The Garden of Weeden

I think many of us dream of doing it. Sure, mostly when we're young and the world is an endless and mysterious place. For people like myself, however, the wanderlust never really dies down. Ever since I was a teenager I've wanted to pack a bag and hit the open road. It's illogical, it's reckless, it's dangerous, and it would be incredibly difficult to pull it off.
Some people never apease this aspiration because life takes them away from it, further and further. School, jobs, wife, kids, family, obligations, responsibility. I've bounced back and forth between some of them myself, in fact. Yet, life has a way of spiraling me back towards the begining. Rather, I have a way of spinning my life back towards the begining.
Now is the time. I have no real obligations. There are things that I "should" do, or "could" do, and even "would like" to do, but I think I'm in the perfect position right now to just leap off foolishly and hit the open road.

On November 2nd, Proposal 19 is on the ballot in California. There is strong evidence that it stands a solid shot and passing. When/if it passes, I see a whole boom of culture, community, business, creative thinking and aspirations, and potentially a general overall "well being" throughout the state of California. When/if it passes on the 2nd, I will be leaving Detroit, Michigan on foot, and travelling the 2300+ miles to california by the means we're ultimately intended to migrate by. Walking.

I may hitchhike a few rides here and there, during particularly cold days, or long dry stretches of road, but mostly I intend to simply walk. Due to past backpacking experience, and military training, I know that I can hike out 20-30 miles on a good day. Granted, at the cost of becoming extremely tired, beaten up, and sore. Realistically, my goal is to average at least 10 miles a day.

I will be chronicling the entire journey, through a combination of typed and handwritten word, pictures of sights that I see, and even Video, or Vlogs as battery life and recharging locations permit. I will also attempt to include my insights and philosophies on the triumphs and hardships that I endure.

In preparation for this event, I will be spending roughly $1000 on intial gear. I will be travelling relatively light, geared more for a few weeks in the woods, than an actual hitchhiking trip. It's feasible to go coast to coast via thumb in only a few days, but I fully believe and even intend to spend sometimes that many days in between towns.

As I get closer to departure, I will include a packing list, and try to go over all the intial things that I do to get me started on this journey. I will of course probably eat a solid breakfast the day that I leave, shower, shave, dress in clean clothing, and so on. Again I do have some hitchhiking experience, as well as some survivalist experience, but have never done ANYTHING like what I'm about to do. Just to reach the border of California alone will require 2000 miles of travelling. By foot, that could take six or seven months if I stay on a steady pace, suffer no injuries, and do not die....

The trip has many purposes. Oddly, the most core purpose is simply that I actually have reached a point in my life where I have absolutely nothing better to do. Secondly, I want to be somewhere that I can procure dank weed on a moments notice. Thirdly, I've let my health go horribly astray in the last several years. I will be the first one to tell you that I am both an alcoholic, and a heavy cigarette smoker.

With my first step on this trip comes my last drink (In theory, forever). I will carry cigarettes with me, but will make an effort to stop within the first week or two of my trip. Marijuana I will smoke when it becomes avaliable, which may be commonly, and might be very infrequently. Due to laws, and the dangers of being searched by police on the side of the road, I won't be carrying any Mary-Jane with me. At least, not unless I find a place where it will be legal, which hopefully will be California here in a few days.

Start Point: Detroit Michigan
End Point: Somewhere in California.
Distance: 2300+ miles
Health: Generally good. Not overweight, capable of extended physical activity. No notable allergies, illness, or current injuries.
Finances: Tenatively, $2-3000 dollars, after purchasing gear.
I've worked out a tenative packing list. My goal is to go light, but carry enough to survive 3-4 days without civilization.

Clothing:
1) Pair of polypropeline or thermal undergarments, shirt and pants
2) Socks. Thick wool, and thinner moisture wicking.
3) Undergarments. 2 t-shirts, 2 boxers.
4) Comfortable walking/cargo pants. Neutral color. Darker to hide dirt, lighter to keep me from looking suspicious.
5) Long sleeve shirt
6) Hoodie, oversized, neutral colored, college sports themed. Rather have people think I'm a college kid, than a car jacker or something.
7) Wind breaker/jacket
8) Baseball style cap.
9) Sun glasses
10) Gloves, Face Wrap
11) Poncho, full body, large enough to cover pack too.
12) Boots. And a rubber pair of crocs. Very important to have crocks for crossing water, or lounging after a long walk.

