Hey Everybody. Summer Chris with info and questions

[SummerChris]

Alright, I'm a 22 year old guy named Chris. Summer Chris for the family.

I live in Missouri, attend university outside of summer. I have a female, 2.5 year old dog. Her name is Roxie and is likely a hound/doberman mix, as per my vet.

If ever passing through missouri, drop me a line and I could probably put you up for a night or something. Stay in Rolla during school year.

So far these forums are a treasure. I'm joining because I want some advice and I'd also like to contribute my knowledge to the boards whenever it is more fully developed.

I've hitch hiked in Hawai'i before. It was super easy there, and I didn't have my dog with me at the time. I've also hitched from Rolla to Camp Zoe to attend a *couple* of schwagstocks. But that's easy because people are already going that way.

So, my questions. I am taking my dog travelling with me this summer. I will be leaving once my work at my parents' house is done. I need to stain their deck still, a couple of coats. Done by Monday, likely.

Then I need to get some supplies, pack it up, then hit the road.

I'm planning on going NorthEast from St. Louis MO. Hitting up the National Gathering in PA whenever I get there until I've contributed enough to feel comfortable with leaving. Then I'll be going NorthEast some more, with Maine as the final destination. From Maine, I'll return to MO for school.

I'm curious: How long should it take to go the 3,000 miles round trip?

Supplies I'll be getting include:
Fat black permanent markers
A large tarp
Mace or Pepperspray
Fire starter supplies

Also bringing a pot, a water bottle, knife, rope, maps, notebook, compass, flashlight, my dog, a harmonica, potentially a guitar or ukulele, an umbrella, some trash bags, a camera, ...?

I guess what I'm asking for are suggestions on necessities to bring and a rough estimate of a time line.

Leaving June 24, back by August 21, what kind of distance can I travel in that time? Make it to maine and back?

Should I take interstates, or backroads for the most part? I know truckstops and on-ramps are key to getting rides, but country roads/lesser known roads should be good too, right?

Anything you can comment on from this post will be read and any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I'm going to scour the posts now, and check back up on this some time later.

Aloha brethren!

 

[Gudj]

All of your questions are already answered on the forums.

I would start with the thread called "What to pack" if I were you.

Welcome.

 

[MiztressWinter]

Welcome to STP. ^.^

If you are available to help kids out with the occasional night to stay, post a thread reguarding this in the Waystations section.

Here is a thread called *What to pack* perhaps this will answer some of your questions http://squattheplanet.com/getting-there/equipment-gear/3870-what-pack

The DIY Section has alot of great and helpful threads. Check them out, and hopefully you'll find what you're looking for ^__^

If you have any other questions, you can PM me, or speak with any of the other Mods, or Admin. I will gladly help if I can, or direct you to some else that can if I am unable to.

Winter

 

[menu]

theres no guarantees on how long a trip can take really especially hitch hiking. Id ride freight.

 

[Pheonix]

time is a variable, depends on the rides you get or if you get stuck somewhere for a couple days. when you leave the gathering go to the end of the parking lot this will be near the dumpsters probably and several other hitchhikers will be there fly a sign that says maine and you might get a ride all the way there.

 

[hshh]

sounds like a cool plan. The gathering to maine will be a buetiful trip though the mountains. i jsut came from maine and its pretty easy hitching back roads ,once in maine ide suggest route 1 up the coast instead of 95. i made it from erie PA to portland ME in jsut over 2 days and took almost all back roads from albany to the northern coast