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.
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.
