Where to dumpster if avoiding cities?

[themodernnomad]

Well, obviously not all towns have railroad tracks, but if they do then the locals will always be happy point you in the right direction. Usually you can follow the tracks for a mile or two and eventually arrive to some nice bushes or a concealed spot. I prefer it to next to the highway because less trains pass by each night than cars on the highway.

Be wary with frieght hopping; it's not for the faint of heart. I've only done it once, and it was in Peru, so I don't know much about the railways in the U.S. You can find a local, experienced rail hopper near you, and he'll give you the run down on the trains in the area.

Good luck

-MN

[i:24f401f973]p.s. while I'm glad to alleviate some of your fears, be sure to never let your guard down. I don't know if you've hitched before or travelled this way in the past, but you should always watch your back. 99% of the time nothing will happen, but I don't want to give you the idea that it's happy-go-lucky all the time. You'll have a great time, just keep your eyes peeled, and enjoy yourself!

-mn[/i:24f401f973]

[seedhouse]

nomad-- Thanks for the tips! It'll be my first time hitching, and trust me, I'll keep wary.

[redford]

[quote:eef7a5024a="seedhouse"]Yea I guess it's not that big of a deal to be inside a city. The other problem seems to be that you have to wait 'til night to dumpster-- so you're also going to have to think on the fly about where to set up camp. There's bushes everywhere though so it probably won't be that hard.[/quote:eef7a5024a]
Actually if people see you dumpstering by day they will sometimes come over and give you money or buy you a meal. You'll also find that people don't see what they don't want to see.
When looking for a place to camp in the U.S. most times I'll look for the trails that others have made before me. Large areas with trees located in the middle of on-ramp/off-ramp interchanges work well. Look for a place where it will be difficult for authority figures to park their cars and walk over to you.

[Savagehoc]

I know that this is off subject but I want to reply to the statement regarding not wanting to ride with truck drivers. I acquired my interest in travel by being an over the road truck driver. Truck drivers are often alone for so many hours per day, away from their wives and kids and many of them love to have someone to talk to, share a meal with, and a lot of times have some VERY interesting stories to tell. Besides being interesting, many of the ones I have rode with have been generous and non judgemental. Give truckers a chance, they usually have a story to tell and usually willing to listen to a story too. Working as an over the road truck driver is a lonely life.

[seedhouse]

redford, I've actually had that happen to me but I wasn't hard up or anything at the time so I didn't accept it. I used to have dreadlocks many years ago and this woman on the subway tried to give me cash for that fact alone, as if I didn't live in a $900/mo. apartment in Manhattan LOL

Savagehoc, there's no doubt in my mind that riding with OTR drivers would be great- I've always been interested in that line of work, and I would love to ride with one.. but I was kinda shooting for rides that aren't tied down to their route or schedule and are maybe even on a fun road trip or something? That's wishful thinking and I'll take what I can get of course but yea.

[Cryptowen]

Related - is there a good way to defend dumpster diving to those who see it only as a last resort for bedraggled homeless types? I myself see it as sort of a treasure hunt/efficient use of society's castoff resources, but most of the people I talk to who haven't done it think it sounds gross & shameful.

[redford]

[quote:237d8b6244="Cryptowen"]Related - is there a good way to defend dumpster diving to those who see it only as a last resort for bedraggled homeless types? I myself see it as sort of a treasure hunt/efficient use of society's castoff resources, but most of the people I talk to who haven't done it think it sounds gross & shameful.[/quote:237d8b6244]

When you are hungry are you concerned with what others think of you?

[Cryptowen]

Not really but I probably wouldn't mention it on postcards to extended family.

[seedhouse]

Cryptowen-- I usually just point out two things-- 1) the food isn't half eaten or mixed with gross trash and 2) I generally eat better, higher quality food then they do when I eat out of trash. Granted that was when I lived in NYC.

My parents/g-parents/aunt/sisters visited once and my friend and I hauled in a suitcase full of gourmet day old bread, heirloom apples, pastries, etc. from Dean & Deluca. You just have to explain it's clean.

[Cryptowen]

That's the sort of arguement I usually make, but there seems to be too much of a preconceived notion that dumpster food = gross rotten stuff that crazy people eat.