Hitchhiking and skate boarding? Looking for a travel partner!

[Such]

so.
im an 18 yr old skate rat from norway and i have no idea what to do with my life.
i really need to get the fuck out of norway right now.

i just know that i want to skate and travel, so im gonna try too do that as soon as possible.
im going to america for now, and my plan is to just hitchhike and skate, and maybe hit some parks on the way.
ive hitchhiked before around in europe, so im a bit experienced at that part. i didnt bring my board though.
i would be camping around, as its kinda sketchy to sleep on the streets. i would have to crash at someones place if im gonna visit a bigger city i think.
(anyone have a floor i can sleep on for a few nights?)

i have no idea where i want to go though. currently thinking america?
right now im looking at california/ oregon.

i went to school in sf and sd for 3 months last year, so im a bit experienced with the california culture too.

has any of you guys done anything like this before? hitchhiking and skating? i know its doable, but how doable? where should i start? any cities/ states you would recommend? any where i really need to go?

any help would be appreciated!

Oh, any one wanna travel with me?

[Noble Experiment]

Never hitchhiked, but i greyhounded it all around Cali, sleeping on beaches, floors, and couches along the way. It was loads of fun, but super exhausting at the same time. It was hard to skate half the time because I was just so tired, but I made the best of it. If I didn't already have things to take care of here I wouldn't mind jumping on board, I'm all for that kind of shit. Good luck though.

[Such]

Never hitchhiked, but i greyhounded it all around Cali, sleeping on beaches, floors, and couches along the way. It was loads of fun, but super exhausting at the same time. It was hard to skate half the time because I was just so tired, but I made the best of it. If I didn't already have things to take care of here I wouldn't mind jumping on board, I'm all for that kind of shit. Good luck though.

duuuuuuude.
im getting super pumped.
did you travel alone?
where?
also, tell me more about sleeping on beaches. thats a new concept for me since ive never crossed a beach while traveling. is it legal to slep on beaches? are most beaches public?

[4wheels]

fuck yeah dude. go for it! you can maybe check craigslist for some free/cheap ridesharing.

[shark tits]

it's a bit complicated for me to explain but if you can find where the freight trains stop, hop on one of them, watch sights and sleep, wake up in a new town/state. trains are gonna go whether you're on it or not, hitching sometimes means a few days stuck here or there. good luck either way, if the weather's good you can find ladders or poles going onto gas station/strip mall roofs. good places to sleep if you aren't trying to get too far from the  highway. i hate parks so my MO would be hopping trains from city to city and skating their downtowns. see where that takes ya.
good luck!

[botefdunn]

Your idea is very good. The west coast is an easy place to hitch/ travel, since it is warm outside and there are many people living this life. Some options: if you want to stay in one place (for example SF) for awhile, you can often find temporary work at a hostel, like cleaning rooms in the morning in exchange for sleeping there.
Try to be smart about drugs/ alcohol, when you are traveling, sleeping outside,  you have to be more responsible for yourself.

Another place to know about is Slab City in southern California, it is a hobo camp in the desert with a pretty good diy skatepark. It is a very crazy place unlike anywhere else, can be kind of scary, but you can live there for free as long as you want and you will meet some of the most far out people with incredible stories. Good luck and enjoy, I hope you do it.

[Such]

it's a bit complicated for me to explain but if you can find where the freight trains stop, hop on one of them, watch sights and sleep, wake up in a new town/state. trains are gonna go whether you're on it or not, hitching sometimes means a few days stuck here or there. good luck either way, if the weather's good you can find ladders or poles going onto gas station/strip mall roofs. good places to sleep if you aren't trying to get too far from the  highway. i hate parks so my MO would be hopping trains from city to city and skating their downtowns. see where that takes ya.
good luck!

ive always wanted to hop a train, but my ears are super sensitive, and trains make allot of noise. the people  ive met who trainhop have pretty bad hearing
sleeping on gas stations roofs is actually a really good, idea thanks!

[Such]

Your idea is very good. The west coast is an easy place to hitch/ travel, since it is warm outside and there are many people living this life. Some options: if you want to stay in one place (for example SF) for awhile, you can often find temporary work at a hostel, like cleaning rooms in the morning in exchange for sleeping there.
Try to be smart about drugs/ alcohol, when you are traveling, sleeping outside,  you have to be more responsible for yourself.

