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.
=Date=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
Consider weather- CouchSurfing (hitchhikers, holidays, we need time to organizeNorth American hitchhikers)Match up with 5- - North American Hitch Gathering Group - http://8www.couchsurfing.org/11 (or 8group.html?gid=32967- - - Post: http:/5/11 as Americans write it, or 2011www.couchsurfing.08org/group_read.05 html?gid=32967&post=9508488- - Hitchhikers - http:P ) August 5th 2011? Or choose our own date//www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=12-i was under the impression the EU one was pre-uni for the students- Post: http://www. It would be nice to match up, but not necessarycouchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=12&post=9508500
Consider other events around that timeNational Rainbow gathering (likely Washington), July 1-7Burning Man- End of August/early September-University students go back to school end of August/ early September Assume it starts on a Friday? Any reason not to?-Any reason TO? One reason to start on a Friday is for people with standard-schedule jobs - both prospective hitchers (like Rob from 2010 who got his first hitchhiking experience between Denver and Boulder) and locals who want to check it out. {|border="1" align="center" style="text-align:center;"|'''Friday''' || '''Pros''' || '''Cons'''|-| June 17 || || |-| June 24 || || |-| July 1 || Monday is a holiday, so this is a 3-day weekend || Start of Rainbow Gathering, Rainbowers will be busy|-| 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 || || George is busy. Lily, too! Likely Robin, as well.|-| 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 bedadd your suggestions here... |}
=Location=
- 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.
==Possibilities=====Boulder, CO=Specific Suggestions for Portland==Pro: Well known to the attendees of HitchGathering North America 2010, *easy* hitching nearbyCon: Free camping / cheap lodging hard to find, the place we camped in 2010 is down a long dirt road with little traffic - might not support rides for a medium- to large-sized gathering
===Missoula, MT===Pro:Easy wilderness campingDirectly on IState Parks? Maybe one that is a bus-90Con:Montana ride away from Portland itself (since hitchwiki says hitching out of the city itself can be cold tricky), or a cheap bus and a long short hitch for some people (~the temperatures don't look that cold? Squats, warehouse spaces, ave high is about 80 in summer)public camping areas within Portland?
===Slab CityPlanned communities, CA===Pro: Free campinglike Santa Venetia in the Bay Area (we could set up in a city park there, Several previous hitch gatherings have happened thereas long as we contacted locals, so it's a proven locationasked permission, details here: http://gathering.digihitch.com/slabmapsand told them what was going on).phpCon: really hot during mid-summer months
===Montreal, Canada===Pro: Amazing cityCon: Requires US citizens to have Anyone know of such a passport, passport card, EDL, or NEXUS card. A long way from the west coast. Even with a passport, minor criminal infractions are cause for not being allowed in. Could prove to be a potential language barrier for people who don't speak French.community?
===Mexico City, Mexico===
Pro: everyone (Canadian, 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 one? Also, could be more difficult for non-spanish speakers.
==Region Possibilities=Portland, OR===Pro: hitch-friendly, easy access to I-5, I-84. Camping (both legally and other) fairly easy within proximityCon:
===Seattle, WA===Pro: hitch-friendlyCon:[[NAHitchGathering2011RegionDiscussion|Old region discussion section]]
===VancouverPortland, CanadaOR===Pro: right on the border so ideal spot for Canadians and Americans, weather in the 70sCon: border could be an issue for people without passports
===Madison, WI===ProLocation Scouting Volunteers: good mid-summer weatherGeorge (can research, central location, camping close to town fairly easy, people accepting of hitchhikers but also closer to places where it's not as acceptedcan no longer scout on site... Con: on-site scouts?)
===San Diego, CA===Pro: weather 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 usually great for gathering outdoorsCon: not many places for free camping 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 near the city(in Washington)
===San Francisco, CA===
Pro: open-minded, liberal place, East Bay is likely to have places to gather
Con:
=Date==Joshua Tree, CA===Pro: super hitchJuly 15-friendly, relaxed desert culture, BLM land nearby for free campingCon: could be *hot* in the middle of the summer, so this one depends on when17!
===Yosemite, CA===Pro:An easy hitch, people are super friendly, camping "around" is easyCon: Bears. May be TOO populated. Need to get park permission (or camp on nearby BLM land)[[NAHitchGathering2011DateDiscussion|Old date discussion section]]
===Duluth, MN===
Pro: Mid-continent, If you were farther away from any ocean, you would be closer to another. Next to Lake Superior. Young, open-minded Mayor who likes to support community. Any ov the summer months listed are the ONLY summer months.
Cons: Smaller city=less coverage/less to see/only route away is backtracking. Maybe Minneapolis would be a better option.
=Timeline=
===April 1===
End voting on a date
===April 8th===
Start voting on a location
===April 8th15th===
End voting, decide on a location
See [http://hitchwiki.org/en/Hitchgathering/North-America the organizational document] (and add your ideas!)
Happy Trails!
[[Category:Hitchgathering]]