mar 29, 2016)

So I have been on the road for a little over a month. It is my first time at it. I don't really know what people mean by good and bad towns. Is it just people's experiences? Or what? I hated Amarillo. That's because it's all ghetto and has strict enforcement on anti-flying-of-signs. Plus I spent a night in jail. But besides the negative, I don't know what to look for in a town. What do you look for in a town? What is a "good town"?


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## Wawa (Mar 29, 2016)

Stuff that turns me onto a town:

Public spaces. They don't even have to be nice.... I mean, full of shit and trashed isn't good, but otherwise rundown parks and open spaces are nice hangouts, and sometimes more chill then better maintained parks.

Activity! Movement! Some kinda sense of people out and about, enjoying their day makes me happy. It's too easy to fall into thinking of "everyone else" as a homogenous brainwashed blob... then I get all broody and cynical... so it's nice to be somewhere were people just feel more interesting and relateable. Missoula comes to mind. Tourists are also cool because they buy stuff from me and leave their leftovers all over the place.

I'm a fucking foody, so... good food. Big organic store. I'll buy a snack and hang out inside on the wifi all day, then raid the dumpsters at night. 

Some kind of wifi/shitter headquarters, with sofas and tolerant employees, if the above doesn't exist.

Better be some homebums. This is america. America has homeless people. If I'm in anything but a tiny village, and there are no homeless people, the place probably has some evil shit going on.

Trainyard. Or at least tracks. Not just because I'm into trains, but also that. Usually got good places to sleep near train tracks. Shit, even if I'm not trying to ride it's nice to at least hear trains.

Reasonable public transportation. Fuck you, Sacramento.


This is just me listing shit I like, though. A "good town" is a place that is friendly and accesible to travelers, but hasn't gotten sick of us yet. Folks can argue all day about where qualifies. I still like Portland, but say that too loud and I'll start a fucking war. You can also just try and avoid places that see a lot of travelers... basically anywhere that isnt on a mainline or near anything cool. Ain't as bad as it sounds.


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## Adnil (Mar 29, 2016)

Person above executed the answer almost perfectly, but for me personally, I try to avoid large cities and those invaded with too many homebums. I find them to be nothing but trouble with less beautiful sceneries. A honey hole town that isn't blown out yet still has options to exit immediately if necessary is a great spot in my book, the rest of the "experience" is really up to the individual to laugh at any dirty kid harassment after the occurrence and still keep a positive mind set to allow themselves (and road dog if so) to enjoy what the city/town/state has to offer or to complain about any minor set back that is a part of the lifestyle and become the shadow of a new adventure. In other words, the town being a good town or bad town is ultimately up to you in my opinion.


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## kokomojoe (Mar 29, 2016)

I'd say everything above is basically on point, what makes a good town is really a matter of opinion. Some places people love while others can't stand them, Portland for example. There are some places that just completely suck no matter who you are so I'd say bad towns are easier to pick out then good ones. Mobile Alabama being one of them, haven't heard a single good experience from that place.


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## OstrichJockey (Mar 29, 2016)

I like towns that aren't excessively ghetto, where you don't get harassed by law enforcement for simply trying to exist, plenty people out and enjoying themselves, not terribly blown up by traveler kids or homebums, 

Basically, as long as I can get my essentials (beer, smokes, food, showers) without too much issue, I dig it. 

I think towns can be good or bad depending on luck or just the time of year, too. Like Mobile, Alabama - I stayed there for a week or so during Mardi Gras, made bank spanging, tons of free food, met some rad homebums who showed me their "tent city" and then met some bizzare white rapper from Atlanta who I partied with for a few days before leaving the city.


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## Primitive (Mar 29, 2016)

For me it's somewhere that I can post up and make consistent good money, where there's good restraunts (particularly Mexican), where cops don't care a whole lot about public drinking if I wanna sit down chill, have some beer, and listen to my tunes. But also where there's not an overpopulation of white yuppies, i personally can't stand their pretentious and bigotted vibes for too long. And most of all where I don't get harrassed by cops!!!


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## SEMICHRIST (Apr 2, 2016)

definition of a "good town": Whitefish, Montana


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## Vulture (Apr 2, 2016)

Primitive said:


> For me it's somewhere that I can post up and make consistent good money, where there's good restraunts (particularly Mexican), where cops don't care a whole lot about public drinking if I wanna sit down chill, have some beer, and listen to my tunes. But also where there's not an overpopulation of white yuppies, i personally can't stand their pretentious and bigotted vibes for too long. And most of all where I don't get harrassed by cops!!!


Go to east LA


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## indigofox (Apr 3, 2016)

Ostrichjockey and primitive are on point as far as I'm concerned. It being that our kind don't need too much. Just the basics and some socializing and fun here and there. 
Major thumbs up for non aggressive communities w cops that don't harp on ya.
Arkansas has crazy anti-loitering laws. And if you resist a cop in ANY way, (like say, refuse to give id when asked)its grounds for arrest. So, basically places NOT like that. I had a bike cop (shit u not) in hot springs that hassled me for spinning poi because "theres an ordinance". And I had 2 SUVs park across the street from where I'd made a habit of charging my phone.


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## Wawa (Apr 6, 2016)

SEMICHRIST said:


> definition of a "good town": Whitefish, Montana



Whitefish cracked me up so hard. Here I was, trying to be low key... meanwhile these three drunk as piss, facetattoo'd kids with dogs where just openly scoping out rides, spanging, sleeping, puking in the trackside park... FOR THREE DAYS.

At one point a farmers market set up around them and their dogs and spacebags and puke and still no one gave a fuck.

Got some free pizza, too.


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