Hitchhiking - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

I am starting my hike in early march and have a wedding to attend in birmingham AL in mid april, and I hope to be to damascus by then. Anyone have any experience hitchhiking south on I-81?

Mark

#2

check out ol’ bono’s hitching experience down i-81

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=27953

and

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=27954

but, don’t let it deter you from hitchhiking. there is a lost art in hitching that needs to be revived.

grizzly adam

#3

Hitching along the trail is fairly painless, but once you get out of that “hiking world” Its really a different ride. Id catch a bus or rent a car.

Virginian

#4

Hitching on Interstate is illegal. The police will pick you up and ticket you.

On state routes, it’s okay, but not on Interstates.

See you out there. :cheers

Maintain

#5

There’s an airport 45 miles from Damascus with car rental and a bus station 12 miles from Damascus.

Wolf

#6

Just put on a Dale Earnheart shirt and hat, you’ll get there in record time.

Prozac

#7

I hitched from Troutville to Damascus for trail days in 2001 on 81. You can read about it on www.trailjournals.com/nate. Maintain is right about ON the interstate, but you can hitch from the exits legally. I had a couple good rides, but the last was drinking and they actually pulled out a handgun. They wanted to know if I wanted to BUY one! I made it safe and sound, protected by angles and karmic retribution, but I don’t ever want to make that hitch again. Life on the interstates is FAR different than hitching around trail towns. I DO like the Dale Earnheart idea, and will have to try that someday. :lol

Tha Wookie

#8

I tried to hitch last year, 03 from Atkins back to Damascus for trail days, 5 hours later we got our ride, from a former thru-hiker going back to trail days. Of course there were a lot of us tring to get a ride, 5, and we spent more time in the DQ then with our thumbs out.

casey

#9

Too much Irony in this for me not to respond.

I live in DC. Travel I-81 to get home to Birmingham (actually Bessemer). Thru-hiked last year and am named Mark. I can’t promise anything, but e-mail me and if by some odd chance I can break away, I may be able to help.

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