ONLINE RESOURCES:You should register & complete a profile on
www.couchsurfing.com I suggest that you get used to soliciting rideshares on craigslist as well. I write short & sweet bios & provide pictures, phone # & links to me social media (instagram) & my couchsurfing. Many drivers are going on long distance trips anyway & would appreciate the company & conversation. Many, many CL rideshares will waive any cash contribution factor for fuel/tolls if you honestly share your situation. That being said if you do have some cash, foodstamps or something to offer it is nice to not feel like a freeloader. CL drivers sometimes camp or get cheap motel rooms on cross country or long distance trips, By kicking in some gas money & getting to know each other its not uncommon to be able to crash at a friend's house or share a hotel/motel room in a platonic way. Being good at CS also allows you to potentially coordinate a surf for your driver & you on any trip. Megabus is also a great resource for acquiring cheap bus tickets in advance & has some possibility to forge/fake the itinerary by copying the string of letter s& numbers from another waiting passenger at a Megabus stop. If you can find here the megabus fuels up or does its crew change of drivers; it's easy enough to sneak on midway .
GEAR:You should acquire some basic gear. sleeping bag, goretex bivy sack, some sharpie markers, toiletries, clean clothing, p38 can opener, water key, maybe a leatherman & pocket knife & cheap free maps & a compass unless you have a portable device (cell phone) & a decent hiking pack or military pack. Good sturdy footwear as walking is often involved with all forms of alternative traveling. I suggest some real leather boots (non steel toe); leather is much better with stink, last longer & is better with foot fungus.
HITCHHIKING IS FREE & ABLE TO BE DONE ANYWHERE:Get used to hitchhiking by making simple signs with direction, route #s or city destinations. If often works best to accomplish small trips from city to city where you can regroup & utilize craigslist & megabus again. Many of u spange for money by flying signs ("traveling, Hungry & Broke") always works for me & is a standard among travelers.
BEING SOCIAL:Get used to chatting with people & letting them get to know you & your story. This is both therapeutic & help curb loneliness but also positions you for rides & assistance from people. Many rides were obtained by simply talking with drivers who wanted to help me but also wanted to make sure I wasnt a complete psychopath. A closed mouth wont get fed so to speak so by putting your request & needs
SHOWERS:Stay as clean as possible. All large truck stops have showers & lounges for professional drivers. I will post up where the truck drivers walk in to pay for their fuel near the fuel bay & ask them("do you have a spare shower credit" Or "do you have a spare shower ticket"; many drivers are locals & live nearby yet still acquire free showers when fueling up with their rewards card. I have "NEVER" been denied a shower or spent longer than 10 minutes getting a free shower. Sometimes if you are riding a megabus or have no reason to hang out at the truck stop after the shower; you can simply walk into the dirty showers that another had used. Often clean towels are on a cart nearby or left in the bathroom. I use this trick when riding megabus all the time. We get of for a 15 min break & I ask for or sneak a free shower & then work on trying to get some food items. Staying clean on the road i good for your health & morale; many rideshares & drivers will pick you up more so if you don't stink & look cleancut.
Hitchhiking: When hitching stay off of the highway when soliciting rides. That means your thumb or a sign. Even having a sign while walking on the Interstate highway will get you in trouble. Small state highways are usually safe. If there is a sign that say no pedestrians, no bike & no horses, I try to stay forward of the sign. Even then many cops dont want hitchhikers on the ramp. This is sometimes a necessary risk.
FOOD: I eat at soup kitchens & seek them out online when I get somewhere. I also get food items from food pantries but I tell he volunteers that I am a traveler & can only take certain items (no fridge or freezer, oven etc). If you have access to somewhere to cook like a motel with a kitchenette that is fine but often it snot worth hauling or throwing away good food. Many food pantries have good travel food like canned tuna, beef stew, mres, precooked meals, canned items, chocolate, snacks & non perishable drinks for those who cant cook (homeless or travelers0I will occasionally go to a mission for a shower or a meal. I NEVER STAY IN HOMELESS SHELTERS EVER!!!!!!! Homebums are a drain on us all & most are certified wingnut junkies, addicts,violent drunks, thieves etc.
