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Cross Country Climbing Trip via Greyhound

Original Post
Crack Slabbath · · Chattanooga · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 500

I'm considering taking a climbing trip cross country this summer via Greyhound. I'd be leaving the Southeast to climb with homies in the Mountain West. The general miserableness of Greyhound is ironically appealing, hopefully generating some interesting stories. But I'm wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze logistically:

- have to stick to and around Front Range/big cities
- at the mercy of friend's/stranger's floors/couches
- limited to what fits in the backpack
- etc.,

Anyone traveled significant distances with Greyhound? Anyone traveled with climbing gear?

Thoughts? Comments? Cries of disbelief?

Steve Bond · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 45

"Its better not to go than to take the bus." I came up with this tagline after taking Greyhound from Denver to New York. Brutal experience. I'll leave out the details but pretty much 100% of the experience was very negative. Ugh. On the positive side, climbing road trip!

Brian Prince · · reno · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 2,727

Don't forget about hitchhiking

Thomas Beck · · Las Vegas, Nevada · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,025
bookingbuddy.com/car.php?bi…;car-rental-deals&pickup_time=11&dropoff_time=11&taparam=EBBGoogleUS_K43145885_A1796074125_NS&supai=47784073605&supsn=g&supmbl=&suppos=1t1&supap1=$4.95&supap2=&supdev=c&suprnd=11721654931936419601
Kevin DeWeese · · @failfalling - Oakland, Ca · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 981

Rest is important to keep your climbing game up. I took the greyhound from California to Missouri back in the day and the one thing I still remember was the lack of sleep from people talking and being generally self-important.

Rob DeBruyn · · Burlington, VT · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 55

A buddy and I traveled by Greyhound bus from Boston to Oregon and back to climb at Smith Rock for a month. We were planning the trip way ahead of time, and it was by far the cheapest option for transportation. We managed to fit everything we needed for the entire month in backpacks, including camping and climbing gear. However, we only brought a sport rack and one rope. It would have been much more challenging if we had planned on climbing any trad.

I had the same mindset about the "general miserableness" being appealing before the trip, and it certainly turned out to be an adventure, at least on the ride there. When it came time to get on the bus for another four days at the end of the trip, I was far less excited...

The other thing that kinda sucked about using the bus was that once we bought our tickets, we couldn't deviate from our plans without being charged big fees. I got sick of climbing at Smith, and wanted to move on to a different climbing area, but we were stuck. Even simple things like getting groceries became an inconvenience, relying on other climbers to give us a ride into town, or just sucking it up and making the hour-plus walk to the nearest grocery store.

It was the only way that I could afford that trip at the time, and because of that, I don't regret the decision. However, I will say that if the trip is possible by any other means for you, do the other one!!! I've taken a couple other month long trips after this one, both in my own car, and to say that they were vastly more enjoyable would be an understatement. You should also understand that I drive a 2001 Corolla, so it's not like I'm living in a decked out climber van with a kitchen and tons of space.

EricF · · San Francisco · Joined May 2012 · Points: 120

If the idea is to have an adventure go for it. If it is to climb a lot and well maybe alternative transport is better.

How much of a discount do you get on greyhound tickets by purchasing in advance? I'm a big fan of mega bus as well usually a lot cheaper. Also, you wouldn't have to only take buses, Craigslist rides, hitch hiking, posting and asking for rides on mountain project would all get you around. I think the most difficult part may be getting from crags to grocery stores/keeping food fresh but hey seems like a cool idea.

On a similar subject anybody done a long distance bike/tour climbing trip, I've been currently investigating this. Met some people awhile back doing a Bozeman to cirque of towers trip by bike that sounded amazing.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

hitch hike and coach surfing

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion · · Colorado · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 35

I looked into a Greyhound from Cheyenne to Vegas once. At the time, it wasn't significantly cheap enough to justify rather than just drive.

For example, I just looked up a round trip from Denver to Vegas with 2 weeks in between. It's between $209 and $309 depending on the package.

It's 750 miles to Vegas (an arbitrary point on the map that has climbing and a bus station. So 1500 mile round trip plus 300 driving around. 1800 miles. Toyota T100 4wd with shell gets 18 to 22 mpg. Taking the low, that's 100 gallons of gas or with gas prices today, about $320 plus 1/2 the cost of your next oil change.

If you can have even one person come with you and split gas, you are better off driving. Of if you break down in an expensive way, it all goes out the window.

