Barstow

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Earth > Americas > North America > United States of America > California > Barstow
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Barstow
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Information
Country:
Flag of United States
United States
State: California
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Barstow is a town in California. Due to its position at the intersection of I-15 and I-40, as well as its large truck stops, Barstow is an excellent town to hitch a ride east across the country.

"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold." -- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

NOTE

Hitching from Downtown is nearly impossible due to the narrow and circular onramps. Camping is limited due to housing, but not imposdible (there is an area near the train tracks between the Circle K and the interstate). Your best bet is to take bus #3 from the library to the outlet center on the West side of town.

Rumors of a trallace enabling campers to set up on the roof of the old outlet center (furthest from the freeway) are false as of 05/2019. However, the old mall is mostly abandoned and for 3 days I didn't see a single security guard.

BONUS: the land behind the old outlet center is BLM land - free camping for up to 14 days. That is, 14 days after they notice you. There are hermits who live back there, most are quite friendly. -jsplts


Hitching North (towards Las Vegas)

Hitching north on I-15 towards Las Vegas can prove difficult due to traffic speed and highway patrol (people going to Vegas are hauling ass to Vegas). Consider a $25 dirty dog (Greyhound) bus ticket from downtown Barstow to Las Vegas. Money was by far easier to get than a ride in this direction. - Jsplts.


Hitching South (towards L.A.)

Although the large onramp and multiple truck stops does make hitching easy, another alternative is to take bus 15 from the library to San Bernadino, especially in summer when temperatues reach in excess of 115 F. Bus 3 will take you from the outlets to the library for $1.75, and bus 15 costs $6.50.

From San Bernadino your hitchhiking adventure is over in Southern California - everything is sprawled, residential suburbia making rides impossible to get (minus a free ride to jail from local police if you refuse to stop hitchhiking - a crime in most SoCal counties). However, city and rural busses will get you everywhere you need to go in the Southern half of California. -jsplts

Resources

Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)