"Couch Surfing" ... really now?

[Schumi]

So there is this website I saw a long time ago, and just thought of it again.

CouchSurfing.com

Basically the idea is there are people who have an extra bed or couch or what have you, and if you are traveling you can crash at their place for free- kinda like what some of us pelicans do when we're out and around, but these are complete ***** strangers.

Me and my friend were discussing taking some time off from everything and just getting away, and this came up. Seems like a good way to get chopped up in small pieces and buried in somebodies backyard...

Anyone done this? Had some random people you have never met, from the internet, come over and stay a night? Or, on the contrary, have you stayed at some random person's place before?

I've visited with a ton of people I met on the internet, especially people from the Pelican Forums... but nothing like this.

[Rick Lee]

Never done it in my house, but have stayed at others' houses who picked me up hitchiking in other countries. A few times I've gotten on a train or bus to some foreign city with no plans and no contacts there, met someone along the way and shared a hotel with them and travelled around with them. I did that on a train from Dresden to Prague in 1990, met two very cool guys who had just gotten out of the army (East German). We shared a hotel room and then went to Plzen together, where there were no rooms available anywhere because of the 45th anniv. of the town's liberation by American troops. A taxi driver actually took us to stay at his house and his wife insisted I take their bed! She even cooked for us the next morning. I had a similar thing happen in Kiev. I don't know that I'd do it in the U.S. though.

[Schumi]

I've recently become increasingly interested in re-doing some things in my life, or at least taking a little off time from getting degrees and designing racecars, which, sounding cool and all, is getting to be an extremely stressful environment. I have a rather modest saving accumulated that is sitting earning interest, and I have several assets that could probably go away if need be. I have explored packing up, putting the stuff I may keep in storage and taking what money I have and either going home to Germany (where I left when I was 4), or heading to someplace like the carribean and try it out doing some blue collar kind of work.

After thinking about that for a week or so, I then started thinking maybe it would be best to tour the US a bit more, especially the west. I attend races in California every year in early June, and afterwards usually head right back home to MO. But I'm thinking this year about staying my summer in California.

I don't know if it is the economy and the general mood going around here, or the fact that I'm thinking about starting either another degree or my Doctorate's... but I have been thinking about a lifestyle change a lot. This happened once about 6 years ago and I did it- I eventually moved here and settled to start a Mechanical Engineering degree.

That is why I thought about the couch surfing. I have become more trusting of people online after meeting such great people from these boards and others.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I'm very involved with it. Have hosted people, stayed with other surfers, What would you like to know?

The Los Angeles groups are quite active, usually ending up having a hell of a lot of fun doing things not so "touristy". Real positive vibe and interesting people. My roommates and I are gearing up to create a surfing house.

As far as safety goes, you vouch for the people you stay with. Most of it is honor system, but the basic rules of courtesy apply.

[slodave]

Any hot chicks?

[slakjaw]

Yes I spend the night with women I meet at the bar all the time.

The trick is to get the hell out before they wake up.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by slodave

Any hot chicks?

yes. many.






but i didnt say that.

[Dueller]

Another forum (motorcycle oriented) I participate in has a private section members can access with info about contacts in specific areas...you can indicate what you're willing to offer to fellow members: bed, sofa, floor or just garage, lift, tools, trailer, beer, etc. I've only used it once when I got stranded in an out of the way place with a mechanical problem....made a new friend who helped me get back up and running. Often thought about suggesting such a private area here.

Shumi...I took a break for about 3 months a few years back and island hopped the Carribean. 22 different islands in 91 days. Cleared my head and made me appreciate where I was. Maybe you only need a brief sabbatical.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by Dueller

Another forum (motorcycle oriented) I participate in has a private section members can access with info about contacts in specific areas...you can indicate what you're willing to offer to fellow members: bed, sofa, floor or just garage, lift, tools, trailer, beer, etc. I've only used it once when I got stranded in an out of the way place with a mechanical problem....made a new friend who helped me get back up and running. Often thought about suggesting such a private area here.

Shumi...I took a break for about 3 months a few years back and island hopped the Carribean. 22 different islands in 91 days. Cleared my head and made me appreciate where I was. Maybe you only need a brief sabbatical.

A while back, I lent out my garage space to a guy from the adventure rider forums who built a custom XR650 and rode it cross country. He had his tools stolen on the road, So I replenished him with what I could spare.

A lot of different forums converge on CS, oddly enough. I'd love to see some Pelicans at the meets.

CS also has an emergency forum if you find yourself bedless, got your sack stolen, etc..

[Schumi]

I'm definitely thinking about taking a small break this summer. I think I'll compile a small book of people to stay with and plot a route out west, and go for it. It seems there is such a great community here on pelican, especially in the SoCal region, and I'd love to meet everyone.

My big deal would be transportation. Initially my 1989 Toyota Corolla seemed perfectly appropriate for such an adventure as it gets 30 mpg, has a huge trunk, and has clocked 130,000 faultless miles. But recently it has had some small problems developing, like fouling plugs randomly, small electrical problems, ignition switch problems which have stranded me, and it was rear ended pretty good a few months back that now leave it looking less that beautiful.

