Advice on PDX to Tucson?

[Deleted member 31507]

Ppl say 101 is easy way south, so if I can get to the coast that should get me south, but when to go east? I-10 goes right thru Tucson but I think taking 101 to I-10 would mean hitching out of LA and I hear ppl say LA is like a vortex that traps people in and that sounds bad lol.

What do u think? Any other routes? Tips?

 

[Matt Derrick]

I agree the 101/PCH highway would be both easy and beautiful. Once you get into LA though it would probably be easiest to catch a greyhound to el centro ($36 online) or indio and hitch to Slab City (or take the $2 public transit bus from el centro to niland). This is kind of the perfect time to show up since folks will be coming back as it cools down. If you don't mind hanging out there for a while (it's cool there's stuff to explore and a hot springs) you could easily eventually find a ride straight to tucson. Barring that, you could try hitching east from El Centro to Tuscon, never hitched that myself though, driven it a bunch though.

 

[Deleted member 31507]

I agree the 101/PCH highway would be both easy and beautiful. Once you get into LA though it would probably be easiest to catch a greyhound to el centro ($36 online) or indio and hitch to Slab City (or take the $2 public transit bus from el centro to niland). This is kind of the perfect time to show up since folks will be coming back as it cools down. If you don't mind hanging out there for a while (it's cool there's stuff to explore and a hot springs) you could easily eventually find a ride straight to tucson. Barring that, you could try hitching east from El Centro to Tuscon, never hitched that myself though, driven it a bunch though.

Thx for advice, unfortunately I'm trying to avoid transit like that bcuz of the pandemic. Otherwise I'd actually take amtrak from pdx to la and la to tucson.

I might change my mind about this but Im just freaked out at the idea of being stuck in an enclosed box w a lot of people from different places, sharing the same air -- even if masked. I'm vax'd but read that even mild covid can cause permanent effects on yr lungs/brain.

Figure hitching slightly less risky cuz its less people.

Hadn't thought of using slabs as a jumping off point tho!

 

[Beegod Santana]

Personally I've always been a fan of getting to San Diego then heading to Tucson. OB is a pretty easy place to meet travelers and there always seems to be people headed to toostoned from there. PDX is also a pretty easy city to rideshare to the bay from, so I'd check craigslist before hitching to the coast. Yes it's beautiful, but getting long rides on the Oregon coast is not all that common in my experience. Large parts of it are the PCT so lots of people assume you're purposely walking it.

 

[Deleted member 31507]

Personally I've always been a fan of getting to San Diego then heading to Tucson. OB is a pretty easy place to meet travelers and there always seems to be people headed to toostoned from there. PDX is also a pretty easy city to rideshare to the bay from, so I'd check craigslist before hitching to the coast. Yes it's beautiful, but getting long rides on the Oregon coast is not all that common in my experience. Large parts of it are the PCT so lots of people assume you're purposely walking it.

Makes sense! And true yea Im almost certain i could get a easy rideshare to the bay from here. SD sounds nice also tbh. Is there a part of the bay u'd recommend hitching south from?

 

[Stiv Rhodes]

The I5 through Oregon and the 101 through Cali is the best route to hitch. Its also best to decide where to cross between the two based on where your rides are going. If you get one to Eugene, take the 126 to Florence. If you get one going through Grants Pass but not as far as Redding, take the 199 to Crescent City. If your ride is going past Redding but not to the Bay Area, take the 299 to Arcata. Don't get stuck on the I5 in CA, its a trap.

 

[Stiv Rhodes]

Also, odds are, you're gonna have to get on a bus at least a couple times in CA.