1,621
edits
Changes
no edit summary
This is the collaborative wiki for the '''2010 North America Hitch Gathering''' taking place in Boulder, CO on August 21st. If you were redirected here from http://na.hitchgathering.org then the website is still not functional. For now, we are using this wiki to organize, create content, discuss and publish all information needed for the Hitch Gathering. The first section is the working content for the website, the second is the active discussions for organizing. Please feel free to contribute and participate. If you would like to be added to the mailing list where the current discussions are taking place, [http://lists.freeactive.net/listinfo.cgi/hitch-na-freeactive.net subscribe here] [[File:Hitchiker.jpg|440px|center|alt text]] =Website=
The text below will be available on the forthcoming website. Do edit the text if you see things that can be changed or added.
==Home==
==Our Goals== * To promote the concept of hitchhiking in North American society and build goodwill toward hitchhikers
* To stimulate the community of hitchhikers
* To have a good time doing the above, while travelling and meeting old and new friends.
* To skillshare any knowledge through playshops in relation to travel, foraging, camping and safety
[[File:CU Engineerings dorms.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Boulder, Colorado]]
== Where ==
The North American Hitch Gathering is taking place in Boulder, Colorado this year on August 21st! The exact location is still being determined, though it will most likely be an open area with basic services, possibly a good place in Nature (but still close enough to the city) where we can gather together, camp and live for a few days, a place where we can be free and well.
===How it started=What ==A small group of enthusiastic travellers had decided early 2008 At Hitch Gatherings all around the world, hitchhikers gather to organize the promote hitchhiking. The first (recent, to my knowledge) European Hitch-hiking Weekgathering met in Paris in 2008, participants camped for three days in front of the Eiffel Tower. Then in Odesa in 2009 at Shevchenko Park, where they camped at a beach. It started as an art-project but moved quickly into something bigger2010 was in Portugal, something wider as more people joined and a group brought it to North America, with a sister gathering inthe Boulder/Denver area.
===2010Odesa 2009 ===What will 2010 be like? Do you want It was so good that we decided to do it again. The community had grown and more people wanted to join? Do you have ideas . This time though we wanted to meet up somewhere more east, where we could also meet up with hitchhikers from Russia (less visa-issues for everyone). The place chosen was Odesa on how to participate? We hope that the Black Sea in the Ukraine.The challenge was much harder this time in Boulder. Paris was an easy go for most of us, Colorado and in Portugal even more but the Ukraine was a lot further. Many people will join us than last year! embarked on a multiple day hitchhiking trip, traveled non-stop or met up at the pre-meetings that were organized along the way.
In the end we gathered with a bit over a hundred hitchhikers from all over Europe, mostly experienced hitchhikers. A few didn't even make it though, it was too far for them. We spent three days together talking, partying and sharing our skills. === 2010 ===The North American Hitch Gathering took place in Denver, Boulder, Nederland, and the forests around Nederland (on a lake, near a trail, next to Moffat Tunnel), Colorado on August 21st, 2010. It is a beautiful, open area with basic services at the trail head, in Nature (but still close enough to the city) where we gathered together, camped and lived for a few days, a place where we could be free and well. There was also be a pre-meeting in Denver on the 20th of August, at a park in the middle of the city, with dinner at the SAME cafe (So All May Eat - a pay as you can place, where people can also volunteer). The pre-day gathering was for those that arrived early, those that were interested in meeting hitchhikers and travelers in an accessible location in Denver, and for anyone interested. The afternoon was spent at the park; then the evening resting with friends (Couchsurfers, Hospitality Club, possible community centre), etc. The next day we all hitched together to Boulder (20 kilometers away). ===Participate===
Everyone is invited to contribute to the event with stories, pictures and videos. The event lives from it's participants, and of course everybody is invited to help along, may it be organizing a (pre-) meeting, translating text into other languages or just by telling the world about this project! If you have an idea, you're the one who makes it happen! Leave an idea at the forum and find people to join you.
==How==
Hitchhiking is our way of going around! We love to hitchhike for various reasons. Some of us do it for the adventure, others to meet people, and again others see it as the best way of going to places and meet locals.
