Totally new to traveling, trying to get as many tips as possible.

[Jay Robinson]

Hey guys I'm new to travelling and new to StP. So a little background on myself and my life since this is my first post. I'm a 21 year old black punk and I live in fort waste, Indiana. I've spent roughly the last 5 years of my life couch-hopping. But as of about a year ago I was stricken with a serious case of wanderlust. I mean how could I not? I've never really been anywhere, I've never seen a mountain or the ocean. I have been researching endlessly about hitchhiking and freight hopping and both sound like fantastic forms of travel. I plan to leave my hometown around the middle of April (if I can wait that long). It will be me and one of my friends and I think we will be driving for the first few days. I come to all of you humbly for any advice you can give me no matter how significant or insignificant you may think it is. And if you know of anywhere I should avoid based on my race please please let me know. Not really looking to be lynched. Thanks in advance guys and gals.

 

[autumn]

Stay warm. Things will rarely go as planned. That doesn't mean it won't be a great experience. Don't have deadlines, or specific expectations. The north is not a fun place to be if you're freecamping in the winter. Bus and train stations (specifically greyhound and Amtrak) are good places to sleep with security where you won't be bothered, and they're EVERYWHERE. I've slept in churches, parking lots, on-ramp islands, etc. You'll usually be fine, just try not to be seen. Check departure times in case a guard asks you when your train/bus is leaving. A 4/5 season sleeping bag/tent are always nice to have. Tents are bulky, hammocks require something to suspend them from, tarps require a bit of time, and bivys are hard to get in/out of when it's raining. I won't get into the tent/tarp/hammock/bivy debate though. Make sure you have a rain cover for your backpack or similar and plastic bags to put important things in just in case they get wet.

Know how to build a fire, be prepared for unexpected heat and cold. Pack light, but not dangerously so. Know what is a necessity and what is a luxury. Make sure your bag fits properly. MAKE SURE YOUR BAG FITS PROPERLY. Don't ever use the excuse 'I deserve a treat' to splurge; that's the best way to run out of money quickly. You don't need to eat out at all. Its far cheaper to get food at grocery stores and cook it on a fire. For this you'd ideally want some kind of an ultralight stove and a mess kit. The fuel gets expensive though, cooking on a fire is free. Don't cook on flames, wait until they go down. Know how to make a Dakota hole. Potatoes, rice, noodles, and vegetables are all ways to eat healthy and tasty with spices and sauces. Dumpsters! Places like Starbucks will dispose of food that expired that day, still in its packaging. Do wash your hands though. Grocery stores also dispose of a lot of fruits and vegetables that are perfectly ripe for eating but too ripe to sell. Be careful with unpackaged dumpster food. No meat.

 

[Jay Robinson]

Thanks for the tips Zim. What is a "Dakota hole" exactly?

 

[autumn]

http://survivaltopics.com/the-dakota-fire-hole/

 

[Deleted member 2626]

Zim put some things well. Ditto on eating out if your leaving with money I discovered its best saved for a nice motel after a shit weather day or to dry shit out and chill. And most food youll find is fast food as all know not good for the body or asshole. As for tarps though I've used them extensively and would recommend that and some mosquito netting then you have a tent for less and wayyyy more durable. Don't sleep at the bottom of a hill in wet weather. Common knowledge here. I'd suggest having all your shit together and walking around where ever you live with your pack to adjust it as needed. Though if your on the road awhile organization will probably falter quite a bit till you re organize again ha

 

[Deleted member 2626]

I ate some meat from a dumpster few weeks ago first time ever it was near zero degrees. Me my friend and my dog are still kick in!

 

[Thorne]

Good advice guys, but you did not mention anything about race and places to avoid. I know it sucks that we still have to think in colors this day and age, but there are still close minded rednecks you think their way is the only way. Anyway, you seem like an intelligent kid, I would stay out of the South, places like Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and maybe Georgia and some parts of E. Texas. In my experience though, those places can even be bad for white folks, so maybe it's just that they don't like travelers. It has been 15 years since I've been on the road so it is possible those places have loosened up, but I doubt it.

Good luck on opening this new chapter in your life. Now that you've been bit by the Wanderlust bug, you'll never be the same again.

Thorne

 

[Jay Robinson]

Thanks all, I really appreciate the words of wisdom.

 

[autumn]

I agree with Thornes assessment, except Louisiana, depending on where you are. You'll be fine in NOLA.

 

[Thorne]

Yeah, didn't think about NOLA, but I haven't been there since way before Catrina so I have no idea what it's like now.

 

[autumn]

I ate some meat from a dumpster few weeks ago first time ever it was near zero degrees. Me my friend and my dog are still kick in!

It's situational of course, but as a rule of thumb, that's not a good idea, because you don't know how long it's been sitting there unless you saw them dumpster it, and even then, you don't know how long it was out at room temp in their store.

 

[autumn]

Yeah, didn't think about NOLA, but I haven't been there since way before Catrina so I have no idea what it's like now.

The ninth ward is still destroyed. A lot of it has near-fully recovered though. It's still a fun and interesting place, I'd recommend going back at some point, it's totally surreal if you have vivid memories of what it used to be like.

 

[z3990]

I'm in evansville indiana if you need anything.

 

[z3990]

The 9th ward is rad.beyond biodome

 

[Deleted member 2626]

mannnn thats some bulll shit. He's black so stay out of the south? You can get fucked with anywhere. I'm white and have been fucked with in my state capitol, just passing through, by blacks. He could go to all of them states you listed, get to california and have race shit thrown at him. Yeah south is WELLLLLLL known for racism but I mean come on. Avoid a whole section of the country? If he's ballsy and gonna hit the road anyway he'll still go there. Or find a good buddy who has your back. I'm carrying a walking stick now, took some of that advice from older tramps and "travelin" on here. or even better do what I do sometimes just walk, then all your doing is walking through these areas and less likely to be fucked with "soliciting a ride". Or if your riding. . . kind of tough to say there, most every day with the road is up in the air as they say

 

[Thorne]

I never said that every single person in the south was a racist dick. Nor did I say that everyone everywhere else was not. You can run into trouble anywhere sure, but honestly, if he's new to this I really don't think it's a good idea to go to places that the chances for a problem have a chance at being higher be it for race, gender, sexual orientation or just because that's the way a place is. Experienced road dawgs are just often better prepared.

If he or anyone wants to go to the southern united states, that's their business, I just don't think it's a good idea for someone who is "green" to be going places or doing things that may cause unnecessary problems. Sure he will have to learn to deal with it at some point, but what's the point of jumping right into it if you don't have to.

My comment was in no way intended to piss any one off or turn anyone off from going to any of the states that I mentioned in my first post. There are just some places, even today, that people of color have to be more careful in than others, its the same way for white people, Mexicans, whatever. Just look at it this way, danger will find you, sooner or later, all by itself, don't go looking for it.

 

[Deleted member 2626]

It didn't piss me off at all I didn't mean to come off as pompous either. . . just saying and I won't reiterate but yeah. I traveled the south a bit they definitely still are racist. Being punk doesn't help either for the dude. Wearing that sometimes offends people enough let alone with a black dude in a pack. In my avatar thats my usual attire STILL some people hate me ahahah ah yeah the variances of the road and life

 

[Jay Robinson]

Yeah I'm definitely going to be cautious but I am still probably gonna go to the southern states. The walking stick idea is definitely something I'm gonna use. Honestly I'm more worried about me and my road dog not getting picked up for being crusties.

 

[Thorne]

Sometimes you just have to walk for a while. Can get a lot of thinking done on a good walk.

 

[Deleted member 2626]

Yes just walking is good no relying on anything but your feet