Our Rideshare from Collingwood ON to Regina SK had failed miserably. We managed to get into the hinterland of Canada, when the vehicle decided to give up the ghost. We tolerated the efforts to fix the machine and the tow truck ride to White River ON but when the final prognosis was ‘terminal’ we decided to stick our thumbs out try hitchhiking the rest of Canada on our own.

Hitchhiking across Canada was a fantastic way to meet incredible people. It reinforced for us how inherently good people are & we didn’t meet one single axe murderer along the way!

One of these amazing people was Randy. Randy is an independent trucker, who decided earlier that day he was going to pick up the first hitchhiker he found. He picked us up in Marathon Ontario and we were happy to get into his truck and away from the black flies.  Along the way Randy regaled us with stories of a life of on the road. He was an obvious contributor to his community, volunteering with the local fire department and at the kids cancer camp each summer. The conversation coupled with the incredible views of Northern Ontario from the cab of a transport truck made the hours fly by. Randy dropped us off outside of Thunder Bay Ontario and we made a comfortable campsite in the woods nearby. In the morning we had arrived back on the road, and lo and behold if Randy did not reappear in a pick up truck headed our way! We left our adventure with Randy in Kakabeka Falls after a cup of coffee in the local diner.

We were picked up by a Mom and Daughter team road tripping across Canada in a fully tricked out Truck Camper – a luxury ride for sure. Our driver was a Veterinarian and a researcher with the Mountain Gorillas in Africa. We were able to share common ground with our visits to those mountains. We learned about the strategies to train local vets to care for the complex needs of these special creatures. Again, the hours seemed to fly by and in all of our conversations we neglected to ask this incredible gorilla woman her name or why she would stop and pick up a couple of hitchhikers. We were both a little disappointed to leave the comfort of her truck as we both wanted to learn more about her life working and living in Africa!

The next pick up was one of the most amazing adventures I have ever experienced on the road! An entire caravan of mini vans and cars all stopped within minutes of us getting out of the gorilla truck. We later learned one of them recognized our bike panniers, and knew we must be fellow adventurers! Picking up hitchhikers was not a common thing for the kids or adults in the minivans and we were all a little shocked to be sitting together in the van. 

This group of adults, many children, and assorted cousins, in laws and grandparents had been paddling around Lake of the Woods for a number days. We were invited to join the group at the restaurant we stopped in at in Kenora and we shared laughs and delighted in the perspective of the kids regarding their trip. This crowd was so wonderful, they absolutely refused to drop us off on the outskirts of Winnipeg. They insisted we camp in their backyard and we enjoyed a somewhat slower morning coffee as we learned more about their homeschooling adventures and the very cool neighbourhood where they live in Winnipeg.  We piled back into the minivan and were taken to the western edge of the city so we could complete our last last leg to Calgary. What a wonderful Reason2Roam!

On one of our final legs we met a rancher who taught me all about raising cows. On our subsequent cross country sojourns I did my best to sound like an expert each time I saw a group of cows standing around: “Someone is not doing their job.. Those bulls are just standing around. Someone needs to get in there and chase them….” Heather just rolls her eyes at me now!

Once we hit the city limits of Calgary we called some life long friends to pick us up on the side of the road and bring us to their home (we are essentially homeless). Turns out they aren’t axe murders either!

It’s been many years since I stuck my thumb out to get around. There are a lot less people doing this than I remember from my glory days but there is one thing that has stayed the same: people are incredible.  We always get inspired by others journeys and this hitchhiking adventure allowed us to meet these wonderful folks.

 

Have you ever accepted a ride or offered a ride from a complete stranger? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Practical Tips for Hitchhiking across Canada

• First and foremost, hitchhiking is not for everyone and it does contain some inherent risks. Before you thumb a ride, do your research on the road you are travelling and the types of dangers that might exist. Remember to trust your instincts. This is a great guide on tips for hitchhiking in Canada. 
• You will spend a lot of time outside so be prepared. You will want to bring some bug repellent, a tent or hammock, and a water bottle and a way to treat water. Plan to have some ready to eat snacks. The most important thing to pack is patience!
• Communication is really important. Make sure that someone knows where you are and where you are going. Bring a cell phone with you and a battery charger so you aren’t worried about running out of juice.
• If you don’t want to sleep outside have a hotel app on your phone to find a cheap room near where you are waiting for a ride. where we stayed in Moosejaw.
• Of course, hitchhiking isn’t for everyone and if that is you you can always fly.

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