The Porsche comes to mind as an exciting trip but things like belts, rollers, waterpump, and the aging clutch make it less than suitable. I could put about $1000 into it and have something I would trust cross country in though.

The other idea was to fly out and hike around, possibly bag some rides with members, but that seems excessively cheap, although I would pay for gas if anyone was willing to further my journey (I always wanted to ride along on a Mulholland run...)

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by schumi

i'm definitely thinking about taking a small break this summer. I think i'll compile a small book of people to stay with and plot a route out west, and go for it. It seems there is such a great community here on pelican, especially in the socal region, and i'd love to meet everyone.

My big deal would be transportation. Initially my 1989 toyota corolla seemed perfectly appropriate for such an adventure as it gets 30 mpg, has a huge trunk, and has clocked 130,000 faultless miles. But recently it has had some small problems developing, like fouling plugs randomly, small electrical problems, ignition switch problems which have stranded me, and it was rear ended pretty good a few months back that now leave it looking less that beautiful.

The porsche comes to mind as an exciting trip but things like belts, rollers, waterpump, and the aging clutch make it less than suitable. I could put about $1000 into it and have something i would trust cross country in though.

The other idea was to fly out and hike around, possibly bag some rides with members, but that seems excessively cheap, although i would pay for gas if anyone was willing to further my journey (i always wanted to ride along on a mulholland run...)

do it!!!

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Schumi

I'm definitely thinking about taking a small break this summer. I think I'll compile a small book of people to stay with and plot a route out west, and go for it. It seems there is such a great community here on pelican, especially in the SoCal region, and I'd love to meet everyone.

My big deal would be transportation. Initially my 1989 Toyota Corolla seemed perfectly appropriate for such an adventure as it gets 30 mpg, has a huge trunk, and has clocked 130,000 faultless miles. But recently it has had some small problems developing, like fouling plugs randomly, small electrical problems, ignition switch problems which have stranded me, and it was rear ended pretty good a few months back that now leave it looking less that beautiful.

The Porsche comes to mind as an exciting trip but things like belts, rollers, waterpump, and the aging clutch make it less than suitable. I could put about $1000 into it and have something I would trust cross country in though.

The other idea was to fly out and hike around, possibly bag some rides with members, but that seems excessively cheap, although I would pay for gas if anyone was willing to further my journey (I always wanted to ride along on a Mulholland run...)

Buy a cheap 4x4.

[Schumi]

I think a ubercheap volkswagen would be the best route. You could carry cheap spare parts and if something horrible did go wrong, parts are easily availible and the fix would be cheap.

Taking my 924S seems like it would just be the time of my life. It has 98,000 miles. What a way to turn 100 grand..

[Dueller]

I think the 944 would be great....let me give you a route: Come south on I55 with stop overs in Memphis for beale street and maybe a raceweekend/autocross at MMR; then down highway 61 thru the delta for some blues; stop over in Jackson, MS for more blues (you can crash at my place); then on down to NOLA for a day or two. From there head west on I-10 thru Tejas, NM, etc for the southern trip to LA...tons on pelicans, sightrs along the way. Hang in LA for a week or two, do Mulholland then up thru NoCal and back thru Nevada, CO, etc. About 5K miles but plenty of memories. 'Bout a 4 week adventure.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by Schumi

Taking my 924S seems like it would just be the time of my life. It has 98,000 miles. What a way to turn 100 grand..

But on the bright side when you get back it will only have a couple hundred miles on the clock.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by Schumi

Seems like a good way to get chopped up in small pieces and buried in somebodies backyard....

"It puts the lotion on its skin"......

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

"It puts the lotion on its skin"......

...or else it gets the hose...

I've never had to worry about a place to sleep when travelling. I wandered all over Europe and without fail, I'd meet someone in the pub who had a spare couch. Even slept in a barn once. Met a couple of odd people, but nothing ever dangerous, really.


As for a car, get a Honda CRX or Civic. Drive it til it dies.

[stomachmonkey]

My family has been practicing it as long as I can remember.

Germans are very open and hospitable.

My mom brings home strays all the time, some of the more notable ones, Jacque the streetsweeper from Paris that mom ran into at a rally in DC, Phil the sheep farmer from New Zealand that bunked in the guest room for 6 months, "Whitney" the former 60 yr old college professor who decided he was a she.

My wife is convinced my mother is gonna wind up dead one day from her "charitable" works. Mom just shrugs and says, "if that's how I go then that's how I go".

[Bill Douglas]

I don't really couch surf but I stay in backpackers a lot. It's kind of fun being able to go out drinking with a blonde 18 year old girl from Germany you are sharing a room with

Quite a number of times I've slept on the couch of people I've met at backpackers, and lots have stayed with me.

[Schumi]

Wonderful stories guys.

The whole trip/backpack/get away idea is definitely on my to do list for the next coming year.