# 16 year old going from Central Florida To Fresno, Cali. I figured I'd start here.



## Deleted member 25264

First time hitchhiking ever, I would like to make it from Florida to Cali within the span of a month. I have $50 and a bike. I'm not prepped at all by normal standards and if someone could help me start everything it would be lovely. I'm primarily going from here by hitching and any advice would be golden. Thanks in advance. 



I can be reached faster on discord
KyleIsDork#5049


----------



## Short

Bold


----------



## Maki40

Why fresno? That place sucks. But good on ya. Not sure how hitchhiking with a bike will go.. I'd probably ditch it.. but doesn't hurt to try. Personally, I'd keep it simple and stick to i10 the whole way. 
All you really need is a blanket, maybe a bug net (I ripped my out of an old tent), maybe some deodorant, wash in business sinks, phone and charger, some food and water, a marker to make signs if you need anything, and a backpack that will fit everything. 
As far as hitching do your best not to get stuck in the middle of nowhere or non busy exits. Turn down rides that don't go very far or make sure they can drop you off somewhere busy. 
Other than that, just do it and good luck!


----------



## Deleted member 25264

I've got family in fresno, and I'm emancipated. Family wants me out by the end of the month, and I'd rather be over there


----------



## Deleted member 25220

KyleIsDork said:


> First time hitchhiking ever, I would like to make it from Florida to Cali within the span of a month. I have $50 and a bike. I'm not prepped at all by normal standards and if someone could help me start everything it would be lovely. I'm primarily going from here by hitching and any advice would be golden. Thanks in advance.
> 
> 
> 
> I can be reached faster on discord
> KyleIsDork#5049


As a mother of 5.. my oldest is 23..
Yes, I am supposed to be “settled” by now!
According to cultures standards but cannot shake the run temptation... we all have our stories.. BUT ..as I was saying.. as a mother-I want to say be careful -?!!! 
I am more challenged at 41 than I was at 18. So- I am inspired by your path!
Reverse life process so I am lifting you in prayers on your journey 
Traveling Mercies


----------



## Deleted member 125

Being emancipated isn't going to stop people from calling the cops on you especially if you look underage, be prepared to do some talking to the law.

Do you have a pack or any basic camping gear? 50 bucks ain't a very thick road steak to get cross country on especially since you have no prior experience. Considering its the end of the month now I'm gonna assume you have exhausted all other options for getting to cali?

All the standard be careful yadda yadda that others have posted.


----------



## Deleted member 25264

I had been a boy scout so I've got basic camping gear. It will be coming with me and hopefully won't be terrible for camping in odd locations


----------



## blank

I'd really try to come up with some more money, $50 isn't going to go far.


----------



## Jackthereaper

Hit up craigslist odd jobs if you can, spange, or sell everything else you own. $50 aint gonna cut it in my experience. Id be aiming for 500-1000 personally so i could theoretically buy a bus ticket if i get completely stuck.


----------



## Older Than Dirt

Having been a teenager who split home at that age, it can be done. It won't be easy. 

Carry ID, and a notarized letter or something official looking that shows you are emancipated to avoid being picked up as a runaway. Expect to show this often. Maybe get it laminated to save wear and tear showing it to cops every single day, twice.

No one will give you ride with a bike. If it is worth $, sell it. If not, leave it or give it away.

You need way more than $50 just to eat minimally on that trip. Sell everything that is not lightweight camping gear, and get a job ASAP.

If you are not used to fighting, find some free or cheap martial arts classes. Boxing or brazilian jiujitsu are very practical ways to hurt people who want to take advantage of you.

Start doing a lot of reading here, starting with the gear section, and also the hitching section. You have come to the right place to learn to do this successfully.


----------



## VoidSpace

get some more cash my friend. oddjobs arent a bad idea. if you're not very fit work out when not in your free time. you wont regret it. young people like us are prime targets for creeps and muggers so be wary.


----------



## Jackthereaper

also, unless your bike is a folding bike you’re gonna want to ditch it, even if it is you will have a much harder time finding rides if you have a lot of stuff with you.


----------



## Rhubarb Dwyer

A lot of focus on the money here. I agree that having more money will help, but don't sweat it.
I travel full-time with no income. If i am desperate, i know how to find odd jobs and shit. I don't busk(no talent) or spange. No judgement on others...just not my thing. Only time i fly a sign is for a ride, or for something specific(food, socks, phone charger)
Somehow i survive, eat well, and maintain an unusually high level of enthusiasm.
By all means, try and secure however much dough you can...just don't let it slow your roll.


----------



## Deleted member 16701

Ya i agree with ditching the bike. Think about it like this: 
Would you rather stand on the side of the road for a half hour and score a ride going 200 miles, or would you rather pedal 200 miles taking you probably atleast 3 days with your ass sore and chafed and tendonitis in your knee while sleeping outside and not having much money?
My first trip was a bike tour and to this day its the hardest way ive ever traveled.
You might wanna sell it and get foodstamps.. unless youre looking for a challenge...