Notice, that even though it is going into winter, I do not have a heavy jacket. I believe layering is generally the best way to go. If my ensemble becomes inaququet I can adjust as I go. While moving briskly, the above attire should suffice throughout the days until at least December.

1) Solid hiking pack. I want something medium-large size, waterproof.
2) Compass. Map too, will have to purchase or print them along the way
3) Water bladder, 3 liters
4) Water container, 1 liter
5) Water purifier, and water purification tablets. Tap water is the best source of refill, but just in case.
6) Headlamp. And a lythium batter flashlight.
7) A couple of lighters
8) Knife and a multi-tool
9) Emergency first aid kit
10) Sunscreen, Bug spray
11) Nylon cord, and Duct Tape
12) Toiletries, to include paper, razer, shaving cream, toothbrush, etc.
13) Laptop, Pens, Paper, IPOD, Reading Book, etc.
14) Camera, Binoculars, small AM/FM radio for local weather reports/boredom
15) Small 1 person tent, dark colored
16) Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Pad
17) Dry rations (Jerkey, trail mix, dried fruit, and so on)

And so on.... That's just a tenative list. I'll be browsing online packing lists for the next few days, and calculating what I will need, what I won't need, what I would like, and what is just excess weight and useless.
I have tracked a route that avoids major highways. This will impair me when it comes to getting rides, but will make for what I believe is more fullfilling walking time. As a rule of thumb, there are small towns dotted all along my course, and I shouldn't hit too many stretches that are more than 10 miles without a town. My route bypasses a few major cities, but doesn't go through any of them. Cities are a hassle to walk around with a ruck sack on your back, and even harder to get a ride. Following side roads however, I will probably find a lot of short haul rides (10-20 miles), but I won't find many long haul opportunities. This is fine, considering my goal is to walk at least half of the distance, if not more.

I will utilize whatever resources I can find to get more food, water, a shower, clean clothing, and so on. I'm pretty crafty, and I know a lot of the larger cities have programs and support for "transient" people. In the small towns I may have to pay my way, so I'll have to be both very frugal with my money, and possibly will eventually need to find ways to make money along the way.

This trip is entirely self sufficient. Unless I get injured, eaten by a mountain lion, or simply can't hack it for whatever reason, my last resort will be to catch a greyhound bus back home. I fully do not intend to let that happen.

Before I leave I'll post some blogs, a detailed outline of my plan, packing lists, and so on. I've never made a Vlog, but I will try to post one of those too before I begin this journey.

When I'm on the road, updates may be sparodic or infrequent, but I will be making an effort to take pictures every day, create a video every day, and write (Either on the computer, or on paper) every day. I'll have to use resources like libraries, Wifi hotspots, hotel internet, and so on in order to post followups, but I will try to update at least once a week. Again, this depends on where I am, and what kind of resources I have avaliable.

When it passes, wish me luck on my trip to the "Garden of Weeden"

 

When you get out, look me up. I'll try to stay on GC through it all.

 

That's too far ahead to contemplate.

I do intend to hike up and down CA though.

 

Funny you should ask.

I'm going "shopping" tomorrow for my final gear. I've debated the last week or so if I still wanted to do it, and I've decided I still feel like I should.

Tomorrow I will be purchasing my primary gear, prepping it, and will either take pictures of my gear (It's going to be some pretty elite shit....I'll probably get robbed in my first half a day, lol), or Vlog it.

I intend to hit the road either Tuesday or Wednesday, and will update weekly. I'll make an online Blog/vlog channel somewhere, where I can post pictures, video, and rants about the trip.

I'm not very proactive on it right now, because...well, I'm taking care of other business, but once I hit the road I'll be recording updates daily. I might not always have the opportunity to upload them in a timely fashion, but I'm pretty savy. I'll figure something out.

It's going to be rough at first since it's Winter, and the first leg of my trip is through the North, but I've done some crazier shit (Albiet, not for as long as this will take). My proposed route will take me across the midwest, through Colorado, Arizona, and into Southern California. It will probably be cold until I get to Arizona...or until Spring, whichever comes first.

A straigt hike would take an average of 250+ days, if absolutely nothing goes wrong. I'm sure I'll bite my pride from time to time and catch a ride for some of the rougher parts of it though. I don't intend to long haul any of it though (Ie catch a ride with a trucker going 500 miles).

I'm hoping to reach California by late spring, early summer. While the freezing ass cold of the first part of the trip will blow donkey balls, arriving in So Cal in time for summer should be pretty rewarding.

Then, I just gotta find someone to buy my chronic off of