Another place to know about is Slab City in southern California, it is a hobo camp in the desert with a pretty good diy skatepark. It is a very crazy place unlike anywhere else, can be kind of scary, but you can live there for free as long as you want and you will meet some of the most far out people with incredible stories. Good luck and enjoy, I hope you do it.

ill try finding work at a hostel for sure, thats a good idea.
i dont think im gonna hit sf though... i love it, but i want to see something new.
also, slab city in the summer!? thats crazy i though most people went there in the winter? i didnt know they had a diy spot hahaha

[shark tits]

if you're adamant about hitching, a girl makes the best partner. people will take a chance on your ass because you've got a girl w/ you. 2 guys, not saying nobody will pick you up cause i've done it but it definitely takes longer.

[essal]

Get a good (Norwegian) travelers insurance... If you're 18 it might cost a bit, but I think you general travelers doesn't cover more than 15K NOK which is basically the same as loosing your iPhone 3 times.

Get a memory stick/USB that has your personal info, scanned passport etc. and keep it somewhere safe (so that you can't loose it) and waterproof. Sure helps when someone steals all your shit.

And check airbnb, couchsurfing and craigslist for cheap places to stay.

[Such]

Get a good (Norwegian) travelers insurance... If you're 18 it might cost a bit, but I think you general travelers doesn't cover more than 15K NOK which is basically the same as loosing your iPhone 3 times.

Get a memory stick/USB that has your personal info, scanned passport etc. and keep it somewhere safe (so that you can't loose it) and waterproof. Sure helps when someone steals all your shit.

And check airbnb, couchsurfing and craigslist for cheap places to stay.

fuck dude that usb tip is priceless... you guys are helping me out a ton! i have insurance, its free (fuck yeah norway)
i really think i can make do with just sleeping close to the road when im traveling from place to place tho.
this is why i think portland is better hitchhiking wise, trees/forrest/woods are the best for camping imo.
im kinda concerned im gonna hit like a ton of dessert like landscape, unfamiliar with camping on that kinda land.

[Such]

if you're adamant about hitching, a girl makes the best partner. people will take a chance on your ass because you've got a girl w/ you. 2 guys, not saying nobody will pick you up cause i've done it but it definitely takes longer.

idk, ive never hitchhiked with anybody else, but i rarely wait more than an hour in denmark, germany, and close by places.
i mean germany is like, stick your thumb out and your in a car within 10 min.
ive heard some people hide their boards when thumbing... are people like that in california?
if you look like a fucking tourist, youre gonna get picked up fast too.

[shark tits]

Expand Quote

if you're adamant about hitching, a girl makes the best partner. people will take a chance on your ass because you've got a girl w/ you. 2 guys, not saying nobody will pick you up cause i've done it but it definitely takes longer.

[close]

idk, ive never hitchhiked with anybody else, but i rarely wait more than an hour in denmark, germany, and close by places.
i mean germany is like, stick your thumb out and your in a car within 10 min.
ive heard some people hide their boards when thumbing... are people like that in california?
if you look like a fucking tourist, youre gonna get picked up fast too.

america is populated by cowards who are scared of each other cause the only news is bad news. usually when i get a ride it's a guy and he wants to show me or at least mention his pistol w/in a few minutes of driving. i've gotten prolly a thousand rides so it runs the gamut, septegenarian lady who smoked weed, an indian or paki nuclear physicist who sold me on the merits of nuclear power, very occasionally a broad who wants to make out but it's few and far between. we ain't europe and this ain't the 70s [apparently hitching was cake back then]. skateboards will get you rides if anything, i don't recommend you keester your deck.

[essal]

fuck dude that usb tip is priceless... you guys are helping me out a ton! i have insurance, its free (fuck yeah norway)

It's not dude... I pay for mine here. Or maybe it's a free youth thing until you're 24? Ask your insurance company and mom/dad. I remember getting my own insurance a few years ago, and then upgraded it this year when I moved to Canada from Norway.

[Such]

Expand Quote

fuck dude that usb tip is priceless... you guys are helping me out a ton! i have insurance, its free (fuck yeah norway)

[close]

It's not dude... I pay for mine here. Or maybe it's a free youth thing until you're 24? Ask your insurance company and mom/dad. I remember getting my own insurance a few years ago, and then upgraded it this year when I moved to Canada from Norway.

dude i got it for free. i remember it being a thing in the news about it so its fairly new i think. starting next month, getting a drivers license is gonna be almost free too.

[spool of cord]

always carry a blade...and at least tell your ride if not show it to them before getting in their vehicle. and ask if they're carrying any weapons


it's good to offer to pay for some gas, a lot of people won't accept it, but you'll be passing forward a positive perception of hitchers

sniff my butt has good advice....I don't know if I'd recommend hitting trains unless you're with someone experienced.

hope you're a good judge of character!

[poster]

Paying gas is against the hitchers code. It can feel awkward from time to time when people are filling up their cars or paying at highway toll stations, but just keep a straight face and DON'T BREAK THE CODE!