John Braun · · Hendersonville, NC · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 1

The Dirty Dog is horrible. Avoid it at all costs for long distance travel. Imagine the smell of 53 unwashed people crammed together in a hot bus. Even if you have a ticket, you aren't guaranteed a seat on the bus, meaning you can be stuck outside after a bathroom break at a bus station at 2am in Bimblefuck waiting for the next bus at 10:30. Look at cheapo airfare through companies like allegiant or southwest, watch prices for a while, find some tickets for under 150 and save yourself 48 hours of misery.

Oh Amtrak is fun btw. I think you can even drink openly, plus it only costs $10 to check a boxed bike.

Steve M · · MN · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 100

If you take the Greyhound do not under any circumstance take a shower for the week preceding the trip. Even on a full bus you're gonna end up in a double seat by your lonesome.

Adam Paashaus · · Greensboro, NC · Joined May 2007 · Points: 791

Once I spent 4 days sleeping on a truck-stop chair in Green River Utah after Greyhound lost my luggage in Denver. And I shared half my own seat with a rather large passenger beside me who smelled like death. So if that is the general miserableness you have in mind I say go for it! Luckily I was spending a month on the road so a few days of not doing anything wasn't the end of the world.

Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

This thread is amazing!

Given the reasonableness of airline tickets, as well as the many alternatives available now with the "ride share"culture on the internet- I would say HELL NO to some kind of long greyhound trip. It sounds like a mistaken Jack Kerouac fantasy that just simply isn't going to work out well.

dylan grabowski · · Denver · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 95
Russ Keane wrote:This thread is amazing! Given the reasonableness of airline tickets, as well as the many alternatives available now with the "ride share"culture on the internet- I would say HELL NO to some kind of long greyhound trip. It sounds like a mistaken Jack Kerouac fantasy that just simply isn't going to work out well.
To be fair, Kerouac romanticized hopping freight and hitching much more so. With one exception, the part of OTR he met a lady of Mexican descent on the bus trip from SF to LA, and fell in love with her.
Max Forbes · · Colorado · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 108

I've taken the Grayhound a number of times, for mostly relatively short trips.

I. Fucking. Hate. Grayhound.

If your looking for a sufferfest, bike or something at least.

johnnymuir · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 20

Greyhound is fun as hell, not in spite of but because of all those horrible things people listed. Where else can you experience all that humanity in such a small space? I say bus it, or even better, thumb it. No one hitchhiked anymore, but I love it.

climbing coastie · · Wasilla, AK · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 95

I was talking to a guy last week and he told me you could buy a month or so pass for Amtrack for a reasonable price. You could go wherever Amtrack went and as many trips as you wanted for that one price. I want to say it was around $500-$600. But not too bad if you wanted to see multiple places.

Brian James · · Appleton, WI · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 100

I have never taken a greyhound in the U.S., but I have backpacked through many parts of Latin America and Asia and generally my experiences on buses were great (with exception of Guatemalan chicken buses). They were usually easy to get some sleep on, fairly comfortable, and it was nice seeing the countryside and small towns we passed through. For those that have taken buses abroad and Greyhound in the U.S. is there that much of a difference?

johnnymuir · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 20
brianjames wrote:I have never taken a greyhound in the U.S., but I have backpacked through many parts of Latin America and Asia and generally my experiences on buses were great (with exception of Guatemalan chicken buses). They were usually easy to get some sleep on, fairly comfortable, and it was nice seeing the countryside and small towns we passed through. For those that have taken buses abroad and Greyhound in the U.S. is there that much of a difference?
In the US, Greyhound usually sticks to the Interstate, which is homogenous and boring. The stations are almost always in the worst parts of town, and the people you meet on the bus and in and around the stations are generally the scummiest lowlifes you can imagine. 90% of people on Greyhound have either been in jail, are just getting out of jail, or are on their way to jail. I've met pregnant women smoking and drinking, I even saw a young man shit his seat twice (actual logs of shit left behind after he stood up). The 10% not presently or formerly incarcerated are pathetic in their own way, but at least are dignified and ordinary humans. Lots of migrant workers, single moms on the run, recovering druggies, etc. And then theres me. I have yet to me someone like me on Greyhound, though I know we're out there, the 20 or 30-something traveling adventure dirtbag.

The busses themselves are prone to breaking down, and are invariably late. Then again, when every single bus is late, none of them are late, theyre all just two hours behind.

Having said all of that, I love it, in a Bukowski sort of way.
Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316
johnnymuir wrote: Where else can you experience all that humanity in such a small space? .
Goodwill
johnnymuir · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 20
Mike Brady wrote: Goodwill
But you cant sleep there.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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