While on the Oregon coast this last summer I really understood what I wanted out of life.starting off is such a hard place to even begin. All those miles gunning down the I5 alone with my dog,sipping ipa beers under bridges while listening to loud oboxious bouts of doom metal and the counting crows. I caught a rideshare out of the bay area to the central Oregon area to see friends. I previously had been rubber tramping in a little 90s toyota I blew up some where in southern Washington. I remember the ride up cause the man was a artist,he had lived or squated in the old art building of the cal poly building in a cube for 13 years. His daughter was old enough now so he moved back to one of the two houses he owned and rented out.. Such a normal guy with a Cooler of beer. We saw shasta ,making stops to take pictures and slam long ipa beers and stouts he had packed. I smoked my corn cob pipe on each stop and just breathed in the smell of pine trees ,I have not had that smell in months of being stuck in Monterey bay or the bay area. He dropped me off in southern bend Oregon. I got picked up by a friend hanging at her house for about a month till just realizing being housed up was not for me. I wasted time and all the money I had..Once again.
after a trim job I had planned to take west to the cities of Ashland Eugene Florence port orford and anywhere I got stuck . Picking up a new army 30 degree urban bag,a back packing tent kicked down to me , some odds and ends but keeping my gear minimal. I took along a jar of weed and a hangover . Hitting 97 south to k falls. Now I could of hopped out but in Oregon I really enjoy hitching rides. It's the easiest thing and with my dog I get killer rides. A malamute Shepard mix he su gre gets a lot more attention than me so I can appreciate the road dog I have . I love the dude.. We caught a ride off some dreadie bros with sandals and hip ideas. They were on their way to Humboldt for trim . We talked at a rest stop ,sipped a morning beer and talked of the Oregon highways. I was laying in the back of a Chevy s10 pick up with a canopy, with a make shift bed raised a foot below the roof it felt like. Super cramped. I got off at the kalamath falls junction. Hitting the highway northwest after blatantly walking into a gas station to ask which food in the fryer food area was getting thrown out . Receiving free meals has became a really easy thing for me even walking in to just ask for it...fried chicken and taters then I was on my way. The next trip was a older man on his way to Ashland. He was chill,older hippy with a son about 16. Told me of the old days per usual in these rides,talked cannabis and music. He was attending the dark star orchestra show that night . I got dropped off i in Ashland by the Safeway that Tuesday afternoon. Walking around I asked the local rainbow kids what is going on and was told about the feed. Showing up to it at 430 was ideal. Most had eaten already but the spread was fat. All you could eat vegan organic foods. Tempe soy the cous cous I had a protein meal with lots of my hot sauce on it all. Stuffed I walked back to the lithium spring in the center of town to people watch while drinking some instant coffee. The drainbows were in full force. Sadly in Ashland the scene of kids gets over ran with really stereotypical hippy kids saying "love Ya brother" all the time. For me I get it but that gets way old. The rainbow family ideally for me is just another gendre of travelers or worldly beings but the sub gendre is of a carbon copy to me... A dream that once was. I hubg out with my dog on a side street bumming change and making my beer money. After a few tall cans I found a rainbow kid doin his tarot cards and hustling the locals. We dumpstered some pizza and hit the dark star show.Super jam band sounds hit the back of the parking lot where we sat. A lot party ensued in front, wraps being sold or traded. The smell of thick musky pachuelli and marijuana raised off the crowd. So many dreads! All together the cops showed up and kicked people off the property . One big bummer. I walked back to the center of town after a random off leash dog attacked my dog. Having realised the dog was just a random dog roaming the streets. Such a life for a dog!
quickly after that night I walked the creek trail after a few days in Ashland.the rain came and my tent kept me very dry.I ran into a guy I knew from Arcata searching for some peace in Ashland. He was a local home bum now. Said take the creek to the shell to hitch out. I did, walking through a short few Miles through the creek trail letting my dog run into the water while I had a beer. Dumped the last of my clothes I wouldn't need in a Bush and hit the highway...
