Of course. I've hitchhiked all over the US (North for summer, South for winter) and have camped in some beautiful places you'd never known existed. Plus I do ham radio (my gear is portable), so there's almost always someone to talk to. And I still have a 6-pack on Fridays :-)

Safety can be an issue, especially if you're in a city. I tend to camp as far away from any downtown area as possible. The biggest threats are addicts and police, both will steal the very things you need to survive. The trick is to stay light, stay mobile, and keep bear spray.

I have spinal stenosis and go in to the doctor again in a couple weeks. Medicaid has been a lifeline.

I usually take the bus to get around, unless I'm travelling. That's when I shift to hitchhiking.

In my travels I've only met a handful of people that are homeless by choice. In their case it's drugs, admittedly so. I'd prefer not to be homeless, but with the stenosis labor is ruled out. Sometimes I do house sitting, which is a nice break.

No worries about too many questions, it's an AMA!