How do I begin to plan my route?

[Qwe]

Hey!

As mentioned earlier, I plan on backpacking from Toronto to Mexico City in the summer of 2020. I'd like to start planning out which route i'm going to take and I honestly have no idea how/where to start. Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

 

[Kentucky walker]

Dude planning a route kind of blows because when you get a ride to take you farther than expected you can be a little off course and have to adjust. Go with the flow man that's how I do it and turns out awesome

 

[DankBudz]

I've always just kinda wung it with hitching. I usually stick to major interstates, but watch out for toll highways that you arent allowed to walk on.
Look up places or highways that are harder for hitching and try to avoid them.
Some places like Kansas the cops will be up your ass everyday and might try to tell you that hitching is altogether illegal in that state. Just be nice and they might leave you alone or give you a ride to the next town.

 

[Kentucky walker]

I've been through Kansas a few times and as long as you stay on the shoulder I haven't had any issues. I walked a lot but once your out there someone is bound to pick you up. I had trouble in Oklahoma with the toll roads and had to hike 30 fucking miles to the I-40 to hitch a ride....Winging it is the best way to go for the journey.

 

[DankBudz]

I've been through Kansas a few times and as long as you stay on the shoulder I haven't had any issues. I walked a lot but once your out there someone is bound to pick you up. I had trouble in Oklahoma with the toll roads and had to hike 30 fucking miles to the I-40 to hitch a ride....Winging it is the best way to go for the journey.

Ya Oklahoma is a shit hitch too. Ive also heard alot about Ohio being hard to get through.
Experiences differ from person though and idk if theres a worst state to hitch. All i can say is im probably never going south of Gainesville next time i go to Florida. Its not worth it lol.

 

[Kentucky walker]

I got stuck in Utah for a while and Texas just hates everyone. Even though I had a rough time getting through Oklahoma i have to say its great to spange. Any of the major interstates will get you far if you want to get somewhere that's for sure. I made it from Missouri to San Diego in 4 days on the 40 and from Cali to Kansas in 3 days all this year. Nevada on the 80 is a blast because i got smoked out every time i got a ride

 

[DankBudz]

I got stuck in Utah for a while and Texas just hates everyone. Even though I had a rough time getting through Oklahoma i have to say its great to spange. Any of the major interstates will get you far if you want to get somewhere that's for sure. I made it from Missouri to San Diego in 4 days on the 40 and from Cali to Kansas in 3 days all this year. Nevada on the 80 is a blast because i got smoked out every time i got a ride

Ya thats good time for that distance.
I always make a point not to get stuck in Texas. I just ride trains through and only go to the major cites near the borders lol.
Ive been to Utah a couple times, but i took a flixbus from Vegas to SLC, cuz it was only 15 bucks heh.

That might be a good tip for the OP: Look into bus companies like Flixbus and Boltbus. Theyre cheaper than Greyhound and more comfortable.

 

[CelticWanderer]

First time I went traveling I had this huge plan laid out and it immediately went to shit after I made some friends and went north for a while instead of west. I would just get some maps for the first leg and plan point to point. The plan will always be changing.

 

[EmmaAintDead]

If I had that much time to plan that long of a trip, under the most ideal conditions of having the time here's what I would do:

• Plan an A route and a B route, one being an ideal route northern route and one skewed south of your ideal route because most of the big potential detours look like they'll be southbound. The south route will be mostly a way to orient yourself when you end up in Central Mississippi when you were aiming for Southern Missouri and be able to find your way forward without taking a huge time loss.
  
  
• do a practice hike with all your gear for a full shift. 4 hours one direction, mark where you're at, head back home, and mark the time when you get home. Go at a pace that works for you, take as many breaks as you need, don't injure yourself, but this will give you the basic maths of how far you can plan to hoof it in a day in case you need to, which will help planning course corrections on the fly later. It'll also get you considering what gear you need and what gear might be useless weight.
  
  
• plan for at least 2 different points of entry to Mexico. The political climate is nuts at the US border and there was JUST a travel advisory issued against mexico a few days ago. It's a bullshit racist advisory, but it's still been issues. That might mean PoE closures, decreased egress traffic processing, additonal screenings, etc. I don't know your situation wrt passports, citizenship, legal travel status in general, whatever, but on a purely logistical end if you're going through an established PoE, expect a ton of goofy shit.
  
  
• Try to plan your ideal path to have the least amount of or at least the least dramatic elevation shifts. Travel for that long on your thumb and some good wishes will get that much harder when you have weak legs from trying to clear the smokies without a ride.
  ​

And get clear plastic enclosures for paper maps and notes, too, so you can check them as often as youd like without risking environmental damage.