• Time inbetween, rest and buffer days

After each day of hitchhiking, there is a rest day where time is spent with other participants of the race, waiting for teams that didn’t manage to arrive on the first day. Additionally, there are two variable buffer days. This means that a minimum of two nights are spent at each location.

Buffer days

In addition to the regular rest days after each hitchhiking day, there are two additional buffer rest days that can be placed flexibly. They are meant to allow for an extra day to stay at a particularly beautiful location or to have additional break time if hitchhiking has been challenging and people have frequently not arrived on the first day. They can also be used to make an alternative non-scoring stop to hitchhike closer to the final destination or to visit another interesting place along the route. Buffer days have often been used to spend an extra day at the location where the other route, starting from the same starting point, meets in the middle of the race. Each route decides when and how to use the buffer days. The only requirement is that both days (and not more) must be taken until the end so that all teams of the race arrive together at the final destination.

Route group

The rest days are spent together with the entire route group. This group usually consists of 9-10 teams, which is around 20-30 people. The team boundaries dissolve during this time, and you can spend a lot of time with people outside your team, depending on your interests. This is also great when you want to see different faces and get to know others after a long hitchhiking day, looking forward to a great time with your team on the next stage.

Locations

When planning, we try to create a good mix of villages, small towns, larger cities, nature, and lakes as the stage destinations. These can be culturally significant places, sometimes only locally known, places where you can go swimming, or places you might never visit otherwise. Ultimately, you never know exactly what to expect because often none of us have been there before, so the locations also hold surprises. Whether the last ride to the final destination happens to be the owner of a hotel, meeting a local village football game with an invitation to the club pub afterward, a demonstration at the meeting point, a poorly attended theater performance where you are spontaneously invited, or simply nothing at all, you never know what awaits you!

Activities

What exactly happens on the rest days is ultimately up to everyone. In the past, hikes were undertaken, cities were explored, participation in construction projects, sleeping in, lying by the lake and enjoying the sun, cooking together, sitting by the campfire and making music, visiting historical museums, celebrating, playing cards, sharing stories from the previous stage, and more. Especially in small places, you often quickly gain some recognition and stand out, making it easier to connect with the local people.

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Accommodation

With the exception of the starting and final destination, each route looks for overnight accommodations locally. The idea is for the whole group to sleep at one location, so it is important to coordinate the arrangements with everyone beforehand. Teams that arrive early can explore and ask around for options while waiting for the others. In the past, we have stayed overnight in playgrounds, on the beach, in parks, underground garages, hostels, sports clubs, farms, or campsites. Some teams have even been directly invited by their rides to their homes or to a hotel! Typically, we go with the flow and see what the day brings. We rely on spontaneity and karma, just like hitchhiking.

Plenary

During the rest days, there is also time for discussions and decisions that need to be made within the group. This includes point allocation, start time, sleeping arrangements, buffer days, and any other matters that arise. It particularly involves addressing possible unplanned changes. For this purpose, plenary meetings are held, bringing the entire route together. The organization of these meetings is determined by the route itself.

More about the fundraising

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