Check for example:
* [[General info]] * [[Top tips|Top Tips]]* [[First time hitchhiking|First time]]* [[Hitchhiker's safety|Safety]]
* [[Signs]]
* [[Where to hitchhike]]
{{IsIn|Boulder}}
= Discussion = === Things to do === * Find suitable location in Boulder for gathering! Nature, beautiful, basic services and free for us to use for a few days. Camping friendly! (everyone)* Finish '''An Overview of the Vision''' paper. (jeremie)* Promote like crazy, Couchsurfing, Hospitality club, facebook, etc* Organize afternoon and evening event in Denver, the 20th. -Have one person with computer, pen&paper, or charcoal&cave wall to get all participants to leave contact information for future notices, NOT Big Brother.* Official Spokesperson to interact with media. Not that any hitch hiker can say it any better or worse, but an "Agreed-Upon" public statement to promote our ideology. This could involve a senior citizen hitch hiker, gutter punk, and/or college student. * Enable participants to be a positive influence on Boulder/Denver * Organize with all participants to record audio/video/still images/spoken word/interviews with any and all by-standers or hitch hikers in the hopes ov creating a documentary about this event.- Boulder Creek trail trash cleanup - library volunteering ([[CategoryUser:North Americagjemmott|george]]talking to Boulder libraries) (because locals suggested it in the comments http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15099272)
- [http://www.volunteerconnection.net/why/VCfaq.html a Volunteer Connection] or [http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/1800Vol/volunteerconnection/LoadOpportunityReview.do?opportunityId=348607&vcId=8508|a Zero-waste education @ farmer's market](your name here?)
'''Goal date for these tasks: June 1st'''
* Find location in both Denver and Boulder for the gatherings. (Jeremie speaking with contacts in Denver and Boulder, May 17th) (George looking up BLM land information and other camp sites, reporting here by June 3, also looking for more CouchSurfing and DigiHitch contacts):Can we set a vote for destinations? It seems we are leaning towards Denver "somewhere" and Boulder Chautauqua park. To set a place in stone, i think people will be able to make plans, by leaving it up in the air, we may lose a few. And if no one shows up, who cares?
* Website (Your Name, Jeremie, [[User:gjemmott|George]], Robin, ... [[content for north american hitch gathering website]])
* E-mail list (Robin? [email protected]? na.hitch@...? Might as well set it up now, as long as that won't make it harder to integrate later?)
* Poster, web poster (your name) Amylin! :)
* Video media, ie. shorts, promotion stuff, etc (your name) Lily? * Catch lines, phrases: The Road is Zen, The Road is True, etc. Possible idea is gather near Naropa university, the first buddhist accredited university in america, and place the Buddhist/Zen theme on the promotion. :im begging to differ on the theme. Why mix spirituality with travel?-r3353
'''Goal date for these tasks: June 4th'''
* Have promotional package ready
* Have flyer done
:Yes, a flyer is a handy gift for all participants to give to the drivers. Making them feel as if they have made a great difference in others lives.-If you tell me where to send the image, i can get one drawn up from a VERY talented artist friend ov mine. i was thinking along the lines ov Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. You know, the planet with goofy eyes and tongue sticking out, but holding a yellow(color ov peace, also color ov jumpsuit offered by Russian Hitch Hiking School(yes, one DOES exist!) also there is an electronic music festival in Ukraine called Kazantip, where if you arrive with a yellow suitcase, the admission is free, supposedly. also the Free State 'Christiania' in Denmark uses 3 yellow dots on a red flag for is symbol) suitcase(international symbol for 'traveler') in one hand and a 'thumbs up' on the other.
* Have a linked website, www.na.hitchgathering.org
'''Goal dates for these tasks: June 15th'''
* Find on site organizer for Denver Day gathering, then on site organizer for Boulder day and night gathering.
* Highlight good angles to approach Media, ie. Promotion packages with manifesto type work, at least some sort of written work on the event in our own words.* Have set website team to deal with daily motion and postings. ([[User:gjemmott|George]] volunteers after June 1519, but his drupal-fu is weak. other volunteers?)* Start posting on digihitch.com, Couchsurfing.org (Your Name, Jeremie, r3353(im starting with contacting groups on CS. Does anyone know a way to promote in all US states, Canadian provinces and Mexican states? i certainly dont want to SPAM them all.), [[User:gjemmott|George]]- digihitch forums seem broken, no response from admin)** I partly fixed the forum, it's readable again. Not sure how to make it possible for people to post again. Any phpBB experts around?[[User:Guaka|guaka]] 21:42, 10 June 2010 (UTC)
In and above all these tasks, the active participation of everyone involved to Promote and Educate each other about both the event and the safety issues involved. Since this is going to take place in America, it's going to be different then what's been going on in Europe. Let it be considered.
=== Possible Locations ===
Any suggestions for Boulder or Denver? Add below. Also, is it between June 5 and June 12ish? Call [[User:gjemmott|George]] at +1 760 822 9880 because he may not have internet that week, but is on his way to investigate places (including your suggestion!) in Denver and Boulder.
