# my first hitch



## oxyhemoglobin (Jun 24, 2009)

i apologize for length, but i need to get it all down. this all happened two days ago.

it was a dark and stormy night... well, no, i'll start from the beginning. it was 102 degrees here in orlando florida and me and my friend, lets call him bill, and for all intents and purposes i'll be ted, decided it would be a grand idea to take off and hitch to new york. well holy christ was that overly ambitious, but it made for good practice and any first-timers would be wise to heed the notes i make here regarding what we packed and how we handled nature's worst.

well, we're both underage so we convinced his dad (who we're staying with) that we were taking an amtrak train to new york when in fact we just took it one stop north from orlando to winter park, where in our first great idea turned horrid mistake, we walked to the post office nearby and shipped most of our shit off to new york to lighten our load. before that we were each carrying 50+ lbs. afterward our bags were still heavy but only around 30 for each of us not counting his guitar.

so from there we walked out to a borders near I-4 where we stole maps and got directions. we walked over to the highway adjacent the store and could just barely make out I-4 in the distance, and there we walked. we stopped at a convenience store along the way and confiscated some water bottles.

when we got there we waited by the onramp for a little while and then decided, fuck it, we'll walk up onto the interstate itself and catch a ride there. bare in mind it was o9ver a hundred degrees and about 3pm. 

15 minutes with our thumbs out and no sign, standing on the side of I-4 east, and then there was this amazing holy shit moment when someone actually stopped. bill didn't even notice so i yelled to him and then ran over to the car and started loading up.

our driver was one brandon smith, vessel for christ extraordinaire, savior of the damned and our ride halfway to I-95. when i got into the car i noticed that both my hands were tingling to the wrists and i was light-headed. my experience watching house md told me i was having a heat stroke, and although i recovered it was still a scary moment. having never had the feeling before i had no idea if i was going to pass out. 

when he asked if we were runaways we laughed and said, no, college students and that was that. he cautioned us about the heat and let us out under an overpass - we were learning! before we jumped out he took us both by the wrist and prayed for us, we half muttered, half sputtered and half giggled "amen" and then he did the strangest thing... he wrote his name and two phone numbers down on a piece of paper which we still have, and told us if we were ever in trouble he and his church would help us. well we're not christian but we took the number and his photo (for posterity) and hopped out to wait under the overpass.

it wasnt long before we noticed that we were parked on the exit side of an exit so we waited for a gap in the traffic and ran across the offramp towards another nearby overpass. here we found the lid of a plastic tub. i wrote "i-95 north" on it in big sharpied-in letters and held it up for the oncoming traffic to consider. not two minutes later a brand new audi pulled over on the road, and not believing our luck i ran over to the rolled down window and leaned in. he asked us where we're going and i said new york. "shit, man, this is my exit, but i mean, shit, i feel bad, you know, you're going to new york and shit... you want some gum or some shit?" well, it was too good to be true but we took our gum and went back under the overpass and another 15 minutes later a jeep pulled over in front of us.

his name was dan and he was an ex-military man who was just freelancing for karma. he gave us a gallon of warm water and asked if we'd rather be dropped off at I-95 or the walmart in daytona beach for supplies. we opted for the walmart and when we got there we bought bread and peanut butter while stealing about 3 water bottles for each of us, some duct tape for my ripped converse and some honey mustard and onion pretzels.

we walked out and over to the taco bell and ate fruitfully. i repaired my shoes and then we were on our merry way back where we just came from - I-95. what seemed like just a few feet in the car turned into a 30 minute trek. by the end we were drenched in sweat and surrounded by bugs and i couldnt find the off! spray that we had brought along. 

we were so tired but we had made it to I-95. we had successfully hitchhiked from orlando to daytona beach, a modest 50 miles, good for our first trip, but this is when the trouble started.

we were still planning on going north. all the way through 15 states to new york. but it was nighttime now and we stood under an overpass on I-95 north for hours with no takers and we decided to call it a night. we ran up the slanted concrete and sat in the dark, trying to get to sleep. well, the noise was ridiculous and we hadnt thought to bring ear plugs, and the bugs, dear god the bugs. we took off back toward the gas station that stood before I-95 and across the street we spotted this storefront that was under construction. we walked around looking for a way to get in and didnt find one and in an act of desperation bill slammed a three foot iron poll into one of the windows and to our chagrin it made a loud "bung" sound and refused to break. we walked back behind the store and laid down on some concrete.

just then, someone from the jacksonville amtrak station called me to inform me that i had left my passport on the train to winter park, the fake train ride that i didnt even reallly need to go on because it was literally 15 minutes long. it was now kept in a lockbox in the jacksonville station where i could come through and pick it up. well, we figured we were going to be in jacksonville tomorrow, so i declined to have it sent to winter park or orlando. just then, it started to rain.

we took refuge under a tiny awning that stuck off the storefront. pretty soon the rain was coming in sideways and we had no protection from the elements so in a split-second decision we decided to cover up as best we can and sprint back to the overpass where at least we would be dry.

