Alrighty then. You’ve got your gear stashed, a wad of cash on you, and you’re ready to roll. But what is the best way out of town?
There are a number of op - tions—specifically buses, trains, and planes, as well as your own feet.
BUSES
When it comes to economy, nothing beats the bus for transportation. I am not referring here to city transit systems but to the large private carrier in the United States, Greyhound Bus Lines. According to its Web site (www.greyhound.com), the cost of a round-trip ticket from Atlanta to L.A. at the time of this writing (summer 2002) is less than $200. That’s without taking discounts into account. If I were a senior citizen or college student or I wanted to buy several days in advance, the rate would be even cheaper. Greyhound goes virtually everywhere in the United States and even has connections into Canada.
I used to ride Greyhound quite a bit in the ’80s and early ’90s, and my experience was not always good. In those days the buses were cramped and passengers were packed in like sardines.Drivers were generally rude, and fellow travelers were often mental patients or criminal thugs. Sleeping was possible if you were not sitting next to someone. If you were, it was a constant struggle to keep from drifting off and having your head hit his or her shoulder. This is why frequent bus riders often look like sleep-deprived zombies in a perpetual state of stupor.
The bus has a bathroom of sorts. It is like one of those porta-potties they set up at county fairs and construction sites.There is only one on the bus, so you may be waiting a while to use it. It is usually smelly, dirty, and out of toilet paper. Smoking is now illegal on the bus, so smokers will go to the toilet to sneak a few puffs. The smell makes it hard on us nonsmokers.
The newer buses are supposed to be roomier than the old ones, according to Greyhound’s Web site. Traveling this way can be fun if the bus is not too crowded. You can stretch out across the seats next to you when they are empty and get some decent sleep. Be sure to bring a blanket and pillow if you will be riding overnight, along with your own toilet paper.
The bus will make periodic stops where you can get off, stretch your legs, use a real toilet, and get a meal. I advise carrying your own food; the restaurants in bus stops are often horrible.I ate at one in Knoxville, Tennessee, one time. The fried chicken was nothing but burnt, blackened skin stuck to the bones. Try to avoid going outside the bus stop while on layover, especially if you are in a larger city. They tend to be in the bad parts of town.
All in all, the bus is not a bad way to go if you will be traveling for a day or less. Try to ride during daylight hours only. And don’t eat the fried chicken. Sally and Working Man Jack took the bus, were only on it a few hours during the day, and are none the worse for wear.
TRAINS
A much more pleasant way to travel is by train. By this I mean Amtrak, the privately owned but heavily subsidized passenger rail company that serves the United States. Amtrak is everything that Greyhound is not. The seats are spacious and comfortable. The passengers are generally middle to upper middle class and, for the most part, are friendly and safe. Private sleeping rooms are available at additional cost if you don’t want to ride coach.
Bathrooms are abundant on the train. They have regular flush toilets that empty into a holding tank on the bottom of the train.(Sometimes the older ones would dump the waste directly on the tracks. I rode these when I was in college in the ’80s. It was fun to watch the hole open up and spill the fruits of my labors on the rail ties as the train sped by.) Bathrooms in private cars usually have showers.
The train will have a restaurant featuring tasty, wholesome food and a lounge car where you can get a drink or snack and watch the world pass by outside. Trains west of the Mississippi have double-decker lounge cars. The view from the top level of these is incredible. Many people love traveling by train, myself included.
The train is not cheap. I just checked the fare from Atlanta to Los Angeles, riding coach with no upgrades. It was more than $800 round trip, four times the cost of Greyhound. If you plan to use one of these services, I recommend you weigh savings versus trip quality and judge accordingly. You can visit Amtrak on the Web at www.amtrak.com. There are various discounts available at different times; these can reduce the cost of the ticket greatly.
There is also the option of taking a plane where you are going. I can tell you little about this because I hate to fly. I do know that buying your ticket well in advance will allow you to get a better fare, and I list some Web sites in the appendices that can help you get a cheaper ticket. For anonymity's sake, buy your ticket with a prepaid charge card that has the Mastercard or Visa logo on it, and have the ticket mailed to an address besides your own. Prepaid charge cards work just like regular or secured credit cards, except they can be purchased without credit references, proof of employment or residence, or even identification. You can buy them at many drug stores or other retailers, including AAA Travel. Visit the Web site www.wiredplastic.com to learn more.
