Hola Wanderers!

[williethekid]

Hi, my name is William. I am 22 years old and from Los Angeles, but I live in San Francisco right now. I've been doing a lot of research about vagabonding for the past 3 months and found out about this site from /r/vagabond. I'm heading out July 1st and taking a indefinite break from my "normal" life to travel, explore, and cross off some things that have been on my bucket list since childhood.

I first started looking into vagabonding and train hopping when I was in middle school and daydreamed about it a lot to the point I even created a whole Amazon wish list of the things I would need to satiate my wanderlust. However, the reality of being only 12 at the time hit me in the face and I tucked this dream away in the back of my soul's filing cabinet. After finishing high school, I moved to SF for college, but dropped out a year later after finding the job I currently have at a company in San Jose doing network & systems administration. While living and working in the Bay Area, I did do some traveling, but they were mainly road trips either solo or with my then GF. When the pandemic hit, my inner desire to give vagabonding and train hopping a try came roaring back, however I didn't take many steps to further that goal until recently, mainly due to my relationship collapsing along with my decision to put more of my time and energy into my job. After working there for nearly 4 years, I feel exhausted and ready for something different. I do not want to waste my early 20s being a 9 to 5 corporate drone with 24/7 on-call duties.

My goal for now is to make it to Boston before the end of the summer. One of my cousins lives out there and I'm going to go visit him. I plan to get there through a combination of hitchhiking and train hopping. From there, I plan to go south as the fall and winter approach...possibly going to Mexico as well.

I'm open to any possible travel partner(s) as well.

I would be grateful for any advice or information you could give me on this subject, feel free to ask me questions, and thank you for your time. 😊

 

[Jimmy Beans]

Yo that was actually a really fucking good introduction. Welcome to the community. There's many years worth of threads here to devour. The search feature is extremely helpful. Without specific questions I don't know what advice I'd really have to offer outside of the usual- research research research, trains are unforgiving. Try to find an experienced rider for your first trip or two or dozen. Sometimes that's hard to find and people just end up doing it on their own. If that's the course you take, spend more time researching first. There's also certain places that are better to knock the training wheels off than other places. Like I probably wouldn't start out my first ride from West Colton, etc. Anyway, yeah.. search feature is your friend.

Feel free to ask questions. Just keep in mind we don't really like to just openly divulge a whole lot in terms of catch outs, what trains to catch and where they're going etc. That's kind of something you gotta pick someone's brain about privately, if they're even willing to share said information. But this is a great place to make friends. <That's like a simple math equation, add it up.

We have a discord, that's a great way to meet peeps too. We also do voice chat wednesdays on discord, 5pm PST.

 

[Joey Garbanzo]

Welcome to StP! Check out the library for some helpful info.

 

[Matt Derrick]

nice intro! you shouldn't have too much of an issue hitching over to boston from the west coast. the weather and terrain should be on your side so I imagine you'll have a blast. like others said, use the search and if you can't find the answer you're looking for start a new thread about it!

 

[williethekid]

Thanks! I do have questions about my pack, but not sure if I should start a new thread for that in the Travel Gear section or continue this one.

Also, one major concern I do have is the use of hardcore drugs (e.g. heroin or anything stronger than weed excluding alcohol and nicotine) by some people in the vagabond community. While I believe that all drugs should be legalized, taxed, and regulated, I personally have never used anything hardcore nor plan to and I would prefer to avoid the problems associated with them. It would be much appreciated if anyone has any thoughts or advice on that. Thanks.

 

[Blue Wave 2022]

Thanks! I do have questions about my pack, but not sure if I should start a new thread for that in the Travel Gear section or continue this one.

Also, one major concern I do have is the use of hardcore drugs (e.g. heroin or anything stronger than weed excluding alcohol and nicotine) by some people in the vagabond community. While I believe that all drugs should be legalized, taxed, and regulated, I personally have never used anything hardcore nor plan to and I would prefer to avoid the problems associated with them. It would be much appreciated if anyone has any thoughts or advice on that. Thanks.

I think if you give respect, you get respect back. If you don’t go looking for that stuff, then it won’t come looking for you. If it comes looking for you then you just politely decline the overture, & walk away. I am in the exact same boat as you, when it comes to those things and this has always been my modus operandi.

As to packs, if you want the best on earth it’s handmade in Japan by one man and one man only. He made mine and it has been 6,000 miles hiking from Mexico to Canada TWICE & Miami to Pensacola. I think I had said enough to sell it. KSULTRALIGHT
✌🏻

 

[croc]

Thanks! I do have questions about my pack, but not sure if I should start a new thread for that in the Travel Gear section or continue this one.

Also, one major concern I do have is the use of hardcore drugs (e.g. heroin or anything stronger than weed excluding alcohol and nicotine) by some people in the vagabond community. While I believe that all drugs should be legalized, taxed, and regulated, I personally have never used anything hardcore nor plan to and I would prefer to avoid the problems associated with them. It would be much appreciated if anyone has any thoughts or advice on that. Thanks.

You're not going to be able to travel the ways u listed without being around hard drugs. Period.

 

[Gin]

Just cuz they're there doesn't mean you have to do them. Just say no

 

[Spazz]

Alcohol and nicotine are both drugs that can have much more serious consequences on the road than in a conventional life.

You should say no to these drugs during your travels if at all possible.

Caffeine can become a problem very quickly in areas where camping is criminilized. Be aware of your own body. Energy drinks, no doze, and espresso shots might not be "good clean fun" for a novice or a light coffee drinker.

Please understand that most drug users did not choose to become addicts. There are economic and cultural issues involved. Don't judge other people or try to save the world; that never seems to end well.

Have a wonderful trip and make memories to last a lifetime.

Thank you for sharing with us.