15 minutes later, wet and cold we ended back exactly where we came from. bill hung up all of our shit to dry on the rafters under the overpass and i unrolled my sleeping bag to try to get some shuteye. by now we were covered in muck from the underpass and we still couldnt sleep for all the noise and so we packed everything up and tried in vain to thumb out of there for another hour. 

we were utterly defeated, our shoulders were sore from the weight and our limbs were coated in mosquito bites. we walked back down that same stretch of road to the gas station and asked the clerk inside to call us a taxi. if we didnt have any money i dont know what we wouldve done. $60 poorer, we had gotten to a motel and gotten a room to stay for the night with two beds in it. everything was pretty fucked up but it was $35 a night for two people and it was better than an overpass so we didnt complain.

the next day, still thinking about getting to jacksonville and getting my passport, at least, we called another cab and then decided to have him take us to the amtrak station in deland. when we found out a ticket from there to anywhere would be more than all the money we've ever even seen in our lives, we called bill's dad and told him to come get us. i dont know how, but SOMEhow bill convinced him we had been on amtrak the whole time and had just decided to come back and he took it at face value.

ive got a plane ticket back to new york for myself in a few days and i guess we'll work something out to get bill up there in a week or a couple weeks.

so newbies, what have we learned?

PONCHOS! ponchos or umbrellas, take your pick but take something. i dont care if its a black plastic trash bag. if you already cant get a ride, your frustration will be compounded a thousandfold by the weather if you arent prepared for it.

EAR PLUGS! god forbid you cant find a roof or a squat or a tent to sleep on/in, but if you have to stay under an overpass you need these fuckin things to sleep, and you need to sleep. double-important if youre going to be trainhopping, theyre essential.

COMFORTABLE BAG! note the lack of 's' on bag. we each had a couple bags and i cant emphasize enough how fucked up our shoulders are after one day of getting around with all that shit. you dont need much clothing, just a couple pairs of shirts (i had like 5), a couple pairs of pants, one of which you should be wearing (i had four total) and as much underwear and socks as you can comfortably carry.

GOOD SHOES! i love converse to death but it took them a whole two days to dry and they were the only thing i had to wear. plus rocks kept coming in through the holes in the sides and it just wasnt good.

DONT TAKE DETOURS IF YOU HAVE A PLACE YOU NEED TO BE! we got so discouraged that we gave up on the trip solely because we didnt get a ride on I-95. if we had gotten off at I-95 at 4:30 when we drove through it, we would be in virginia right now and the tone of this story would be very different. and why did we take a detour to walmart? because we werent prepared. 

now, this was only my first trip and im still learning so any corrections, additions, criticisms and comments are welcome and encouraged.


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## Avon Drunquist (Jun 24, 2009)

haha, hell of an experience.


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## Mouse (Jun 24, 2009)

excuse my while I piss myself laughing. you guys really didn't think much at all did you?

sorry to be so harsh but even on my first hitch I knew better than to wear converse and lie to my parents.

hitching in florida in the summer was your first mistake lol.

aaah at least you learned something.


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## oxyhemoglobin (Jun 24, 2009)

i'll take all the harshness i can get. maybe if enough people yell at me about the shit we did wrong then the next time will go perfectly.


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## Mouse (Jun 24, 2009)

another mistake.. nothing will go perfectly. ever.

hmm... I can't really think of any advice except keep trying? don't give in so easily. stay away from wal mart and avoid leaving the highway at all costs until you get where you're going. eat better while you're traveling.. fruits and veggies not salty pretzles and junk. always have water.

and, you're not going to die that easily so tough it out!


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## wartomods (Jun 24, 2009)

Doenst sound so bad, ahahahah


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## soymilkshakes (Jun 24, 2009)

I think Mouse said it best; only thing I'd add is don't plan to bring more stuff than you can carry. Shipping your stuff to your supposed destination? Bad idea, not only because of what happened on your trip but also even if you had succeeded in hitching and getting somewhere fun you might've changed your mind halfway North and decided to go somewhere else, or liked a town so much that you stayed there for a while. I can't think of anything you'd need so badly that it's worth shipping but that you don't need on your back while you're out there.

But I suppose no trip is a complete failure if you a) Survive, b) Learn something and c) Get free gum


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## Avon Drunquist (Jun 24, 2009)

Wal-Mart's can be pretty handy, I think. I take great pains (like waking up at 5 in the morning) to have a food stamp card(s) and it's easy to stretch out the money there. 

