Just a friendly warning to all who are thumbing it to the Nationals. Wyoming state law states; "Code 31-5-606. Soliciting on streets and highways. (a) No person shall be on a highway for the purpose of soliciting a ride, employment, business or contributions from the occupant of any vehicle. This subsection does not apply to persons attempting to obtain assistance for disabled vehicles." "Code 31-1-101. Definitions. (viii) 'Highway' means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained or if not publicly maintained, dedicated to public use when any part is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel." It is ok to walk on highways in Wyoming as long as you walking against the flow of traffic, but not interstates. The same goes for Idaho. In Montana? Stay off the concrete. For more info; http://www.digihitch.com/usa-map.html ---------------- Now playing: Boards Of Canada - Turquoise Hexagon Sun
yaya . i made a point to scout this scene and went hitchin through wyoming last summer . i met one hwy patrolman near Casper on I-25 . this is in addition to other encounters and experiences of recent years travelling light in that state . it's mostly pointless to walk anywhere ... as you are in the vastness . wait for a ride at hwy entrances . no need to fly a destination sign nor a thumb . this is solicitation . people know what people with guitars and drums and backpacks are up to anyway . as Nivekian says , it's not illegal to be on the road travelling against traffic . should an officer question you - you're stated destination might well be the opposite direction and that actually , blissfully , you are just sitting where you is . going to the rainbow gathering ? what rainbow gathering .... wait for a friend . go easy . the trail is bless'ed . that officer i met was very nice and most simply informative . others have either passed on by or simply checked my ID for warrants and let me be . a couple years ago an I-90 wyoming cop just stopped and danced weirdly along the roadside and talked at me obscurely trippily poetic .
Yeah, there's a slightly older thread about this...As I recall from '94, the WY Hwy Patrol mostly wanted all the hippies to get their smelly asses on up to the Snyder Basin where they wouldn't have to worry about us. this ol' bro of mine used to hitch out West with a lawn chair, an umbrella, and a good book. Sit in the shade reading till he'd get to a real good part in the book, then, without fail, someone would stop and offer him a ride...
Kinda' like the emergency joint trick... A friend of mine usually just plays the guitar, drum, mandolin, yuke...whatever he's got at the on ramp till someone picks him up. If nothing else it passes the time and it makes for a good excuse, "I'm just practicing my instrument." Another option would be to ask a gas station, bar, restaurant or any other private business if you can ask for rides on their property. Some places don't mind. Though, a 'concerned' citizen can always call the police to 'serve & protect' you. Which has happened to me a few times in Wyoming... I had one woman call the cops on me because I was walking around barefoot and thought that the police could assist me in some way. Another was a city counsel member who thought he'd do me a favor and call the police and have them buy me a bus ticket, which only took me two towns away... Neither ended up badly, just hours of annoying questions, literally, hours. Your best bet is to check all the ride share boards and line something up for yourself. Not as much of an adventure, but still an adventure nonetheless. ---------------- Now playing: Pole - Round Two
I am constantly amazed at how many things are illegal. We have more rules than I care to deal with. It seems individual choice is something from history, because to me, I feel I have to conform more & more in this world. With over 20 years experience in the california health insurance market
as far as i remember you cannot hitchhike on interstates. hitchiking on state roads is up to each individual state. the old US highways i believe you are allowed to hitchike on regardless of state laws. may want to research it before you go, but that always seemed to work for me, nicer view than the interstates too.
From Pinedale Online: "In answer to Karin’s question about a local legal way to get from Rock Springs to Farson without a private vehicle: We STRONGLY DISCOURAGE anyone from hitchhiking from Rock Springs to get north to the Rainbow gathering site. Because of the natural gas activity boom in western Wyoming, there is incredible heavy truck traffic on the highway between Rock Springs and Pinedale. We’re talking big semi-truck traffic and lots of it. There is also road construction for 11 passing lanes being built in that stretch, so congestion and heavy equipment on the sides of the road related to that. We encourage travelers to make all efforts possible to find a ride or carpool to get up to the gathering site and do not try to bike or walk that stretch hoping someone will stop and pick you up on the way. It is an accident waiting to happen for any interruptions of traffic flow on that busy highway by adding in distractions due to people walking on the sides of the road. Please, please, please do try to find a ride. With all the traffic on that road right now it just isn’t safe for you as a pedestrian, or for the people driving on that road, to add pedestrian distraction traffic into the mix. We don’t have a better local solution to help you with transportation. There are lots of people talking on the blogs about carpooling, so hopefully some of you can connect that way to meet and ride together. Please try to arrange to find a ride that will get you all the way up to the gathering site. "
