July 15-17 (ish)
In or Near Portland Oregon
=Organization/Discussion=
Discussion is done via the [http://lists.freeactive.net/listinfo.cgi/hitch-na-freeactive.net North American Hitch mailing list]
<br>Organization is done here on this wiki - keep it updated as things develop on the list.
==To Do==
* 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:
- 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
- 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=
==Considerations==
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?
==Possibilities=====Boulder, CO===Pro: Well known -for this i suggest we should go to the attendees of HitchGathering North America 2010cities for social effect/actions, *easy* hitching nearbyCon: Free camping / cheap lodging hard to findand if no one shows, the place we camped in 2010 is down a long dirt road with little traffic - might not support rides for all can dip out to a medium- to large-sized gatheringsecluded area somewhere.
===Missoula- I agree. I think that the cities in the NW that were suggested (Portland, MT===Pro:Easy wilderness campingDirectly on I-90Con:Montana can be cold 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 long 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 for some people-friendly.
==Specific Suggestions for Portland=Slab City, CA===Pro: Several previous hitch gatherings have happened there, so it's a proven locationCon:
===Montreal, Canada===Pro: Amazing State Parks? Maybe one that is a bus-ride away from Portland itself (since hitchwiki says hitching out of the cityCon: Requires US citizens to have a passport, passport card, EDLitself can be tricky), or NEXUS carda cheap bus and short hitch?
===Mexico CitySquats, Mexico===Pro: everyone (Canadianwarehouse spaces, US citizens) is welcome, no visas required (though Canadians would have to fly across the USA or deal with border patrol anyway)Con: There are nicer places in Mexico. Replace this suggestion with onepublic camping areas within Portland?
===PortlandPlanned communities, OR===Pro: hitch-friendlyCon: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).
===Seattle, WA===Pro: hitch-friendlyCon:Anyone know of such a community?
===San Diego, CA===
Pro: weather is usually great for gathering outdoors
Con: not many places for free camping or gathering near the city
==Region Possibilities=San Francisco, CA===Pro: open-minded, liberal place, East Bay is likely to have places to gatherCon:
===Joshua Tree, CA===Pro: super hitch-friendly, relaxed desert culture, BLM land nearby for free campingCon: could be *hot* in the middle of the summer, so this one depends on when[[NAHitchGathering2011RegionDiscussion|Old region discussion section]]
=Date==Portland, OR===
Consider weather, holidays, we need time to organizeMatch up with 5/8/11 Location Scouting Volunteers: George (or 8/5/11 as Americans write itcan research, or 2011can no longer scout on site..08.05 :P on-site scouts?) August 5th 2011? Or choose our own date?
Consider 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 events around that timeNational Rainbow ) 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 (likely in Washington), July 1-7Burning Man- End of August/early September
Assume it starts on a Friday? Any reason not to?Con:
=Date=
{|border="1" align="center" style="text-align:center;"|'''Friday''' || '''Pros''' || '''Cons'''|-| June 17 || || |-| June 24 || || |-| July 1 || || Start of Rainbow Gathering|-| July 8 || Rainbow Gathering just ended, perfect timing? || Rainbow Gathering just ended, too soon?|-| July 15 || Rainbow Gathering ended a week ago, allows people time to show up || |-| July 22 || || |-| July 29 || || |-| August 5 || Same weekend as EU gathering, could be cool || Someone might want to attend both?|-| August 12 || || |-| August 19 || || |-| August 26 || || Burning Man starts on the 29th, burners will be busy getting ready|-| September 2 || || During Burning Man|-| September 9 || || Burning Man just ended on Sept. 5th, burners will be burnt out and needing sleep in a real bed... |}17!
=Timeline=[[NAHitchGathering2011DateDiscussion|Old date discussion section]]
=Timeline=
== THIS IS ALL ARBITRARY =March 6===Start collecting pros and cons about various dates and locations
===March 24===
Start voting on a date
===April 1===
Have End voting on a selection of locations along with pro/con arguments, begin votingdate
===April 21st8th===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 [http://na.hitchgathering.org 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?)
[http://na.hitchgathering.org/content/when-should-2011-gathering-happen Vote on when it should be]!
Join [http://lists.freeactive.net/listinfo.cgi/hitch-na-freeactive.net the e-mail discussion list]!
See [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Hitchgathering/North-America the organizational document] (and add your ideas!)
Happy Trails!
[[Category:Hitchgathering]]