from Ashland I caught rides to Medford then to grants pass. Running into more hippies and train kids. Packs everywhere in September October on the 5. Handing out nugs . Shit grows on trees especially since its legal in Oregon. We made it up to Eugene to see a few friends. Hit the city and caught some beer with the college kids we visit every few months. Stink up their couch and eat lots of toast. Always lots of beer and toast. We showed them the little Jesus comics and told stories. By then the smell had became really ripe and showers were ideal. The locals in Eugene to me are awesome people, you meet so many friends and people who have community based life. The recycling bin to the coffee house barista all hang. It's such a beautiful place. I went downtown with half my get and hung out most of the day. While digging into a trash can I hear some one yell "IS THAT GABRIEL " turning around I noticed little Todd. He had grown a lot in years of knowing him from Oregon. Living in Eugene now being a line cook at the local power drinker bar , he had new tattoos on his face and a post 80s western hip vest. We talked and hugged, explaining the situation and what I was doing. His house mates were kt and gridlock of the shady pines house or collective near downtown. They walked me to their house and we had beers,talked,played cards, I met a lot of the house that night. Oscar,my dog got along with the houses female lab isis. All night I drank until the early morning. I ran into a fellow oog the next morning while I nursed my hangover. a fewllow stp member later on I figured out. We all hung out, and one of us got kicked out. I left shortly after saying my good byes. Taking off to get a coffee ... I slept most of the day and walked across town to dumpster a few spots I have in Eugene off coberg. I ate my dumpster food happily.a lot of pre made paninis and bagels. Carbed up I finished my day at the college kid house with beer. Waking up early to shower and hit I5 north.
my first ride off the 5 i walked up mlk to the bridge , jumping many of bushes lots of obstacles . I ended up walking the 5 north for maybe a half mile. The sun came out and I was sweating balls. But for my defence I was wearing dirty clothes as normal. I reeked of hangovers and dumpsters. Usually I would of cared. The suv pulled ahead of me. A older man appears out the back and starts organizing the rear and let's me throw my stuff in. He gets to driving and the fog saved me. He just grabs his nose and tells "holy fuuck you smell like death and I worked in a morgue ....I know what death smells like " now the fog was so deep the direction we headed near junction city that he had no safe place to pull off or to pull back on w he had to ride this one out. He finally dropped me off at a rest stop north of Eugene. I walked back out and hit the highway again. 2 dreadie dudes on their way to Portland picked me up. They were on the hustle to get some trim or buds or somthibg to make wax. Whatever. They even said I didn't smell like death just dirty kid. I felt better. After being dropped in Portland I called a few friends and met up with this candian traveler zache and her bf . We hung for a while and before this in Corvallis and I got wasted. So this time I stayed sober. They were heading back to Canada and needed some work for his passport.since they were on the way to bc through Bellingham I called a buddy I met their the summer before and he gave them some work as a drywall crew helper deal. Was kind of rad. So I met up with a few others, some straight edge kids and a lady I see when I hit Portland. After a few days I was back south to tualiton . I took a bus out to the east side of Portland and went through all the upper class suburbs thinking I could spange hard. With little to no downtown areas or bad exits off main roads I just kept on to tualliton. Hanging off the creek trail flying signs every day at the onramp I made some good money. I hitched a ride down to the pilot south 10 miles and caught a trucker for the shower receipt . Oh man do I love me a pilot shower. Such room and 3 towels. I always wash my clothes while I am in there and use the dryer when I get done. If you don't know about truck stop showers I think maybe you might want to try them. Hanging out charging my tablet and phone waiting on laundry in the driver's lounge has became a past time for me. Watching old episodes of the deadliest catch however is dumb. But hey man I love me a truck stop for surem. I met a tramp from Arkansas out side. He had been stuck at that very stop a week!?!? We both had a beer and talked charging our phones. For some reason we also both had a beer poured into a soda cup? Timing in life.... I saw that guy 2 more times before I left the stop. I smoked a spliff and ran into some gas juggers from flordia heading to cali. They always are heading to cali... Stepped all over my corner while I was flying.... Super disrespectful. I got up and left anyways having made 50$ and a subway sammich. I never really get mad about other kids being sideways ... Anyways after sleeping in the brush watching some episodes of rick and morty I ended up south to Albany. I flew a little at the dennys and got a hundo kick. I WAS READY FOR ThE COAST. Sin e in prior years I realised going to the coast meant little to no money flying signs I just