Knew a girl - a young girl - from here (STP) that hitched out from Arkansas or something like that out to the pacific northwest then to LA buy simply riding the big rigs...
She had the nerve to complain that it wasn't a direct route, I told her she got to see more of America for free in one week than most do in a lifetime and decided I did not need to be associated with those who complain about petty bullshit.
Believe she did it a second time - out to Seattle - for that gathering thing which happened maybe in July??
Forget her name, she's crazy young - but she still pulled it off......
Want to say she had a gps enabled phone and let her friends know where she was at, kinda like a tracking device if something went wrong... but I could be making that up.
Anyway, it worked for her.....
Just be safe no matter which route you go.