Hitch-hiking, another way to travel

The principle is quite easy: you rise your thumb, a car stops and let's go! In reality, it demands patience and a certain technique that hitch-hikers share or that they learn to their cost.

The first important thing is the location. You would prefer a place at the edge of the town/city in the right direction. It is essential that drivers can see you from far (after the last traffic light for example) and have space to pull over. It helps target cars going in your right direction.

Then having a sign with your destination written usually helps. It gives an indication that you know where you want to go and that you will get off the car at some point. And you indirectly avoid people think: “I am not going in the same direction”.

Keep smiling, don't wear any hat or hood, carry your backpack seem insignificant elements but they do count! It is like a job interview, you'd better leave nothing to chance. Even some told me that they trusted me at first sight just because I was shaved and short-hair.

Always think you will succeed; after all, you just need one car to pull over. Do not react to inappropriate gesture from some passing by. But rather wave back to people apologizing not to be able to pick you up. All that help not feel alone on the side of the road. Speaking about remaining alone on the side of the road, fearing nobody would pick me up? No that much. Anyway, I have a tent and a good sleeping bag with me that I can always use, and try again the next day.

And here it goes! So far I have been quite lucky. And already 2,500 km (more than 1,500 miles) just hitch-hiking. But the real award is the people you meet that way: a Iraq veteran woman, a night-shift electrician, an student anthropologist (also Iraq veteran), an elk hunter, a wind mill builder, a fun student couple, a lady importing goods and working with the US customs, a teacher who was doing his utmost to help young Native Americans go to college, a very young grand-mother, and so many more to come!