Why people backpack North? And never South?

I been wonderin. About once a week a see someone with a backpack, and appearing to be homeless. Walking North up the highway as i'm headed to work. Something in Dallas you cant get in Austin? I said they seemed to be homeless. If so, Dallas does not accept homeless as Austin does. So????? Thing is I never see ANY of these people with backpacks walking south, always north.

One thing I considered was I usually see them in the morning on my way to work. So maybe there are others on the other side of the highway going South and I don't recognize. But I drive all day sometimes and I never see any going South when I am.

Where are they going? What are they doing? Why?

Theories? Maybe I ought to just pull over and ask one of them...

Maybe I ought to just pull over and ask one of them...

reply to post by Mugen

Good idea. Give one of them a lift and see what's up.
you never know...might make a friend.

reply to post by Mugen


They don't travel south because of Mexico. Unlike the U.S., Mexico does something about illegal immigration. like giving jail time and deportation.

Well you can't scientifically prove what this thread's OP mentioned or what I am about to say but here it goes. Since the Earth is a globe maybe people in the US backpacking north has to do with elevation but gravity would cancel that and this theory excludes mountains.... tell you what let's just agree they're backpacking north for Canada We got ice hockey, we got healthcare, we got poutine, etc etc.

reply to post by MysteriousHusky


Don't forget the good beer!

On topic, maybe weather plays a factor in these peoples northward migrations.

occrest

Good idea. Give one of them a lift and see what's up.
you never know...might make a friend.

Sounds like the beginning of a slasher movie. "In a time... of too many questions. One man will pick up a stranger. But when the stranger asks to go North... things start... to go South." duh duh duhhh

Because Mexico sucks?

Its simple. If you gatta run away its down hill

I figured you meant legit backpacking. Like trails. Start south un the spring where its warmer and make your way north over the months as it warms up.

As for what you are talking about.. probably go both ways. Maybe you see them at a good place to hitch a ride north and the good place to hitch a ride soutb is somewhere else. Offramps etc.

MysteriousHusky

occrest

Good idea. Give one of them a lift and see what's up.
you never know...might make a friend.

Sounds like the beginning of a slasher movie. "In a time... of too many questions. One man will pick up a stranger. But when the stranger asks to go North... things start... to go South." duh duh duhhh

Exactly lol. I tend to expect the worst. A good looking female would be different. Or.... is she a decoy....?

Farthest away from Mexico. Makes sense. Closer to Canada, also makes sense.

Have any of you been forced into this type of situation in your life? Nothing but the clothes on your back and a 'Bug out bag'? If your answer is yes, tell your story right now. Yes right now.

I live on the west coast and the train hoppers, hitch-hikers, and back packers do go south. In the summer they come north to Oregon and Washington, then in the winter they head south to California.

reply to post by Mugen


The more north you go, the more friendly people you find. I think it has something to do with the magnetic fields of the earth. Humans with a compassionate sense are more drawn towards the poles. People that are more argumentative, violent, and not so spiritual tend to be closer to the equator. When was the last time you heard of a major war in Canada or Greenland? So when a person is homeless they tend to be drawn to a more peaceful accepting part of the earth which tends to be more north since we all live in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm sure if we were on the other side of the earth it would be people headed south when they have nowhere else to go.

reply to post by Mugen


Well, I guess the first thing to consider, is what is directly North of you that might be drawing people in? If you get a map of the road you are seeing people walking on, and look at what is along there. Cities, towns, events, camps, and so on and so forth.

It's unlikely that these people are just moving north aimlessly. It would make no sense what so ever, unless each of them have a goal or a journeys end further down the track. It's getting toward winter, so seasonal movement of homeless would normally be the other way around.

It's possible that some of these people are moving north for winter season work, having been previously employed in summer season work further south. It's certainly an interesting migration pattern. If you wouldn't mind looking at what is north of you, then it would be great to hear what's further up the map.

reply to post by Mugen



As strange as it may sound, a lot of homeless, because they are basically exposed to the elements the majority of the time, migrate seasonally. Now, typically, that would mean that they would migrate rather like birds. South before winter, North in the spring so your homeless migratory birds aren't following that pattern. Could be that, as Dallas is the larger of two cities, it may have more shelters and outreach type programs than Austin.