told myself to make the moolah before hand. It will now be my pregame plan for any coastal region. I took a bus for free to Corvallis . The college had some free bus week for new students so I said I was a student. My dog has a service card and who cares my 50liter pack is on right ?,.,. crashing in Corvallis after lots of high gravity was terrible. Woke up to the rain. Walking to the Starbucks to only meet a unruly homebum.. All he had on was boxers and a large comforter and screamed so loud. Apparently this was normal and after some wifi and coffee I just left. Feeling down I found another acove and slept all day. Catching the Newport beach bus for 5$. I really don't take lots of buses but the last year I have found it ideal to just get myself through the rain or shut can areass.... New port was ok. Lots of old vets and the ROGUE brewery ... I had some stouts abut never went into the brewery itself . Sat at the start of the bridge and just sanng some violent femmes songs with Oscar while I was drunk from what I remember. The fog was rolling out so much I could see the sunset in the middle of the clouds. I woke up to the sun . Fog had burnt off almost a 100% that morning . I caught a ride from some guy from New Jersey . His parents were scholars and he was a graduate student from taos New Mexico or somthibg along those lines...
He dropped me in north Florence. Every small city or town was just a speck. I believe most were not notable and the only scenery I dug was the cliffs and rock formations.
in Florence I have a spot inland that I camp at near a rundown rite aid in the bushes. It's more of a spot where I found out later lots of travelers have ended up from comparing spots. The summer before I did this almost same 101 journey and stayed there building a little camp with a cooler and wood stove. I remember making some friends in town but nothing remarkable to note. This time around I just wanted to take a week to hangout and read. To drink beer at night while people watching. The country fair kids were long gone as were the rainbow. The town was open to dumpster freely besides the numerous bums already there. I picked up lots of grains and meat every night. A few times walking to spange white boxes but the city was not booming with tourists. The most beautiful and temperatures being ideal for any part of the year with no one really around to see it . After running into a handful of other people passing through the last day I was there I sent out some postcards and left. The locals I remember were there still one in particular being a tall Canadian guy in his latest 30s,his wife had a restraining order on him and some how he had a moon rock he says he was swindled out of half fora grand but the rock was worth 250k$... No clue how I meet these guys but I do know I remember them yearly .also a older hobo from Bellingham was hitching south to port orford was there on his way back to hang. After walking from coos bay to almost bandon I stayed on the coast and popped my tent under the 10tg st bridge . It's a walking bridge on its was down to the beach. No one ever saw me .ever. I ran into a older guy and he helped me get some food and other gear together. Told me of the summer and all the crops he could smell harvest. Drove me to the hitch spot south and I still call to check on him to this day . Walking that highway of 101 is amazing at times in the southern Oregon as tion. It was so much Forrest so much sand. You can get lost chasing a rip tide or rock formation on the beach areas. The sand is coarse with lots of sand dollars, waterfalls break off from many of the cliffs coming through under ground springs. Little to no trash at all .
I got a ride in the back of a pick up to port orford. Grabbing a 6 pack I headed a mile south of the lookout point to a spot I camped many times in the past. A older hobo was there and we split the beer. I made camp near him and walked back into town to get more beer meeting a kid who just hitched I'm from Mendocino county. He came along and we all fizzled a 18 pack. I usually wake up early when on the beach to walk it. To be the first to put foot prints on the sand while collecting rocks or sand dollars untouched to sea gulls. I can trade them in town to tourists or locals. Gifts to send in the mail if I feel the need. I'm just so happy to watch the fog roll out while walking with my feet in the sand,my hangover lingering at the back of my head. Spending time with the locals in small towns is really awesome,their stories of the land local natives and what the earth has done since global warming. The brush has many camps to walk up on and share pot with smiles rain down when locals take you in for just a few minutes of conversation . I finished that hitch to Arcata pretty fast. Not really enjoying thecredwoods as I usually did. Too many people have destroyed a lot of the fun I guess. I hate to say it but maybe I was one of them. That old americana of a hitchhiker and his dog is lost in many ways along this coast. Locals have been pushed out of housing by rich builders with high taxes. Not many jobs reside along these sea cliffs anymore with the only markets being bought out by big box names. I have spent almost 10 years in Oregon travelin this coast with almost nothing. I hope to spend many more finding out the mystery of that coast.
