Hitchgathering/North-America

July 15-17 (ish) In or Near Portland Oregon

=Organization/Discussion= Discussion is done via the North American Hitch mailing list Organization is done here on this wiki - keep it updated as things develop on the list.

To Do
- digi-hitch (update any existing threads - try searching for gathering?) http://hitchwiki.org/en/index.php?title=Hitchgathering/North-America&action=submit http://www.digihitch.com/ftopict-13365591.html
 * Scout out / research a location. See the location section below.  George can do some research, but would love some scouting help in Portland, if possible.
 * Make flyers. Maybe some business-card sized ones that just have the website on them and 2011 North American Hitchhiking Gathering.  I hear you can get free business cards online... Feel free to include my phone number, too, if you think that's a good idea - 760 822 9880 (George)  Maybe also some bigger ones, or stickers or posters or...
 * Spread the word:

- CouchSurfing (hitchhikers, North American hitchhikers) - - North American Hitch Gathering Group - http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=32967 - - - Post: http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=32967&post=9508488 - - Hitchhikers - http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=12 - - - Post: http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=12&post=9508500

- add your suggestions here...

=Location=

Camping
Camping on BLM land or National Forest can be free at non-developed campsites This extent of available camping is not widely known, but the BLM/NFS can be called to get TONS of free, nearly unknown campsites.

Ease-of-hitching
Near to interstates? Or two-lane highways (Many, including the winning team in previous hithhiking races, say 2-lane highways work better and are more fun than interstates).

Within a hitch-friendly state such as OR, MT, WA, etc? --Where are hitch-friendly states defined? i got the middle finger and a "Get A Job!!" in Northern Cali before.

Access to resources (food/water)
Developed campsites offer this, but usually have a fee attached. *NOT ALL*

-Larger cities have better opportunities for dumpstering? Though with communal purchases we should be alright.

Near to cities for social effect, or rural, for ease-of-camping
This depends on our purpose. Are flashmob-type-activies (a la 7/8/9) planned? If so, we need to be somewhere with significant population density. Or is a relaxing, Sines-type small town preferred?

-for this i suggest we should go to cities for social effect/actions, and if no one shows, we all can dip out to a secluded area somewhere.

- I agree. I think that the cities in the NW that were suggested (Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver) kind of solve this problem because they provide the city aspect, yet are close enough to nature and national parks that you would probably hitch though it. Also, since there are a bunch of people living nearby, it might encourage more people to come or to try hitching for the first time. And those cities are supposedly hitch-friendly.

Specific Suggestions for Portland
State Parks? Maybe one that is a bus-ride away from Portland itself (since hitchwiki says hitching out of the city itself can be tricky), or a cheap bus and short hitch?

Squats, warehouse spaces, public camping areas within Portland?

Planned communities, like Santa Venetia in the Bay Area (we could set up in a city park there, as long as we contacted locals, asked permission, and told them what was going on).

Anyone know of such a community?

Region Possibilities
Old region discussion section

Portland, OR
Location Scouting Volunteers: George (can research, can no longer scout on site... on-site scouts?)

Pro: hitch-friendly region, easy access to I-5, I-84, and the GORGEOUS Pacific Coast Highway (highway 101 in Oregon, highway 1 in much of California). Camping (both legally and other) fairly easy within proximity of Portland. Camping along the PCH is cheap, or easy to do stealthily. Hitching on the interstate is LEGAL in Oregon as long as you are facing the traffic. *close* to the rainbow gathering (in Washington)

Con:

=Date=

July 15-17!

Old date discussion section

=Timeline=

March 6
Start collecting pros and cons about various dates and locations

March 24
Start voting on a date

April 1
End voting on a date

April 8th
Start voting on a location

April 15th
End voting, decide on a location

May 1st
Establish camping/lodging area from possibilities surrounding Target, begin organizing pre-gathering meetings

June 1st
Media kits sent out, pre-meeting cities decided, target finalization settled

=Draft of Invite Message= Hitchhikers of North America! Planning has begun for the 2011 North American Hitchhiking Gathering. Do you have an opinion about where or when the HitchGathering should be? (Or where or when it *shouldn't* be?) Vote on when it should be! Join the e-mail discussion list! See the organizational document (and add your ideas!) Happy Trails!