Changes

'''Phoenix''' is [[Arizona]]'s state capital and largest city, located in the south-central region of the state with major highways including I-10 (east-west) and I-17 (originating downtown and heading north). It is not a hitchhiker-friendly city by far, one big suburban sprawl full of highways, but there are some good spots around to get out of it.

== Hitchhiking out ==

=== West towards [[California]] (I-10) ===

There's a good spot around 163rd Ave. [[User:Guaka|guaka]] and Kenny only waited a short time before being picked up. [[User:thewindandrain|TheWindAndRain]] can attest to the fact that the Flying J at 163rd and I10 is an easy place to catch a truck ride to [[Wickenburg]].

Hitchhiking is at the very least discouraged within the Phoenix metro area and may be outright illegal. For this reason, always get to the far city limits, as mentioned in the exit points above, before attempting to hitchhiking. Otherwise, expect cop hassle and possibly a warning citation or fine. Also, nearly all of the Phoenix metro area is within Maricopa county and so is under the jurisdiction of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, called "America's Toughest Sheriff". His deputies are encouraged to uphold this tough stance, so be aware of your surroundings and consider that the (often draconian) laws will be interpreted and upheld to their fullest extent and often beyond.{{IsIn|Arizona}}

''There is absolutely no reason a hitchhiker should purposely visit the greater Phoenix area, unless you are a wealthy sociopathic masochist with a golf fetish, in which case you likely have a massive SUV, as most people in the Phoenix area are/have. Not only is it an overheated and ugly sprawl of freeways, beige two-car garages, golf courses, more freeways, and Walmarts, the people of Phoenix are generally quite rude to anyone they perceive as either not having very much money, or having a skin color any shade darker than the sand which envelops the area, and meeting both of these criteria will likely get you arrested and imprisoned for several years. People in the greater Phoenix area also tend to judge others based on the size, cleanliness, newness, and luxuriousness of their cars, which leads to a booming car sales industry, a constant haze of smog over the clogged freeways, and a nearly frightening number of lanes on major roads, but also means that someone without a car (ie a hitchhiker) will be assumed to be either insane or subhuman, and will be treated as such. In general, avoid Phoenix and its environs at all cost.'' - Josiahsettles

''Hiding within the unimaginably vast urban sprawl, there are a few gems that make Phoenix worthwhile. South Mountain park is the country's largest municipal park, is accessible by bus, and has ample desert hiking trails w/varied scenery. There is a huge storytelling and slam poetry scene in Phoenix; go to Lawn Gnome bookstore on a Wednesday night, tell a story and you get in free. Around downtown Phoenix, also check out: Burton Barr Library (cool 5 story building with views of the city, free internet access, an Arizona room), an all ages music venue called "The Trunk Space," the Roosevelt Row arts district, and an infoshop called "The Sp(a)ce." The town of Guadalupe (near Tempe) has a wonderful local market and many colorful murals on display. It's worth a visit just to get a sense of the place and people who have been harassed by Joe Arpaio for so long (the entire town filed a lawsuit against him.) Mystery Castle is a quirky architectural landmark well worth the visit. Phoenix Trotting Park, if you can get there, is an abandoned building with amazing post-apocalyptic visuals. Food not Bombs serves weekly in Phoenix, Tempe, and Glendale- eat a free vegan meal and meet all kinds of people.'' - [[User:wallpaper|Wallpaper]]

[[Category:Arizona]]