I had a conversation several years back with a friend of mine about how American culture seems to lack a "coming of age" recognition or transition. Many cultures have strange or dangerous rituals, big events or some equivalent landmark period in a persons life that marks the end of childhood and the start of the rest of their lives. In America we finish high school, move on to college, get married, get a job, have a family, and at some point look back and realize that life happened to us. We might point to high school graduation and say "that's what made me an adult". Or perhaps we'll let the government tell we're all grown up when we turn 18. But where is the struggle? Where is the maturity? Where is the risk and danger? At what point were we really forced to grow up in order to move on in life?
And that is the real reason I do what I do. Yes I like to travel, yes I like to meet people, and yes, I really like not having a job. But the real reward is in being forced to deal with life. It's about learning that life is hard. It's about finding a little perspective in the difficult moments and then moving past them. It's about growing up. The times when you have no choice but to deal with life. When you go to a different country, its 1:00 in the morning, all public transport is shut down for the night, you are over 30 miles from your house and you have no choice but to stick out your thumb and hope for the best. And yes that actually happened to me and it's an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.
But anywho, without further adieu, here's my recent hitchhiking experience from beginning to end.
My initial plan was to make my way from Lincoln, Nebraska, south to Texas, West to the Grand Canyon, then back North to the windy state of Wyoming that I call home. On Thursday November 13th I had a friend of mine drop me of on the side of Hwy 77 in the cold wind and stuck my thumb out towards on coming traffic.
After about an hour on the side of that highway a middle aged man from Minnesota named Ralph (at the time he told me his name was Jim) pulled over and told me to thrown my bag in the back of his pickup. I obliged and quickly climbed into the cabin, eagerly pressing my frozen hands against the vents in an attempt to thaw them out. We chatted off and on for a couple hours and eventually arrived in Manhattan, Kansas where he dropped me off at a shopping mall and wished me the best. I thanked him once more for helping me out and ventured into the mall to find a T-mobile store and get myself a new phone. It was there that I had my first negative experience as a hitchhiker.
While wandering around the mall searching for the T-Mobile store, I was confronted by a mall cop. I say "confronted" but there was actually very little confrontation. I noticed him staring at me as I walked past so I gave him a small wave. His response was to continue staring and sternly say
"Just passing through, right?"
I put a question mark there, but he wasn't really asking. Obviously I was a little taken back so I stopped and gave him a confused look.
"I'm sorry?" I asked
"You're just passing through, right?" He responded, a tad more sternly this time.
"Yes sir, eventually" I said, then continued walking still not understanding what his problem with me was.
Upon finding the T-Mobile store, which turned out to be a T-Mobile kiosk, I sat my bag down and waited for the man working there to be available. After a few minutes he walked over and asked what I needed. I explained that my phone had broken and I was looking to replace it with the cheapest one he could sell me on the spot. His response, and this is verbatim, was this:
"Well I'm not going to have anything here within your budget"
What? Are you kidding me? I hadn't even had a chance to tell him what my budget was! Thoroughly irritated, I simply pointed to a phone that I had already identified as the cheapest one on display and told him to give me that one. He did, and within five minutes I was up and running on a brand new phone. I thanked him and walked down to the food court. On my way there I encountered none other but the grumpy old mall cop. Not only had he been following me, but he was making absolutely no effort to hide it! Seriously! So in a small act of protest I took a seat in the food court and stayed there until the mall closed an hour later.
From the mall I walked out to the highway and made my way to the nearest bridge. I clambered up the sloped edge near the sidewalk and set up for the night on the flat part at the top. At this point the temperature was well below freezing, but I was nice and comfortable in my sleeping bag, which was rated down to 10 degrees. Unfortunately after sleeping for about 4 hours, the temperature dropped below 10 degrees and I woke up shivering. Remembering that there was a 24 hour Denny's down the street, I picked up my things and headed that way.
Walking into Denny's, I was greeted by a very tired-looking server who asked me what she could do for me. I explained to her that I had no money and just needed a place to warm up. She understood and invited me to come in and sit. She even gave me a hot chocolate free of charge. At some point I dozed off and about an hour later that same server woke me up and informed me that "this isn't a hotel" and it was time for me to leave. I picked up my things and headed back out on the road.
The cold weather had made me second guess the duration of my trip, and so I made the decision to turn west towards Colorado. Using my phone for a map, I determined the direction I needed to go and hopped from gas station to gas station in an attempt to keep warm. Eventually I found myself on the edge of the highway once more. Along the way I had picked up a small piece of cardboard to make a sign in hopes that a little message might reduce the number of people yelling at me and giving me not so friendly hand gestures. Here is what I came up with:
So with my new sign and a whole day ahead of me I stuck my thumb out once more, but to no avail. After almost an hour and a half of no success, a police car finally pulled up near me and two officers got out. As I waited for them to approach me I thought to myself, this is just perfect. Now these two are gonna waste my time harassing me for something that is perfectly legal, and keep me from getting any of the rides that I so desperately needed. Instead the two officers asked me what I was doing on the side of the road. The conversation went something like this:
"Is there a problem officers?" I asked as they approached.
"What are you doin out here son?"
"I'm hitchhiking" I said, trying to keep the attitude out of my voice.
"Where you headed?" One of them asked pulling out a notepad.
"Colorado Springs eventually"
"You mind if I get your name and date of birth?" The officer asked
"Yeah sure" I said, and gave her the info. She talked into her radio for a minute then asked me if I had eaten today. I told her I hadn't and the two officers glanced at each other then turned back to me.
"Looks like it's your lucky day. We just got back from the park where we saw a guy sleeping under a tarp last night, but this morning he was gone so it looks like you're gonna get a free breakfast. Heck I'll even give you a ride out to the interstate, you're not gonna get anywhere standing here".
I had no words. The officer walked back to her car, pulled our a McDonalds back and a big steaming cup of coffee and handed them to me then helped me load my bag into the back seat and we set off. The next 15 miles were traveled in silence as I furiously scarfed down my breakfast and sipped on the coffee, grateful for the caffeine.
When we arrived at the interstate I got back out of the car, set my bag near the side of the road and thanked the officer once more. She wished me luck, told me to be safe, and then drove off, leaving me to my business. Needless to say I was in a great mood by this time, and the friendly waves and laughs of the passengers who drove by and read my sign were enough to keep me in that mood.
Roughly an hour later another police officer pulled up next to me. This time I was much less irritated with the delay and greeted him with a friendly "good morning officer" as he walked up. He politely asked me where I was headed and if he could see my ID. I gave it to him and explained my travels to him. While we were talking, a woman in a small tan Audi pulled up next to us and walked over. The officer, who was about to offer me a ride to the next town over, informed the woman that I wasn't wanted for anything and that we should both be safe. He then drove off and left us to talk.
The woman, who told me her name was Martha, asked me where I was headed. I explained that my end goal was Colorado Springs, but that I know it was an 7 hour drive to get there so I was just trying to get as far West as she could take me. Martha then informed me that she was headed home, to Colorado Springs, and would be happy to let me tag along. Seven hours and many conversations later I found myself standing on my Dad's front doorstep, waving goodbye to a new friend.
Call me crazy or call me dumb (you wouldn't be the only one) but that day and a half of traveling and living off others kindness is an experience of infinite value to me. Although I only accepted three rides in a day and a half, I met numerous kind hearted people whose only concern was for my safety. It was encouraging and refreshing, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Provided the weather warms up at least...
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