Intro, planning a trip

[MEOW]

Hello all,
excited to join the community!
I'm 21 years old and love trains, graffiti, cats and pizza.
I'm currently residing in St.Louis, MO.
I plan on leaving this place around may this year and I hope to head west! California area.
My hopes are to primarily ride the rails to get there but will most likely be hitching as well.

I joined this site in hopes of learning all that i haven't already and hopefully finding someone who'd like to travel with me.

Any st. louis people out there?
This would be my first time catching out, and if i don't find anyone by may, i will leave on my own.

 

[Deleted member 20]

Welcome to STP. Do your research. Dont get killed messing around on trains, it tends to hurt the "community" as a whole.

 

[MEOW]

Welcome to STP. Do your research. Dont get killed messing around on trains, it tends to hurt the "community" as a whole.

Cheers, I'll definitely try my hardest to "not get killed".
I've been around trains plenty, excited to start riding them

 

[slimJack]

smh

 

[z3990]

I need an adult!

 

[MEOW]

I need an adult!

smh

?

 

[domo]

hello my personal opinion is to take it slow.
California isn't going anywhere and you can definitely hitching and enjoy life for what it's worth.
You gotta walk before you can run.
Alas i can't tell you what to do, or even make you decision. I still haven't hopped my first train. I would like to.
But i also like to take things slow.
Meet cool people.
Do crazy stuff.
See unique shit. There so much you can do.
Like example i do festys and gatherings half the time.
Busking and chilling by a camp fire or ocean.
Just have fun and be safe. Brother

 

[MEOW]

hello my personal opinion is to take it slow.
California isn't going anywhere and you can definitely hitching and enjoy life for what it's worth.
You gotta walk before you can run.
Alas i can't tell you what to do, or even make you decision. I still haven't hopped my first train. I would like to.
But i also like to take things slow.
Meet cool people.
Do crazy stuff.
See unique shit. There so much you can do.
Like example i do festys and gatherings half the time.
Busking and chilling by a camp fire or ocean.
Just have fun and be safe. Brother

hello my personal opinion is to take it slow.
California isn't going anywhere and you can definitely hitching and enjoy life for what it's worth.
You gotta walk before you can run.
Alas i can't tell you what to do, or even make you decision. I still haven't hopped my first train. I would like to.
But i also like to take things slow.
Meet cool people.
Do crazy stuff.
See unique shit. There so much you can do.
Like example i do festys and gatherings half the time.
Busking and chilling by a camp fire or ocean.
Just have fun and be safe. Brother

Thanks for the welcome,
And I thought me waiting 5 months till may to prepare was taking it slow lol.

Trains have been a big interest in my life for a while, and I don't have many options besides traveling around May anyways.

I get the walk before you run tip, but i think I'd rather get a running start.

Already learning plenty of extra info from stp and glad I found this site

 

[Deleted member 20]

Reading posts, packing gear & dreaming about trains all winter isnt exactly preparing 100%. I would spend some days/nights watching/logging times when trains get built & depart. The schedule of the bulls, if workers are approachable. Start tracing cars & figuring out the types of rideable & nonrideable cars. There are many kids whos"running start" gets em hurt/killed. If you havent hitched before it doesnt hurt to get some exposure to hitching. There are gonna be times where you get run off out of yards with bulls/city cops chasing you. You may get caught & given a warning, its usually easier to move on to anothers jurisdiction & hop out of another yard. I would learn how to trace cars, then take a few local joy rides knowing your destination. Maybe like an hour or less down the line & hitching back. Tagging stationary trains in your home town isnt the same as riding. Leave your spray paint at home & focus on figuring out the details of hopping freight safely.

 

[MEOW]

Reading posts, packing gear & dreaming about trains all winter isnt exactly preparing 100%. I would spend some days/nights watching/logging times when trains get built & depart. The schedule of the bulls, if workers are approachable. Start tracing cars & figuring out the types of rideable & nonrideable cars. There are many kids whos"running start" gets em hurt/killed. If you havent hitched before it doesnt hurt to get some exposure to hitching. There are gonna be times where you get run off out of yards with bulls/city cops chasing you. You may get caught & given a warning, its usually easier to move on to anothers jurisdiction & hop out of another yard. Tagging stationary trains in your home town isnt the same as riding. Leave your spray paint at home & focus on figuring out the details of hopping freight safely.

All good advice, thanks dude

 

[domo]

Thanks for the welcome,
And I thought me waiting 5 months till may to prepare was taking it slow lol.

Trains have been a big interest in my life for a while, and I don't have many options besides traveling around May anyways.

I get the walk before you run tip, but i think I'd rather get a running start.

Already learning plenty of extra info from stp and glad I found this site

I can see you anticipated for this quite awhile now.
You can only talk and read literature so much Mann.

But the honest to god truth is.
Just get off the phone/computer and just do it.
Experiment/experience it for yourself.

A butterfly cannot fly by just gazing at the sky.
A fish can't swim by wading in the pool.
A baby can't walk with out first trying to move.

You sound alto like me when i first wanted to travel.
I was scared.
Wanting to get all my essentials.
Camp gear, yada yada yada.
But i needed the extra push forward.

Now im sharing my statement with you.
Stfu and nut up and hit the road.
Lifes waiting.