I’ve just helped a person who is determined to walk from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, but he wants to do it by walking on the freeways of Southern California.
I tried to explain to him that it is illegal for pedestrians to walk on the freeways, if not downright dangerous. I for one do not wish to hike all of those miles along the shoulder of I-10 with cars whizzing past me at 70+ MPH in the slow lane.
The California Vehicle Code Sec. 21960 states that it is illegal for pedestrians to use the freeway except in emergencies. However, this guy claims that Interstate Highways are open to pedestrians at all times.
So, I handed the guy a map and told him that it was his funeral. So do you think this guy is going to be pulled over by the California Highway Patrol and told to get on to the streets?
I can picture it being legal to walk Interstates when they go through rural areas, but not in Metropolitan L.A.
I believe it’s only legal to walk on the freeway when there’s no other nearby roads to take. So if theres an access road next to the freeway, or a road near the freeway which runs in the same general direction, the person would have to travel on those.
No doubt laws vary from state to state, but I happen to be in California. I read once that it is illegal to walk on the freeway in California except in emergencies or if there is no alternate route. Sorry, no cite. What I read (and I don’t remember where) was that there is no off-freeway route past Camp Pendleton, so bicyclists can ride on the freeway to get around. I assume this applies to pedestrians as well.
Two things to consider: My memory may be faulty. A pedestrian may not be treated the same as a bicyclist.
In any case, it is (at least) generally illegal to be a pedestrian on a California freeway.
Also, if he’s determined to do this, he’d better wear some damn good walking shoes and pack lots of water. The longest isolated stretch from L.A to Vegas is probably between Baker and the next rest stop,about 35 miles away. He’d have to walk up Baker grade, 25 miles at about a 4 percent incline. No stores, no gas stations, no nothing.
There are numerous streets that parallel the freeways in Southern California. You can get pretty much anywhere without going on the freeway, so I know that the CHP is likely to tell this guy to get off the freeway.
To compound matters, he is walking on the freeway AT NIGHT!!
If he were really tough, he’d take the original road from Barstow to Las Vegas. According to Huell Howser’s Visiting or California’s Gold (damned memory going again) the road starts somewhere around Calico and can still be driven in a 4WD vehicle all the way to Las Vegas.
Some things to remember: It’s hot in the desert, even in September. I used to ride a dirt bike during the summer around the Daggett area when I was a kid. Lots and lots of sidewinders around, especially at night. Black widow spiders and scorpions too. (The sidewinders used to get onto the blacktop at night, perhaps to soak up some of the stored heat.)
I heard on NPR about a Barstow-to-Vegas run, where runners would make the trip over about four days. Of course they had safety and support people, and vehicles in case of emergency.
The guy’s nuts. If he isn’t, then it’s his own look-out, innit?
The guy left saying he had faith and it would carry him through. I don’t know if his faith will enable him to walk through the East L.A. Interchange and stay on the right road. That area is designed for cars, not people and he’s likely to end up hiking on the Pomona Freeway (SR 60) instead of the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) and then he’ll be completely hosed.
After re-reading your post Johnnie, I see you did’nt actually live in Daggett, but just rode your dirtbike in the area.
Anyway, I lived in Daggett for about a year, and then Yermo for a couple years. I still live in the area, and work at the Marine Base in Yermo.
Anyway, the guy walking to Vegas is truly nuts.
A suggestion - here in the east we have this trail that runs from Georgia to Maine (Appalachian Trail)- takes months to complete - perhaps he would be intrested in that walk instead. Or perhaps you have hiking trails that can be linked to accomplish that w/o walking on the freeway.
There may be trails around, but I haven’t heard of any. I’m not an “avid hiker” and prefer to hike in cool forests so it’s not surprising that I wouldn’t know of them. But I’ve heard of the Appalachian Trail. I haven’t heard of an L.A. to Vegas trail.
The famous Route 66 still exists. Some of it is freeway, but I’ll be the old sections that are not freeway are still walkable. Perhaps he could have taken it to Williams, AZ and then turned north?
But a problem still remains. I haven’t been “in the country” back east, but there seems to be a lot of small towns scattered about even in rural areas. In the Mojave Desert settlements are sparse. Yermo, Daggett and Newberry Springs are fairly close to Barstow (about 20 miles?) but there’s a whole lot of nothin’ until you get to Baker. After Baker there is a long uphill climb up the Bager Grade (less-powerful cars and heavily laden trucks can get pretty slow whilst climbing it). IIRC there is a gas station near the top. Past the grade there are more miles and miles full of miles and miles until you get to Stateline. Not much between there and Prynn.
Johnie- Small world. I’ve been out to the Daggett airport many times. I’ve often taken my kids out there to use the swimming pool. I also drive out there regularly from my work, test driving Hummers.
These days, it’s mostly the military aircraft from Ft.Irwin, which utilize the airport. Theres still a few privately owned aircraft there, but not many.