Posted on 10/09/2011 3:33:04 PM PDT by Mary Robinson
People don’t hitchhike anymore.
At least not like the glory days of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s when hitchhiking was a popular, fun and even a safe thing to do.
But it went away. Colin Flaherty wondered where it went.
So this San Diego writer set out on three-month adventure with a pack and an extended thumb to try and find out.
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
there was a guy who walked across America in the 70’s and got wrote up in national geographic and readers digest . I forget his name now
That was me, I hitched long distances in the 1970s. Home to college 150 miles away, lots of times. Ireland to Spain and back, “a dedo gordo.” In spanish the fat thumb, hitching.
People still hitchhike. My kids have some friends that are fast becoming professional hobos. They tramp the country. One of them was just here visiting with his girlfriend and dog. He said he will start his panhandling up the road from her and the dog. People will pass him by but stop for her. And especially stop for the dog. People get them motel rooms, food, and give them money. They said some days they make several hundred bucks. They just want to see the country. And be bums.
Excellent review. That was me, and we’re nearly the same age now. I’d love to read his book to see how he now sees the USA. For sure worth a “waiting list” at the library. Or maybe it’s just sitting, waiting.
We’d have tried staying in Deadwood this past summer, but the rates were similar to downtown Manhattan’s.
I can think of worse ways to spend one's time.
They’re just kids, J is 22, his girlfriend 19. Don’t know how old the dog is. They are just on walkabout.
I ran into a couple like that in Boseman MT. They asked me for money I told them to get a job and if they got real hungry they could eat the dog.
And playing poker with your back to the door is really risky.
Hitched from Oregon to Florida in the 70’s ... and today I wouldn’t even think about picking up a hiker ... it was a different time, we were a different Country and we dealt with deviance in a completely different way ...
I miss my Country
TT
forrest gump?
I miss it too. It was a virtue to call a spade a spade. Now you can’t even call a pervert predator a pervert predator. No way I’d hitch any more, short of breaking down in the desert.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.