after a trim job I had planned to take west to the cities of Ashland Eugene Florence port orford and anywhere I got stuck . Picking up a new army 30 degree urban bag,a back packing tent kicked down to me , some odds and ends but keeping my gear minimal. I took along a jar of weed and a hangover . Hitting 97 south to k falls. Now I could of hopped out but in Oregon I really enjoy hitching rides. It's the easiest thing and with my dog I get killer rides. A malamute Shepard mix he su gre gets a lot more attention than me so I can appreciate the road dog I have . I love the dude.. We caught a ride off some dreadie bros with sandals and hip ideas. They were on their way to Humboldt for trim . We talked at a rest stop ,sipped a morning beer and talked of the Oregon highways. I was laying in the back of a Chevy s10 pick up with a canopy, with a make shift bed raised a foot below the roof it felt like. Super cramped. I got off at the kalamath falls junction. Hitting the highway northwest after blatantly walking into a gas station to ask which food in the fryer food area was getting thrown out . Receiving free meals has became a really easy thing for me even walking in to just ask for it...fried chicken and taters then I was on my way. The next trip was a older man on his way to Ashland. He was chill,older hippy with a son about 16. Told me of the old days per usual in these rides,talked cannabis and music. He was attending the dark star orchestra show that night . I got dropped off i in Ashland by the Safeway that Tuesday afternoon. Walking around I asked the local rainbow kids what is going on and was told about the feed. Showing up to it at 430 was ideal. Most had eaten already but the spread was fat. All you could eat vegan organic foods. Tempe soy the cous cous I had a protein meal with lots of my hot sauce on it all. Stuffed I walked back to the lithium spring in the center of town to people watch while drinking some instant coffee. The drainbows were in full force. Sadly in Ashland the scene of kids gets over ran with really stereotypical hippy kids saying "love Ya brother" all the time. For me I get it but that gets way old. The rainbow family ideally for me is just another gendre of travelers or worldly beings but the sub gendre is of a carbon copy to me... A dream that once was. I hubg out with my dog on a side street bumming change and making my beer money. After a few tall cans I found a rainbow kid doin his tarot cards and hustling the locals. We dumpstered some pizza and hit the dark star show.Super jam band sounds hit the back of the parking lot where we sat. A lot party ensued in front, wraps being sold or traded. The smell of thick musky pachuelli and marijuana raised off the crowd. So many dreads! All together the cops showed up and kicked people off the property . One big bummer. I walked back to the center of town after a random off leash dog attacked my dog. Having realised the dog was just a random dog roaming the streets. Such a life for a dog!
quickly after that night I walked the creek trail after a few days in Ashland.the rain came and my tent kept me very dry.I ran into a guy I knew from Arcata searching for some peace in Ashland. He was a local home bum now. Said take the creek to the shell to hitch out. I did, walking through a short few Miles through the creek trail letting my dog run into the water while I had a beer. Dumped the last of my clothes I wouldn't need in a Bush and hit the highway...
