How to hitchhike FAQ
I’ve recently been trading emails with a young man who is thinking about hitchhiking up to Alaska. Inspired by those emails, I’ve decided...
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Ken Ilgunas
- Aug 21, 2010
Rule of Thumb #12: Trust
Days 25-28. June 8-11, 2007. Aurora, Colorado to Niagara Falls, New York. (1,757 miles) “Keep your hands where I can see them!” the cop...
Ken Ilgunas
- Jun 26, 2010
Rule of Thumb #11: No storm, no sunshine
[My apologies to those who were loyally following this little series. It started off as a “weekly” series, later became a “bi-monthy...
Ken Ilgunas
- Feb 26, 2010
Rule of Thumb #10: When there’s nowhere to sleep, start turning knobs
Day 22: June 5, 2007. La Grande, Oregon to Park City, Utah (538 miles) Leon looked like Larry David with a full-body tan. He was driving...
Ken Ilgunas
- Feb 7, 2010
Rule of Thumb #9: When there’s no alternative, walk
Day 9: May 23, Rock Island, Washington to La Grande Oregon (296 miles) I hitchhiked not just to travel; I did it to feel something. On...
Ken Ilgunas
- Jan 18, 2010
Rule of Thumb #8: Listening is an art form
Day 8: May 22, Hope, British Columbia to Rock Island, Washington (303 miles) Natalia—at the time of the hitchhike—had been my girlfriend...
Ken Ilgunas
- Jan 4, 2010
Rule of Thumb #7: To be poor in things is to be free of them
[After a 4-month long hiatus—due entirely to laziness—I begin again this “weekly” (now bi-monthly) series of my 2007 hitchhike across...
Ken Ilgunas
- Sep 7, 2009
Rule of Thumb #6: Shatter your fears. Know the unknown.
Day 6: May 20, 2007. Northern British Columbia to Prince George, BC (776 miles) Four summers ago, I drove up to Alaska with my friend...
Ken Ilgunas
- Aug 31, 2009
Rule of Thumb #5: Bring lots of stuff
Day 5: May 19, 2007. Teslin, Yukon Territories to northern border of British Columbia (158 miles). The two most useful items you can...
Ken Ilgunas
- Aug 23, 2009
Rule of thumb #4
... in the mission to traffic "Joey" out of town Day 4: May 18, Tok, Alaska to Teslin, Yukon Territories (498 miles) My goals were...
![Rule of thumb #3: Avoid drivers who “just got out” [of prison]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6759d9_661438d429b94f66a7a0474302049fa9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_244,h_183,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/6759d9_661438d429b94f66a7a0474302049fa9~mv2.jpg)
Ken Ilgunas
- Aug 16, 2009
Rule of thumb #3: Avoid drivers who “just got out” [of prison]
Day 3: May 17, 2007. Delta Junction, AK to Tok, AK (111 miles) I said goodbye to Dirk and his family, snapped a picture of them, and held...
Ken Ilgunas
- Aug 7, 2009
Rule of thumb #2
Day 2: May 16, 2007. Coldfoot, AK to Delta Junction, AK (349 miles) I didn't like truckers. They were fat, obscene with waitresses, and...
Ken Ilgunas
- Aug 3, 2009
Rule of Thumb #1: Prepare for anything. Failure especially.
[In the summer of 2007 at the age of 23, I hitchhiked 5,500 miles from Alaska to New York. To preserve and share these memories, I’ve...