----------



## Pokebert

You’ll definitely want to keep a copy of your Declaration of Emancipation (or other state court document proving that) and be prepared to show it to the police. I would also heavily suggest keep a print out of laws or FAQ explaining what an emancipated minor is.

I never hit the road when I became emancipated, but I did keep these documents with me at all times - in airports, in school, and in case I ever got detained for god knows what reason. Random fun fact: if you’re emancipated, it’ll be a pain in the ass but you can get medical cannabis!


----------



## Beegod Santana

Just my two cents but I would get to NOLA and then head north to grab the 40 in TN and try to take that all the way to CA. Try to grab a long ride outta Memphis, arkancracker and oklahonkey suck for hitching. Ideally try to get Memphis to santa Fe, but Amarillo is a good second bet. Dress normal, use a suitcase if you can get away with it. $50 is plenty if you dumpster and don't have habits.


----------



## Django

Hey kid. My name is Django and I'm you.
So I'll try to write some very basic tips to myself, and since you're me and I'm you, you can take or leave whatever you feel like.
Hint: the actual me would discard that message.

Look like a person that a middle-aged white woman would take.
That means, try to get rid of the punk stuff, if you have any. Black, warn clothes will not get you far. 
Leave the on ramps, go to gas stations, and work on your peech.
Hitchhiking is the ultimate selling challenge.
Your product is not only unkown to your buyer, but your buyer thinks bad things on your product (that is, you). Gas stations or rest stops are your best chance to get a ride. People already stopped, and they can see and talk to you.
In white people countries people are paranoid, and in this country it's like 10x.

Make your reaserch for big truck stops, gas stations that are 24 hrs and stock food in big grocery stores.

Do your research locally so if you get the chance to ask a driver and they mention a name if a town, you already know where that town is. They're not gonna wait for you to check your phone for maps and all that.

Be very positive with gestures. If someone is just being polite and say "hey, sorry, can't take you" with their hands and face, be extra polite, smile. The next car might considering and your reaction will affect their final decision.

I will now add my very documanted journey to Alaska. You can tell by my comments that I was a bit of a hater torward some of the people here,
That is again to "give you permission" to give a big fuck about me, or anyone else. Only you know what's best for you.

https://squattheplanet.com/threads/first-one-ever-who-cares.37251/
Do not take negative comments or feeling with you, the vibes you project will determain your success.

Having read "the Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy" taught me to have a towel. A towel is your special tool. In my case, it was my harmonica. Everytime I was upset, I took it out and played.


After being stuck two days in the same spot. Freezing cold.

I talked enough. Good luck kid, may your journey will never end.

A few more tips:
Since you're not driving, you can hitchhike 24 hours a day. You might end yourself in situations where you simply can't sleep. Truckers nowadays rarely pickup hitchhikers, but at night you have a better chance from various reasons (They feel bad for you+less chance their peers or whoever will see you in their company truck).

I highly recommend you do get some sleep when you can. Some drivers will not be enthusiastic about communicating with you, so you might just sleep. I always ask/say, and they don't mind. Ofcourse sometimes it's rude. You'll know. Have common sense.

If you go to sleep in a truck stop, you can try make a sign like I did in the pic, it says "if you're going to ____ please wake me up". It's useless but ya know.. you got nothing to lose.

I didn't mention before, but have signs. HAVE SIGNS. HAVE SIGNS!!!!!
I can't tell you how many times it made people stop.

Btw, I hitchhiked with my bicycle thousands of miles. I highly recommend not to sell them before you feel like it's stopping you from getting rides.

I'm bike touring and hitchhiking for 8 months now in North America and hh in Australia, Europe and Asia before. Don't listen to locals too much. They know a lot but they know shit. Hope you can live with that weird sentence I just wrote.


----------



## Deleted member 16701

Django said:


> Hey kid. My name is Django and I'm you.
> So I'll try to write some very basic tips to myself, and since you're me and I'm you, you can take or leave whatever you feel like.
> Hint: the actual me would discard that message.
> 
> Look like a person that a middle-aged white woman would take.
> That means, try to get rid of the punk stuff, if you have any. Black, warn clothes will not get you far.
> Leave the on ramps, go to gas stations, and work on your peech.
> Hitchhiking is the ultimate selling challenge.
> 
> Your product is not only unkown to your buyer, but your buyer thinks bad things on your product (that is, you). Gas stations or rest stops are your best chance to get a ride. People already stopped, and they can see and talk to you.
> In white people countries people are paranoid, and in this country it's like 10x.
> 
> Make your reaserch for big truck stops, gas stations that are 24 hrs and stock food in big grocery stores.
> 
> Do your research locally so if you get the chance to ask a driver and they mention a name if a town, you already know where that town is. They're not gonna wait for you to check your phone for maps and all that.
> 
> Be very positive with gestures. If someone is just being polite and say "hey, sorry, can't take you" with their hands and face, be extra polite, smile. The next car might considering and your reaction will affect their final decision.
> 
> I will now add my very documanted journey to Alaska. You can tell by my comments that I was a bit of a hater torward some of the people here,
> That is again to "give you permission" to give a big fuck about me, or anyone else. Only you know what's best for you.
> 
> https://squattheplanet.com/threads/first-one-ever-who-cares.37251/
> Do not take negative comments or feeling with you, the vibes you project will determain your success.
> 
> Having read "the Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy" taught me to have a towel. A towel is your special tool. In my case, it was my harmonica. Everytime I was upset, I took it out and played.
> 
> 
> After being stuck two days in the same spot. Freezing cold.
> 
> I talked enough. Good luck kid, may your journey will never end.