from Ashland I caught rides to Medford then to grants pass. Running into more hippies and train kids. Packs everywhere in September October on the 5. Handing out nugs . Shit grows on trees especially since its legal in Oregon. We made it up to Eugene to see a few friends. Hit the city and caught some beer with the college kids we visit every few months. Stink up their couch and eat lots of toast. Always lots of beer and toast. We showed them the little Jesus comics and told stories. By then the smell had became really ripe and showers were ideal. The locals in Eugene to me are awesome people, you meet so many friends and people who have community based life. The recycling bin to the coffee house barista all hang. It's such a beautiful place. I went downtown with half my get and hung out most of the day. While digging into a trash can I hear some one yell "IS THAT GABRIEL " turning around I noticed little Todd. He had grown a lot in years of knowing him from Oregon. Living in Eugene now being a line cook at the local power drinker bar , he had new tattoos on his face and a post 80s western hip vest. We talked and hugged, explaining the situation and what I was doing. His house mates were kt and gridlock of the shady pines house or collective near downtown. They walked me to their house and we had beers,talked,played cards, I met a lot of the house that night. Oscar,my dog got along with the houses female lab isis. All night I drank until the early morning. I ran into a fellow oog the next morning while I nursed my hangover. a fewllow stp member later on I figured out. We all hung out, and one of us got kicked out. I left shortly after saying my good byes. Taking off to get a coffee ... I slept most of the day and walked across town to dumpster a few spots I have in Eugene off coberg. I ate my dumpster food happily.a lot of pre made paninis and bagels. Carbed up I finished my day at the college kid house with beer. Waking up early to shower and hit I5 north.
my first ride off the 5 i walked up mlk to the bridge , jumping many of bushes lots of obstacles . I ended up walking the 5 north for maybe a half mile. The sun came out and I was sweating balls. But for my defence I was wearing dirty clothes as normal. I reeked of hangovers and dumpsters. Usually I would of cared. The suv pulled ahead of me. A older man appears out the back and starts organizing the rear and let's me throw my stuff in. He gets to driving and the fog saved me. He just grabs his nose and tells "holy fuuck you smell like death and I worked in a morgue ....I know what death smells like " now the fog was so deep the direction we headed near junction city that he had no safe place to pull off or to pull back on w he had to ride this one out. He finally dropped me off at a rest stop north of Eugene. I walked back out and hit the highway again. 2 dreadie dudes on their way to Portland picked me up. They were on the hustle to get some trim or buds or somthibg to make wax. Whatever. They even said I didn't smell like death just dirty kid. I felt better. After being dropped in Portland I called a few friends and met up with this candian traveler zache and her bf . We hung for a while and before this in Corvallis and I got wasted. So this time I stayed sober. They were heading back to Canada and needed some work for his passport.since they were on the way to bc through Bellingham I called a buddy I met their the summer before and he gave them some work as a drywall crew helper deal. Was kind of rad. So I met up with a few others, some straight edge kids and a lady I see when I hit Portland. After a few days I was back south to tualiton . I took a bus out to the east side of Portland and went through all the upper class suburbs thinking I could spange hard. With little to no downtown areas or bad exits off main roads I just kept on to tualliton. Hanging off the creek trail flying signs every day at the onramp I made some good money. I hitched a ride down to the pilot south 10 miles and caught a trucker for the shower receipt . Oh man do I love me a pilot shower. Such room and 3 towels. I always wash my clothes while I am in there and use the dryer when I get done. If you don't know about truck stop showers I think maybe you might want to try them. Hanging out charging my tablet and phone waiting on laundry in the driver's lounge has became a past time for me. Watching old episodes of the deadliest catch however is dumb. But hey man I love me a truck stop for surem. I met a tramp from Arkansas out side. He had been stuck at that very stop a week!?!? We both had a beer and talked charging our phones. For some reason we also both had a beer poured into a soda cup? Timing in life.... I saw that guy 2 more times before I left the stop. I smoked a spliff and ran into some gas juggers from flordia heading to cali. They always are heading to cali... Stepped all over my corner while I was flying.... Super disrespectful. I got up and left anyways having made 50$ and a subway sammich. I never really get mad about other kids being sideways ... Anyways after sleeping in the brush watching some episodes of rick and morty I ended up south to Albany. I flew a little at the dennys and got a hundo kick. I WAS READY FOR ThE COAST. Sin e in prior years I realised going to the coast meant little to no money flying signs I just told myself to make the moolah before hand. It will now be my pregame plan for any coastal region. I took a bus for free to Corvallis . The college had some free bus week for new students so I said I was a student. My dog has a service card and who cares my 50liter pack is on right ?,.,. crashing in Corvallis after lots of high gravity was terrible. Woke up to the rain. Walking to the Starbucks to only meet a unruly homebum.. All he had on was boxers and a large comforter and screamed so loud. Apparently this was normal and after some wifi and coffee I just left. Feeling down I found another acove and slept all day. Catching the Newport beach bus for 5$. I really don't take lots of buses but the last year I have found it ideal to just get myself through the rain or shut can areass.... New port was ok. Lots of old vets and the ROGUE brewery ... I had some stouts abut never went into the brewery itself . Sat at the start of the bridge and just sanng some violent femmes songs with Oscar while I was drunk from what I remember. The fog was rolling out so much I could see the sunset in the middle of the clouds. I woke up to the sun . Fog had burnt off almost a 100% that morning . I caught a ride from some guy from New Jersey . His parents were scholars and he was a graduate student from taos New Mexico or somthibg along those lines...