Do network with other travelers but again be careful who you kick it with & how much you drop your defenses. Some of us are angry & violent junkies, addicts & drunks too. Some dont care for oogles aka new greenhorn travelers. Dont lie about your experience or go out of your way to mention how green & lost you are. We all will know so just be humble yet self sufficient & self reliant. I havent mentioned hopping freight trains & suggest that until you can manage surviving in style using some or all of my tricks & tip that you stay away from freight trains. There will be a time when you are ready but it sure aint now. Think of yourself as an eager 1st grader & train hopping as a collegiate extracurricular sport. All travelers dont ride trains, it may be a tool in my toolbox as an experienced traveler but it aint the only tool. Some travelers do bke touring with panniers & all their gear on a bike. I too have a bike but dont usually do much touring these days. Many evolve into rubber tramps & get a van, school bus or camper/Rv to live & travel in. Obviously this requires much work, luck & capital investment & one must have a legal drivers license.
STP has rides, crustsurfing & roaddog sections to connect with fellow travelers so that you dont need to always be alone. Be careful of the Blind leading the Blind & what risks you put yourself into. Trust your gut. It sfine if you are gonna wander with other green & new travelers just understand that you are educating & perfecting "your" skills & are at times keping your self safe & alive.
I carry everything I need to camp & survive anywhere. Finding shelter for me usually has access to running water, shelter from the elements, access to electricity close by, & access to a working bathroom or porta-potty within a short 2-5 mn walk concealment from security/police/intruders/pedestrians etc. I dont camp near homebums. I usually only camp & crash for like 5-6 hours to sleep & then get moving. For more long term camping I try to find something abandoned or more suitable for longer camping or try to line up something on couchsurfing.
I constantly keep checking craigslist for rideshares & writing emails, hitchhiking or hoping freight trains & considering megabus stops. I do this periodically throughout each & every day that I am on the road. If I have access to wifi somewhere & I know what city/town I will be in later that night I ill try to request last minute couchsurf requests. I will also be lining up good camping spots once I get to town. I will usully try to find abum feed & spend an hour or 2 getting up enough money to get more food & drinks or to put towards doing my laundry. I do my laundry when I am down to my last clean pair of clothing (often my underwear & socks are in the machine while I am wearing my last shorts/pant s& shirt. Asking any abuelita or other nice person for a cup pf spare laundry detergent is easy enough at a coinop laundromat.
I take advantage of existing infrastructure for residents & paying travelers. Gymnasiums, workout places & YMCAs are good for a shower. Hotels & motels are good to sneak into the swimming pool or shower in an adjacent bathroom near the pool & workout facility. Often buffets & conventions are going on where you may be able to get cleaned up first & simply blend into the dinner or party. I dont exactly crash wedding receptions. Most hotels/motels havea complimentary breakfast & almost never can tell who is a guest & wo is not. Just stash your gear outside & walk in the lobby like any other morning guest. Get some coffee, read the newspaper & eat as much as you can. I take fresh fruit, peanut butter packets & jelly, crackers & cereal for the road. Camp grounds also have laundry shower facilities & usually a lounge to hang out in or swimming pool or beach to use. Again ditch the pack or gain entrance at night & rise early enough for the managers & other guests to not see you as a threat. If the cops ever come anywhere just be honest that you were passing through & figured you would use the bathroom or shower but didnt intend to create any drama. Free towels, soap, shampoo, lotion & plastic bags are are also located on maid carts if you need to stock up. Most maids dont know or care if you are a guest so simply go ask for some stuff or take it when they are cleaning the rooms.
Do have fun & attend touristy stuff & events with locals. Go to the state parks & just apreciate the scenery. Traveling should be about the journey not the destination. Having small regional destinations helps you stay focused if you are trying to get to an event by a certain time. Aimless wandering is cool too id mix up both if I were you. I attend lots of concerts & festivals, I visit friends and take advantage of whatever events are taking place. If an event is going on somewhere there are people & those people can & will help you out occasionally. I fly signs near concert venues while people are waiting in line (everyone has got an extra ticket for a friend whom bailed at the last moment & don't want to deal with a scalper) & solicit free concert tickets on craigslist. I will attend art gallery openings (note free booze, soda & cheese & crackers or better food are usually available). I am sober but you get the idea. I also attend AA meetings & it dont matter if you are in recovery or not. They have free coffee & sometimes snacks, often a good place to charge your phone & temporarily regroup sometimes. Churches are great too regardless of the denomination but they often wont mind you hanging out & thinking or praying quietly, charging your phone & using the bathroom. Sometimes the clergy have access to emergency food items or gift cards for people in need or will offer emergency shelter somewhere on the church or with a member of the church. Some churches will rent a hotey/motey for someone. hotel/motel room
