Noob Canadian hopper starting next week

[Pogg]

Greetings to the stp community. Just another noob here starting out my journey in strange times. I have been lurking this forum and others for a while and finally decided to get involved. Next week, I will be starting my first hopping adventure. Hopefully, I will be able to make it to Vancouver and then back to Toronto (my home city) before the winter comes. I have no clue what I'm getting into, other than from what I've gathered from reading various threads. I read the hopping safety thread from here a while back and don't remember too much. Maybe if you care enough to save me some pain, give me some tips for my first time. If not, I will report back under the condition that I make it out alive. Best regards!

 

[Tekamthi]

mid-october is not a great time to start this hobby for the first time -- that said, if you're comfortable living outside and have some experience in managing sub-freezing temps overnight, it won't be so bad. If not, I'd only do it with a plan to bail out mid-trip (ie enough money for a plane ticket home)

14-day forecasts can change drastically, even if right now they're saying they'll be above zero, don't count on this lasting. You should expect to spend 24 hours+ on the same train if crossing canada, maybe even 48 -- to do this, you'll need a good amount of water with you; how will you keep it from freezing if temps aren't what you're expecting? If you have a good answer to this question, then i wouldn't worry too much, you'll probably be able to figure out the rest

catching out from Toronto itself is not altogether impossible, but if you've watched any of the common youtube content covering this voyage, you'll notice that most skip the GTA entirely, and probably for good reason.

Beware the lockdown status wherever you end up -- hopping is almost certainly considered non-essential, and you'll already be attracting the eyes of LEO even without this status, not to mention the added difficulty this poses of finding a seat inside at timmy's to warm up or charge batteries etc.

 

[Pogg]

I appreciate the advice and you make a good point. I understand making it to BC and back is ambitious at best, especially for a first timer. Bailing out halfway is the most likely scenario.

I'm comfortable living outside but that cold wind could become an issue for sure. Other parts of Canada have snow already, so your points about the weather make a lot of sense.

As for catching out, I was planning on taking a bus to a small town that apparently is a crew change spot. But obviously my plan was not so well thought out up to this point. I can definitely see how the things you mentioned would make it harder than usual for this to work. I may end up going anyway with no expectations while assuming that it will go wrong along the way. Thanks again for your response and useful advice. You have given me a lot to think about.

 

[Tekamthi]

The crew change where I'm guessing you're heading is probably a good start, though I've never been personally, not counting passing through. It might be a good time to scout Toronto for opportunities, if you're gonna be based there a while.. like I said that city is not impossible... You could reasonably spend a good couple weeks just exploring the relevant properties in the city and observing traffic, maybe taking a few short overnight trips etc to see where things go. If nothing else you'll learn how to wait and and be patient, which was easier said then done in my experience

The Cross-Canada trip can be accomplished even as it gets colder, but you'll just have a way better time if you save it for next May-August. Right now most of your attention will be focused on staying warm rather than looking at the scenery, there will be virtually zero backpackers to blend in with, and there seems to be more rail accidents in the cold wet months than warm dry months