Criteria:* Jeremie says ''I would recommend trying to locate a place where people could camp and be outside for a couple days. ''* For Denver, Jeremie says ''The Denver gathering could happen in a public park (and probably should be for media) and then the evenings could be CSed or hosted somewhere in the city.* For Boulder, though I imagine Boulder to be somewhere we everyone could gather for a few days without too much worry. Close enough to services, yet still far enough from bother.''
'''Boulder'''
Ariana says: ''Are you looking for someplace to camp or just to gather close to town? A great place to gather that's public and close to town is Chautauqua park. In most parts of Boulder, you'll be able to find great open space, public parks, and great open cafes. As for camping, just head west from wherever and within half an hour, you'll be able to find great camping places.'' Another vote for Chautauqua park from my friend, who also says that a group camping there for one evening would likely not be disturbed. I ([[User:gjemmott|George]]) will check it out around June 10 and maybe try camping there :). ''I (Mike L. from Denver) recommend Boulder Central Park, where the bandshell is, at Broadway and Canyon. HOWEVER, an all-nighter in Boulder might be a problem. In fact there is ongoing was a civil disobedience occurring at this very moment in Boulder over their prohibitions of camping:
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15099272
It ended at least a couple weeks before June 15.
I imagine that the definition of "camping" is probably a bit loose and at the discretion of the arresting officer :(''
'''Denver'''
Civic Center Park in Denver. ([http://www.yelp.com/biz/civic-center-park-denver| some interesting reviews]) I [[User:gjemmott|George]] like the sound of it from those reviews! Alternately, Chatfield Reservoir (chatfield is ~15 miles south of the city center) Aowin suggests Washington "Wash" Park (+always lots of people, +right in the middle by I-25, -[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Park,_Denver| big park], 165 acres, might be hard to find gathering, lakes, +playground, rich neighborhood (might get more complaints?)). Also says chatfield there is also a good park (City Park) next to the zoo, but likelihood of being bothered by police is higher? r3353 recommends- for the meeting in Denver, if the goal is media attention, to make it a very busy yet spacious location. But as the hikers trickle in on the 20th, there could be On-site people to receive all new-comers. Keeping things visible for news with Flashmobs and 'playshops' whereby we actively draw in people to spread awareness, making ov statues with the cardboard signs, etc. Then when that evening ends, people can fend for themselves(as it had been in Paris and Odessa. Most banded together in the Champs de Mars(for Paris) or hiking 30 minutes to the nudist beach on the Black Sea(for Odessa). Both were rightous parties independant ov promoting HH(more ov a relaxing "We FINALLY made it-type party).As for the idea ov everyone leaving one point in the morning for the Boulder destination(as a Grand Send-Off) MAY be possible, but imagine how many days everyone has already traveled. Many may be staying with friends 'out of ' ov the area, so the quickest route may be a southern exit to Boulder(if my directions are right, please correct) With at least one person in the Denver locale holding a very BIG sign to guide any late arrivals(if they dont know they way). For the Boulder location(if media is NOT the point) Chautauqua park sounds possible(never been there). Besides the sharing ov stories from around, and other playshops, the final destination is NOT a place to sit around and pat ourselves on the back for making it. Once there THAT is when the actual fun begins. Spreading the concept, Promoting awareness, interacting with locals should be a higher priority than resting on our laurels with our proverbial HH thumb up our arse. So im curious how Barcelona-Portugal and Denver-Boulder will turn out. It is a new idea this year to have main gathering in a city and then ONE day to dance our wayto camping area. Another idea is in regards to weather. What happens if it rains? Any shelter for a group ov people should be taken into consideration. Its not much fun if everyone is trapped in a tent because ov torrential storms. Sure, rain gear is usually included in all backpacks. But what about make-shift structures? Is there an amphitheater where we can get together? Above all- let everyone voice an opinion, discuss it and then decide. But for Paris, the destination(Eiffel Tower) was known from the start, in Odessa (statue ov poet Shevchenko)was determined sometime just before hand. And at the moment Portugal is still floating, yes? The flyers may help sway those undecided.
=== Quotes ===
Possible quotes and phrases for the event to be used on web posters, hand-outs, websites and such. Add what you think would be good!! Don't be shy!
'''Poster Quotes'''
* The Road is True!
* The Road is Zen!
* Random Roads Lead NowHere
=== Notes ===
The active development of this project is open to anyone. Edit and update this page as you wish, link it to anyone you believe may be interested. Art-work, media, documents and such can be linked here or anywhere you think is proper. If you really have a question, email me: [email protected] and we'll learn to inspire and empower ourselves. Love and light!
[[Category:General info|General info]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Hitchgathering]]