Is It Still Possible?

[LiveYourDreams]

Hey, whenever I mention Chris's story to others they always say the same thing - "It would be impossible to do that now". I always ask why and they generally say that people are more cautious than they were then and it would be almost impossible to find work whilst on the move, they also say that there are tons of new laws that would restrict a journey such as Chris's in this day and age. So what I'm asking is - Is it still possible to live and travel like Chris did for those two greats years in the present day?

[erikhalfacre]

It's still possible. People I know have done it. Hitchhiking takes a while between rides, but it's really not like it's impossible. Also with things like couchsurfing.com it may be easier than ever before.

[erikhalfacre]

Hitchhiking is illegal pretty much everywhere though. That's been the case for a long time though, even before Chris went on his adventure.

[pezar]

Hitchhiking is illegal pretty much everywhere though. That's been the case for a long time though, even before Chris went on his adventure.

If you read the book closely, Chris got a citation for hitchhiking from the CHP, the specific location isn't really mentioned but apparently it was along CA Hwy 299 in the Coast Range east of Eureka, CA. He gave the cop his Virginia address, and that's how his parents sought out the private eye.

I would think that there are a LOT more cops out there now than in 1990, and they're more likely to arrest a hitchhiker now than back then, because they have quotas they need to meet. Even a rubber tramp is more likely to get pulled over and hassled by the cops. If your rig is beat up and you look like a vagabond, expect continual cop harassment. Back in 1990 the cops weren't as rigid about harassing people. They didn't pull over rubber tramps just to hassle them, or toss thumb riders in the local pokey for a couple nights just so they could beat them up. I know that in a lot of the western states that have gigantic holes in their budgets, the cops are writing tickets to practically everybody they can to fill budget gaps. This sort of thing persuaded me in the end that I didn't want to tramp.

To be fair to the cops, they're under tremendous pressure to produce revenue for the local govt's, and fewer people go into law enforcement nowadays, and the ones that are there either want the salary and perks or they're bullies who go on power trips. Most of the trouble a tramp encounters nowadays is from LEO's (cops). Some people are leery of picking up tramps because of all the urban legends about serial killers riding their thumbs looking for victims. Most of the lifts a leather tramp gets are from rubber tramps or from working class people. The rich generally don't pick up tramps. Truckers can be counted on for rides, but less so than 20 years ago because it's too big of a liability for the companies. If somebody gets hurt in a trucker's cab, there's always vulture lawyers looking to sue.

[erikhalfacre]

The only places I've ever hitchhiked are in Alaska, and here in Florida. I know it's illegal both of those places. In Alaska though, hitchhiking is like moonshining, or a long list of other petty crimes, and the State Troopers are spread thin enough that they just do not care (in my experience.) In Alaska I've also never had much trouble getting a ride. I'm 6'2", 250lbs and have a beard, so it's not like they're picking me up because I'm a 20 year old blonde or something. In Florida I've noticed it's a little harder to get a ride. But the cops roar right by even when I've had my thumb out and they've seen it. If I ever get a ticket I'll pay it. It will certainly be less than all the fuel I would have gone through to this point, on my hitching adventures. In Alaska I actually hitched for the fun of it rather than necessity. A lot of the people that pick you up are pretty nutty but that's what stories are made of.

[jlawson]

Erik man sounds like you've got some awesome hitchin tales, i've only hitched in france and england but its pretty hassle free here as long as you ain't stood in the middle of a motorway with your thumb out lol.

[erikhalfacre]

Quick update about hitchhiking. It's darn near impossible to get a ride in the Orlando area. We were just trying to hitch down the road 10 miles to the Florida trail and we stood there for four hours. That was enough to inspire us to give up on that little venture as we had a time-table it had to fit inside and there was no way we would make it at that rate.

[solovoyager]

I bet it's not as easy to ride on freight trains nowadays as it was back when Chris did it 20 years ago....?
How in the world did he ever manage to do that?!!! Takes some real cleverness and daring to do such a thing.

I was wondering if the scene from the movie of "Into the Wild" where the train security man beats the crud out of the Chris McCandless character was accurate. Does anyone know? If so that person committed a physical brutal assault against Chris and it's too bad he got away with that.

[GoNorth]

I was wondering if the scene from the movie of "Into the Wild" where the train security man beats the crud out of the Chris McCandless character was accurate. Does anyone know?

Read the book by Krakauer and you'll know.

Here's a quote of what he wrote to Jan Burres:

Greetings from Seattle! I’m a hobo now! That’s right, I’m riding the rails
now. What fun, I wish I had jumped trains earlier. The rails have some
drawbacks, however. First is that one becomes absolutely filthy. Second is that
one must tangle with these crazy bulls. I was sitting in a hotshot in L.A. when a
bull found me with his flashlight about 10 P.M. “Get outta there before I KILL
ya!” screamed the bull. I got out and saw he had drawn his revolver. He
interrogated me at gunpoint, then growled, “If I ever see you around this train
again I’ll kill ya! Hit the road!” What a lunatic! I got the last laugh when I
caught the same train 5 minutes later and rode it all the way to Oakland. I’ll be
in touch,
ALEX

[solovoyager]

Thanks for the reply GoNorth.
I have read the book but forgot about that part.

Kind of incredible what the train security "bulls" can get away with apparently. I mean Chris was in the wrong on being on the train but there's a line one crosses (in my opinion) from protecting or securing one's property, and entering into assault category.

I love that minutes later he hopped on another train!