Instead of sleeping in a tent i totally prefer sleeping under a tarp, you can get pretty creative putting it up and you'll learn some nice knots along the way.

Take care man, sounds like a great experience.

[Such]

always carry a blade...and at least tell your ride if not show it to them before getting in their vehicle. and ask if they're carrying any weapons


it's good to offer to pay for some gas, a lot of people won't accept it, but you'll be passing forward a positive perception of hitchers

sniff my butt has good advice....I don't know if I'd recommend hitting trains unless you're with someone experienced.

hope you're a good judge of character!

first of all, i always carry a knife, not for self defense but because its the most important tool for me.

but, showing people you knife wtf sounds like a good way to loose your ride, if not get shot in the fucking dick.

- hey man thanks for picking me up
- no problem man where you-
- hey wanna see my knife?

idk sounds kind of weird to me, but ive never hitchhiked in the states so i wouldnt know. is this normal hitchhiking procedure over there?

and wouldnt it seem kind of weird to ask some one if they got a gun, wouldnt they think i im planning to mug them?
but yeah ill keep this in mind. hope im not sounding like a douchebag. thanks for the help!

[Such]

Paying gas is against the hitchers code. It can feel awkward from time to time when people are filling up their cars or paying at highway toll stations, but just keep a straight face and DON'T BREAK THE CODE!

Instead of sleeping in a tent i totally prefer sleeping under a tarp, you can get pretty creative putting it up and you'll learn some nice knots along the way.

Take care man, sounds like a great experience.

fuck yeah dude tarp master race. but ive never even experienced it that way. people pick you up because they want to help you for the most part?

[Noble Experiment]

Expand Quote

Never hitchhiked, but i greyhounded it all around Cali, sleeping on beaches, floors, and couches along the way. It was loads of fun, but super exhausting at the same time. It was hard to skate half the time because I was just so tired, but I made the best of it. If I didn't already have things to take care of here I wouldn't mind jumping on board, I'm all for that kind of shit. Good luck though.

[close]

duuuuuuude.
im getting super pumped.
did you travel alone?
where?
also, tell me more about sleeping on beaches. thats a new concept for me since ive never crossed a beach while traveling. is it legal to slep on beaches? are most beaches public?

I had a travel buddy but lost him in Venice beach only two days in. He didn't have a working phone so I had no way of reaching him. He went looking for weed, I told him to meet me back at the Subway in Santa Monica next to the pier around 5pm. He never showed up, so I went to Venice to look for him and heard from some locals that he left with the Fishin 4 Nugs dudes to Hollywood. I never saw him after that. I pretty much knew we would be separated eventually, but not that soon.
And as for sleeping on the beach, it's pretty tight. I never got hassled sleeping on beaches, but it depends on the beach I guess.

[essal]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

fuck dude that usb tip is priceless... you guys are helping me out a ton! i have insurance, its free (fuck yeah norway)

[close]

It's not dude... I pay for mine here. Or maybe it's a free youth thing until you're 24? Ask your insurance company and mom/dad. I remember getting my own insurance a few years ago, and then upgraded it this year when I moved to Canada from Norway.

[close]

dude i got it for free. i remember it being a thing in the news about it so its fairly new i think. starting next month, getting a drivers license is gonna be almost free too.

Naaw dawg. there is an Euro thingy which is free, but that doesn't work outside of EØS/Schengen and it's only for emergency stuff. Get a proper insurance, especially if you're going to the US.
And naaw man, the drivers license won't be any cheaper..

[Such]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Never hitchhiked, but i greyhounded it all around Cali, sleeping on beaches, floors, and couches along the way. It was loads of fun, but super exhausting at the same time. It was hard to skate half the time because I was just so tired, but I made the best of it. If I didn't already have things to take care of here I wouldn't mind jumping on board, I'm all for that kind of shit. Good luck though.

[close]

duuuuuuude.
im getting super pumped.
did you travel alone?
where?
also, tell me more about sleeping on beaches. thats a new concept for me since ive never crossed a beach while traveling. is it legal to slep on beaches? are most beaches public?

[close]

I had a travel buddy but lost him in Venice beach only two days in. He didn't have a working phone so I had no way of reaching him. He went looking for weed, I told him to meet me back at the Subway in Santa Monica next to the pier around 5pm. He never showed up, so I went to Venice to look for him and heard from some locals that he left with the Fishin 4 Nugs dudes to Hollywood. I never saw him after that. I pretty much knew we would be separated eventually, but not that soon.
And as for sleeping on the beach, it's pretty tight. I never got hassled sleeping on beaches, but it depends on the beach I guess.

haha made me laugh dude.