He dropped me in north Florence. Every small city or town was just a speck. I believe most were not notable and the only scenery I dug was the cliffs and rock formations.
in Florence I have a spot inland that I camp at near a rundown rite aid in the bushes. It's more of a spot where I found out later lots of travelers have ended up from comparing spots. The summer before I did this almost same 101 journey and stayed there building a little camp with a cooler and wood stove. I remember making some friends in town but nothing remarkable to note. This time around I just wanted to take a week to hangout and read. To drink beer at night while people watching. The country fair kids were long gone as were the rainbow. The town was open to dumpster freely besides the numerous bums already there. I picked up lots of grains and meat every night. A few times walking to spange white boxes but the city was not booming with tourists. The most beautiful and temperatures being ideal for any part of the year with no one really around to see it . After running into a handful of other people passing through the last day I was there I sent out some postcards and left. The locals I remember were there still one in particular being a tall Canadian guy in his latest 30s,his wife had a restraining order on him and some how he had a moon rock he says he was swindled out of half fora grand but the rock was worth 250k$... No clue how I meet these guys but I do know I remember them yearly .also a older hobo from Bellingham was hitching south to port orford was there on his way back to hang. After walking from coos bay to almost bandon I stayed on the coast and popped my tent under the 10tg st bridge . It's a walking bridge on its was down to the beach. No one ever saw me .ever. I ran into a older guy and he helped me get some food and other gear together. Told me of the summer and all the crops he could smell harvest. Drove me to the hitch spot south and I still call to check on him to this day . Walking that highway of 101 is amazing at times in the southern Oregon as tion. It was so much Forrest so much sand. You can get lost chasing a rip tide or rock formation on the beach areas. The sand is coarse with lots of sand dollars, waterfalls break off from many of the cliffs coming through under ground springs. Little to no trash at all .
I got a ride in the back of a pick up to port orford. Grabbing a 6 pack I headed a mile south of the lookout point to a spot I camped many times in the past. A older hobo was there and we split the beer. I made camp near him and walked back into town to get more beer meeting a kid who just hitched I'm from Mendocino county. He came along and we all fizzled a 18 pack. I usually wake up early when on the beach to walk it. To be the first to put foot prints on the sand while collecting rocks or sand dollars untouched to sea gulls. I can trade them in town to tourists or locals. Gifts to send in the mail if I feel the need. I'm just so happy to watch the fog roll out while walking with my feet in the sand,my hangover lingering at the back of my head. Spending time with the locals in small towns is really awesome,their stories of the land local natives and what the earth has done since global warming. The brush has many camps to walk up on and share pot with smiles rain down when locals take you in for just a few minutes of conversation . I finished that hitch to Arcata pretty fast. Not really enjoying thecredwoods as I usually did. Too many people have destroyed a lot of the fun I guess. I hate to say it but maybe I was one of them. That old americana of a hitchhiker and his dog is lost in many ways along this coast. Locals have been pushed out of housing by rich builders with high taxes. Not many jobs reside along these sea cliffs anymore with the only markets being bought out by big box names. I have spent almost 10 years in Oregon travelin this coast with almost nothing. I hope to spend many more finding out the mystery of that coast.
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