If you're hitchin' it, try to stick near to the highway (a lot of times you can sleep in a little cut right off the interstate and everyone will be going too fast to notice your bum ass sleepin there), take a good look at maps, and obviously don't ride with anyone who doesn't have a set destination...could be sketchy. you don't want to have to stick a fool and steal their car, haha.

Try to keep your clothes clean and maintain a more respectable appearance, otherwise you might be gettin' a sore thumb after awhile.


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## veggieguy12 (Jun 25, 2009)

Good story, told well enough; thanks so much for sharing!
Did you learn that hitchhiking works, or that it sucks? I am thinking that your pal and yourself had better luck and more consideration from driver's for your apparent youth...

You really gotta lighten your load: a _minimum_ of clothes (include something for warmth!, and extra socks - but underwear? four shirts?), sleeping bag, toilet paper, non-perishable food, water, small book to read (or other time-occupier), couple feet of twine, road atlas or map, tarp/poncho/umbrella, sunscreen and/or hat, cell phone(?) couple markers, knife/knives (and pepper spray?), toothbrush & floss, bug repellent, headlamp/flashlight.

I tried hitching when I was 17, and all it got me was a lecture by some (supposed) former-cop-turned-trucker. That, and a long, tired night's walk and an early bus ride home. And my pepper spray had discharged in my bag, so when I dug out my granola bars, I got it on my hands, and when I ate, I passed it to the food. Not pleasant in my mouth.

And know your weather, right? From Wikipedia's page on the state:
_Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state, in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A fair day may be interrupted with a storm, only to return to sunshine an hour or so later. These thunderstorms, caused by overland collisions of moist masses of air from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, pop up in the early afternoon and can bring heavy downpours, high winds, and sometimes tornadoes. Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile (when including waterspouts) but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms._
But I suppose you already knew this - maybe you just forgot, in all that high heat?


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## finn (Jun 25, 2009)

Breaking into places is a very last resort sort of thing, especially when you're talking about a large plate glass window in a place which has not been abandoned. It's a lot harder to convince anyone that you found it that way, and then decided to sleep there. It's bad enough that you didn't bring the right stuff, but then you didn't get it at the walmart either, which I suppose led to that whole litany of bad ideas.

Another thing to remember is to keep your important documents like your passport in a secure place where it won't just fall out. Leaving that sort of thing in a place where you had to break the window to sleep in would be something I could see happening.


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## oxyhemoglobin (Jun 25, 2009)

i was happy with the trip... bill was giving me shit about "is this the way you want to live" and crap like that the whole time and complaining about the rain and the noise and the heat and the bugs. honestly i thought it was really fun and i cant wait to do it again, but i obviously need some provisions.

stuff ive got to get before the next trip includes a yuppie pack, some ear plugs, ponchos, maybe a one man tent, bed roll, a better knife than the one ive got (wont stay shut since i unscrewed it to sterilize the blade in boiling water and put it back together), boots (redwing?) maybe some carharrt pants (dont judge me :scared: ), a decent LED or handcrank flashlight and then some health amenities like sunscreen and bug spray and shit like that which should be much easier to get than the other gear. cant forget the paracord either. and lastly i think ill plan the next trip for spring or autumn in the northeast. maybe just a couple trips to states around new york until i feel like im experienced at this and then ill look at checking out trainyards. or maybe thatll come sooner. we'll see. definitely expect more stories.

oh, and for the curious, i got my passport back today. i didnt drop it or anything, i just stuck it in the back of the seat in front of me and forgot about it. i'll be flying out on the 27th.


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## macks (Jun 25, 2009)

Most of the stuff was already covered.. but..

1. food & water ; This will make your experience much better. I have a habit of not bringing enough and getting hangry, then eating and having a much better time.

2. don't overpack ; it sucks to carry heavy shit, especially if your bag sucks. don't bring more than what you need. tents are bulky and heavy, learn to put a tarp up with some rope.

3. sun screen, bug repellent, staying dry and warm..

4. i would definately not break through an occupied building's window like that.. 

Hopefully yer learning cause damn, the rest of that adventure seems like it failed miserably. Look at some maps, stick to the highway, be resourceful and stay determined.. maybe put yourself in a situation where you can't call for a ride or get a motel?

Anyway, cheers for getting out, glad you had a good time. Thanks for posting up the story.


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## dirty_rotten_squatter (Jun 25, 2009)

Man all I gotta say is toughen up a lil bit, things will almost never come even close to what you expect but you just gotta stick with it. but understanding it being your first time and a good learning experience what have we learned?? HITCH-HIKING SUCKS!!!!! Ha ha lol look into trains its alot more reliable, faster, more fun good luck on your next extravaganza dont give up!