Interesting take on hitching. Im not saying youre wrong or anything, cuz it sounds like it works for you, but ive never had much luck at truck stops or gas stations. I think mainly cuz the business owners dont like people soliciting anything, even rides. ( or even loitering in some places)

Honestly it sounds like a lot of work to crack spange rides unless youre super smooth and charming, but it kinda seems like it borders on manipulation (which is why i dont like salesmen).

I always just find a decent onramp with a spot to pullover on google maps satellite view and fly a sign for a max of about 3-4 hours and if it doesnt work after a few hours ill decide if i wanna start walking down the highway or take a break and try again or get a different spot..
(It usually only takes me like an hour or so) 

Just look like a backpacker whos in good spirits i guess? Im never that well dressed or clean lol.

My main concern when hitching is how far they will take me and where i get dropped off at, cuz i wanna be dropped at a decent sized town.

Thats my take on it and the OP will weigh their options i guess.


----------



## superphoenix

To reiterate what others have said:

-I would personally get more money and life experience before such a trip. Plenty of people and places that would hire.
-Try your best to look like a normal dude, as others have said. Stay clean shaven, and don't be afraid to say no to a ride if it seems suspicious. 

Or, whatever, you could do it at 16 on 50 bucks and prove us all wrong - life is fleeting anyway. Not impossible, just not recommended.


----------



## Deleted member 16701

Juan Derlust said:


> You're going to find out in short order what works best for you - and it's gonna change from one hitch to the next. Over time you'll be able to draw some general conclusions. Once outside of Las Vegas some highway cops picked me up and drove me all the way back to the Air Force base, warning me there was a correctional facility near where I was hitching and property owners in the area typically shoot before asking questions. Keep us posted on your progress!


 
Good piont. Ive always had a hard time hitching out of Las cruces and someone told me its cuz theres a prison nearby lmao.

I just wanna add one more thing given the OPs age and experience. A rule i always go by is: 
DONT HITCH AT NIGHT!!

I usually stop trying around 5pm, cuz it can be kinda creepy riding with someone youve never met when its dark and there are sketchy people out there. Not usually dangerous, but sketchy for sure.

Sometimes people make little stops or errands, and i wouldnt like that shit at night time. 

I've found it kinda hard to turn down rides from people, cuz i get impatient and tend to jump in cars without giving a shit. (Sometimes its fml idgaf lmao)

I usually turn down rides based on distance and destination and dont really judge people too hard before getting in. Just keep that in mind, cuz you dont wanna be with a sketchy "making a little stop" at 10pm in a place youve never been...

That being said hitching isnt all that hard or scary, and ive never personally felt like i was in any real danger. If someone is creepy (like sexually) just make a reason to get off at the next exit.


----------



## asleepatthewheel

Yeah $50 will slip through your fingers. I wanna say nothing is impossible but if you can, it’d be worth it to save up a few hundred as a cushion. Bare bare minimum $200. I recommend going with someone your first time but in the spirit of harm reduction here are some things I was told my first outing and from my own experience:

When a driver pulls over, ask where the driver is going before they ask you to help filter out creeps trying to follow you.

When in the car make conversation, be aware of your surroundings, where the drivers hands are, what’s in the car, etc.

Keep some money in your wallet but stash the rest in your sock or somewhere hidden (the belt area of your pants becomes a secret pocket if you cut a hole you can slide bills or whatever in)

Something like pepper spray would be useful to keep on you.

Honestly MOST of my experiences have been of positive, helpful people but there are those who may have other intentions and one bad experience can be more impactful than a whole bunch of good ones. 

Unless you want to bikepack, ditch the bike. Sell it. At most carry a skateboard with you or something.

Keep important phone numbers of people who can help you on a written piece of paper and keep it safe - the dad in me tells you to laminate it if possible.

Carry a paper map and plan out a rough route of where you want to go.
Oh and to add, pack expecting to lose or have all your shit stolen aka don’t bring super valuable or irreplaceable shit with you.

Good luck and be safe


----------



## bones32

I try to keep it as light as possible. I keep a pair of jeans and a few shirts along with some necessities for the road. A small traveling blanket flashlight reflector vest, utility knife, and I carry a banjolele for my personal entertainment also comes in handy for making a few extra bucks, Rope to make a temporary shelter if need be. Those trips can have long walks so I keep it light.hope it helps you I started traveling at 16 also bbroker then 50 dollars. Good luck and hope you stay safe. My pack is ready for my trip out of new york Thursday morning.


----------



## KDogWalkin

How was your trip, did you make it?


----------



## Deleted member 14481

KDogWalkin said:


> How was your trip, did you make it?



It's a good idea to check in. How are you, kiddo?​


----------

