Am I the only hitch hiker or hobo that hop freights ( Archived) (6)

There used to be nothing like hitch hiking and meeting new people on the road. Just the thrill of sticking out your thumb and wondering if anybody would pick you up back in the 80's. People would pick me up for so many reasons. Sometime drivers would just like for me to drive so they could keep travelling and sleep in the back. Sometimes I would walk for hours without getting a ride. Then somebody needed a bartender and the cooler was in the backseat. I have had guns pulled on me and they said we are just giving me a ride. I can remember this one couple picked me up to settle an argument. "Life is a highway I want to do it my way all night long". "On the road again, I just wait to get on the road again." "Sleeping under a table on a roadside bench a man could wake up dead". Gays going cruising and saying I just want a ride. Having the radio antenna hitting my left elbow because the cars were so close. Having to have a short haircut and carrying a bible sometimes to get a ride in the bible belt. Walking across the highway and deciding to go the other way. Finding a job cause a train had derailed and I shovelled corn to get the car back on track. Some stray dog come to lick me on the hand. Waking up every dog in the neighborhood cause I was hitching at night. Having the cops giving me aride cause you weren't suppose to hitch on the toll roads. Getting id-ed all the time. Striking up conversations with folks at truckstops and gas stations. Having someone pick you up cause they needed someone to talk to. finding hub caps, tools, change and caps that flew off peoples head. It was fun except when it starting raining or you had to trudge through snow. Waitng to the train slowed down enough to jump on.

Sleeping standing up in a telephone booth and waking up to hear some lady said hey you could slept in the house in Gastonia, North Carolina. Walking through Dallas and seeing Sweetwater. Sleeping on sleeping bags behind the Sheraton in Panama City, Florida. Striking up conversations with other hitchers. Walking on the six tiered bridge in Houston and hugging the guard rails terrified of heights as the 18 wheelers nearly blowed you off the road. Looking at the first oil derrick in Morgan City, Louisiana. Watching the Delta Queen lit up at night in Linda, Missouri. Running to catch the tail gate of a farm truck and sit with the chickens. Running to catch a ride and then they speeded up, lol. :)

Strangely enough I was not lonely during these times which may the fact that I could strike up a friendship easily during this time. I have no trouble with strangers because the time spent together is temporary. Kind of like the first date scenario when are both on good behavior. Foolowed by getting to know each other followed by friendly behavior. Followed by being selves sometimes followed by bad behavior. Sometimes followed unusual behavior. I loved the open road and being master of my own fate. Each day was a new beginning and I am good at new beginnings as stated above. I have trouble with gaps in communication. i. e. What do I say now coach, lol. :)

Gee, always wondered what it would be like to travel Canada.