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## wartomods (Jun 25, 2009)

oxyhemoglobin said:


> i was happy with the trip... bill was giving me shit about "is this the way you want to live" and crap like that the whole time and complaining about the rain and the noise and the heat and the bugs. honestly i thought it was really fun and i cant wait to do it again, but i obviously need some provisions.
> 
> stuff ive got to get before the next trip includes a yuppie pack, some ear plugs, ponchos, maybe a one man tent, bed roll, a better knife than the one ive got (wont stay shut since i unscrewed it to sterilize the blade in boiling water and put it back together), boots (redwing?) maybe some carharrt pants (dont judge me :scared: ), a decent LED or handcrank flashlight and then some health amenities like sunscreen and bug spray and shit like that which should be much easier to get than the other gear. cant forget the paracord either. and lastly i think ill plan the next trip for spring or autumn in the northeast. maybe just a couple trips to states around new york until i feel like im experienced at this and then ill look at checking out trainyards. or maybe thatll come sooner. we'll see. definitely expect more stories.
> 
> oh, and for the curious, i got my passport back today. i didnt drop it or anything, i just stuck it in the back of the seat in front of me and forgot about it. i'll be flying out on the 27th.


lol i see the yuppie pack is getting popular, plz, just call it a backpack


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## veggieguy12 (Jun 27, 2009)

oxyhemoglobin said:


> ...stuff ive got to get before the next trip includes a yuppie pack, some ear plugs, ponchos, maybe a one man tent, bed roll, a better knife than the one ive got (wont stay shut since i unscrewed it to sterilize the blade in boiling water and put it back together), boots (redwing?) maybe some carharrt pants (dont judge me :scared: ), a decent LED or handcrank flashlight and then some health amenities like sunscreen and bug spray and shit like that...





wartomods said:


> ...yuppie pack is getting popular, plz, just call it a backpack



I second wartomods; i understand "yuppie pack" to mean a _good_ (and probably costly) multi-day hiking pack. but what is the benefit in a shitty "crusty pack" that kills your back? i know there are punk points to be earned, but one can live without 'em.

and yuppie sunscreen, yuppie bug repellent, yuppie bedrolls, yuppie earplugs, yuppie headlamps, etc. are all useful, if not quite hardcore enough. if i'm judging anyone based on the quality (or lack of) their equipment. my judgement would be that choosing shitty stuff over good stuff is just stupid.


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## finn (Jun 27, 2009)

First of all, we are trying to tell you to travel light, handcrank flashlights are not light. And dirty_rotten_squatter has it right, you gave up easily- all the people here who have traveled a bit have gone through situations far worse than what you've described. You should have tried learning more from your experiences instead of bailing out so quickly.

On another topic, I can also see some value in having things that look crappier than they are (holds true with bikes)- sometimes you don't want to look like you're made of money or that you have stuff that are worthwhile stealing. It depends what place you're in.


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## oxyhemoglobin (Jun 27, 2009)

fuck being punk. i dont pretend i'm some hard rocker, stomping around the east village in an army jacket covered with band pins, too hardcore to tie the laces on my combat boots. a yuppie pack on STP is a yuppie pack only on STP. everywhere else its just a backpack. im not going to tapdance into REI yapping about the kelty brand yuppie packs i saw on their website so i can make a fool of myself.  

and i said it before and ill say it again, i thought the trip was fun and i would have kept going. but being as it was my first trip i didnt think it would be wise for me to go the rest of the 1000 miles by myself, plus bill didnt want me to. i can only hear "i think we should just call my dad" so many times before i cave. id tell you to talk to him but he's not on the site. i learned quite a bit and ill be doing it again and i wont quit next time.

and fyi, i was in ron jons at cocoa beach while i was there and stole a handcrank flashlight the size of a quarter. it was pretty sweet but i took it in the ocean with me and it croaked and i forgot to get another one. sure was a neat little device.

i gotta say though, getting a bunch of shit before i take off to go live outside the capitalist grid makes me feel like kind of a tool though... like if i try to find some secondhand or dumpstered carhartts ill be the douchebag who got the "x-treme trainhopping pants". 



> sometimes you don't want to look like you're made of money or that you have stuff that are worthwhile stealing.


couldnt agree more. it doesnt take long for shit to get dirty out there though. if i get a bag that isnt black im gonna do the rit dye trick. that was quality advice, i forget who suggested it in the thread though so i dunno who to thank.


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## macks (Jun 27, 2009)

that was widerstand, i asked the question because my bag was an annoying red.. it didn't really work, probably because of the crappy dye or some part of the process being wrong. it just turned a slightly less annoying red, but i ditched that bag anyway!


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## Mouse (Jun 28, 2009)

I don't think that most packs are made out of vey dyeable material.. but the RIt will def stain it a bit.


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