YOUR FEET
Are you broke? If you are healthy, then there is a way of getting to where you are going absolutely free: walk. Have fun.Unlucky Larry took this route. He is walking to Maine, his vehicle abandoned in a small town he hitchhiked from to get to the beginning of the Appalachian Trail.
I discussed hitchhiking in an earlier chapter. Those serious about thumbing it should read The Hitchhiker’s Handbook from Loompanics. If you already own a vehicle, then you may be tempted to use it to get you where you are going. I advise against this for a few reasons. The most important one is that your car or truck is tied to you by registration, tags, insurance, and so on. If you get a ticket or have an accident while away from home, then it will show up on your driving record. Any investigator, amateur or pro, will find the information and know where you are.
Also, the authorities in most locales take a dim view of people running around in their area with out-of-state plates. If your refuge is in another state, you will probably be required to switch registration and driver’s licenses within 90 days or less of arriving (depending on the state). If you do so, your records will con-nect, leading a path right to you. Oh, hello, honey. What a big gun you have. How did you find me?
Having said all this, I realize that many people may have no option but to use their own vehicle to escape. I did so, in fact, and had no problems. If you do, I make the following recommendations:
If you are still in the same state, you can buy another car when you arrive at your refuge. You can drive on the dealer’s tag for a while, and there will be no need to get a new license. This will require significant funds, of course.
WHAT TO BRING REVISITED
I touched earlier on what to bring with you, and I want to revisit that now. Make sure you are familiar with the climate of the place you are going. I drove cross-country from Georgia to Washington in July one time. I figured that, since I was traveling during the hottest month of the year, I would have no need for warm clothing. Wrong! When I got to the Pacific Northwest it was freezing. Eastern Washington state can be a very cold, lonely place in July, especially at night. So can the Olympic National Forest. So learn from my mistake and check out the local climate before you pack.
There are products sold in certain regions of the country that are nearly impossible to find in others. For example, headache powders are sold throughout the South but are unknown in the Northeast. Since these are the only things I have found that can tame my headaches, I took a very large supply with me for my trip. You may be addicted to grits, Drake’s Coffee Cakes, or some other item peculiar to your area. Still pack light, but take along some of these things if you can. They will help you feel less homesick.
Don’t carry fancy luggage that will catch a thief’s eye. Old, battered suitcases are good, as are military-style duffel bags.Backpacks will work. Be aware that airlines are particular about what kinds of baggage they will allow on their planes. If you use a backpack, make sure it is airline approved.
By the way, who the hell are you? Are you sure you know? Whether you are or not, the subject of fake ID is one we should address.
You may or may not have use for fraudulent identification, depending on your situation. It can come in handy when checking into a motel or campground if you are worried about there being a record of your staying there. If you are going to be working in your new locale, I believe that a new Social Security card with a number other than yours can be useful. I am not advising you to do anything illegal, of course.
Be aware that false identification has serious limits. Never try to fool the cops with it! There are different types of fraudulent ID. So-called “foundation documents” are used to establish identity.The most common of these are state-issued driver’s licenses or ID cards and the Social Security card. Identification can be purchased from a variety of mail order companies, or, if you are good with computers, there are programs you can use to make your own. I list sources in the back for further research.
Okay! Your trip has gone well, and you have arrived at your place of refuge. Now let’s talk about the first few days and what you should do.
SETTLING IN
If your situation allows, you should relax a little and get your bearings. You have probably been through a bit of emotional turmoil, though you may have been too busy to be aware of it. A good night’s sleep and a hearty meal can do wonders.
Unless you decided to try one of the more nomadic options I described, you are probably going to be spending most of your time in the same general area. Get to know it a little. Find the grocery store, the pharmacy, the department or variety store, and the gas station, if you have a vehicle.
You want to establish a mail drop as soon as possible. Again, I advise using a private service instead of the U.S. Postal Service.Have the drop you established in your old location forward the mail to the new one. You should have no worries.
When dealing with the locals, be friendly but discreet. I must disagree with other writers on new identity subjects who advise strongly against relocating to a small town. Little communities and rural areas tend to be safer and much cheaper to live in than large cities. Dress like the average Joe or Jane, have some bland cover story to explain your presence, and everything should go fine.
Once you are settled in, you will probably want to start making money.