Dealing with the uncertainty of upcoming travel

[Coywolf]

Here we go again, another time where I find myself on the edge of traveling, and I'm feeling "the fear".

"The fear" is how I describe the overwhelming uncertainty before hitting the road after you have been off of it for a long time.

It's fucking annoying, because I'm experienced, prepared, planned, and excited to get out there. Yet still my bod/mind says, "Do you realy want to do this?"

"Of course I do, fucker!" I tell myself, yet the feeling does not subside until I get that first ride, or hop that first train, or walk that first 5 miles, ect.

This trip is different, for I have spent the last 2 years researching and planning my first freight hopping journey, and I feel pretty prepared, but I have never actually done it, so fuck, I have no idea what is going to happen, but that is half the fun of it.

I am sitting in central oregon, and planning to catch out north, either to vancouver/portland or Pasco (god, I hope its portland, we will see) and from there to see Seattle for the first time. Hit the Olympic peninsula, and then try catching out south as far as the journey will take me, I told a friend I would try to visit him in Austin at some point. I would also like to hit SLC and Denver along the way.

Another wildcard to this journey, is that I will be filming most of it, and turning it into a YouTube channel. (Super original, I know) so I will have to factor that into the trip as well.

Me, my pack, and my guitar. All I have to do is take that first step.....I'll see ya'll out there

 

[Desperado Deluxe]

I had that feeling recently hitching. chilled at a truck stop for a day with no luck and forced myself to get a ride much faster by getting on the onramp with a sign. ended up having a great trip! even got a shower.
with trains its pretty standard because I don't have to deal with anyone but it can be intimidating if your alone.

 

[Weminuche]

Hey bro. Sorry for stalking on ya but were you doing wildland firefighting last summer? I'm super interested in that shit. Been thinking about doing the veterans fire crew in a conservation corps to get my feet wet.
Back on topic, here's some advice from my bro Ben Stiller for ya:

 

[Coywolf]

Hey bro. Sorry for stalking on ya but were you doing wildland firefighting last summer? I'm super interested in that shit. Been thinking about doing the veterans fire crew in a conservation corps to get my feet wet.
Back on topic, here's some advice from my bro Ben Stiller for ya:
View attachment 39253

Ya man I have done fire for a couple years now, getting into a Conservation corps would be your best way in. That's how'd I got in years ago. I'd say go for it, you can make a shit load of money, and it's a fun job.

 

[AAAutin]

"The fear"

Oh no!

I always have the same apprehension after being housed-up or homebumming it for too long; but then:

I get that first ride, or hop that first train, or walk that first 5 miles, ect.

—road brain returns, and all is right with the world.

 

[ntdxc1878]

Hey, nothing wrong or unoriginal with starting a Youtube channel. When I am off the road, I long to ride again and the best riding channels make me feel a little closer to it. Just add your own flair, and I'm sure it'll be great! You can count me in as a viewer

 

[OutsideYourWorld]

I have the same thoughts about my next trip. This time last year I was.... Some random place between Georgia and Kazakhstan, and right now i'm hanging out with the family after the work season. But at this moment travel and all it's craziness seems so distant and odd. But it's what makes me happiest! It's an odd feeling to get that feeling about it.

How easily do you adjust to new situations, like going from home life to travel? After the initial "oh shit, here we go" moments, I usually adjust pretty quickly and I just cruise along.

 

[Koala]

Yeppp sometimes I get that feeling after being housed up for just 1 or 2 days on the road! Usually when I'm traveling by myself, it seems weird to say goodbye to good company, and have them drop you off on the side of the road...but like you said, once you get that first ride, or kick down, or whatever, all feels right again.

Also the unknowing before your first train really is daunting...safe and happy hopping to ya, I think once you're out there and on it, it feels like the most natural thing in the world

 

[Coywolf]

So just as a random update. I got my pack on and headed to the catch out. First thing that happened, me and my friend had an encounter with the cops, because someone had complained about us trespassing on a buisness on our way to the tracks, nosey freakin' neighbor.

They could have given us open container/drinking in public tickets, but let us go (thank god) they also threatened calling BNSF, but didnt. They were all around ok.

My friend split and I went to a different spot, only to find when I get there, that the cap on my beer wasn't all the way closed. Now everything I own smells like malt liquor.

Then my water bladder broke and soaked al my shit.

So I went to sleep, only to find, that when my train came (my PERFECT train god damn Canadian grainer right in front of me) at 3AM I was LITERALLY too tired to getup and get on it. Shit.

THEN!

I was awoken at 6 AM to what I though was rain.....

Sprinkers. On the backside of an industrial buliding. Watering litterally nothing but homeless people. Bastards.

Right after all my shit was dry from me sleeping in it,, too.

I'm going to try again tonight. At least now I know exactly when the trains come....

 

[benton]

Fear and trepidation are normal emotions when facing uncertainty.

Sometimes I feel them when I head out, sometimes I don't.

Mostly I just acknowledge and accept the feelings as normal and act in the manner I have chosen.

We don't have to draw a straight line from our feelings to our actions if we don't want to.

 

[noothgrush]

Having pre travel jitters just means you don't suffer from a mental disorder. Human beings are comfort seeking creatures and generally don't want to shake the complacency.