On The Road Again

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you.
They'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.

West Yellowstone


Northern Wisconsin
Aug. '72

It was dark by the time I got a ride into Spokane. Rather than get
stranded in the city, I decided to spend the night in the woods.
Unfortunately, it rained, so I ended up spending the night under an
expressway overpass. (Gee, there's nothing like being lulled to sleep
by screaming semis.) Needless to say I was up at daybreak trying to
get a ride into Spokane. I needed warm, dry clothing. The temperature
had dropped and I was wet from the night before. In the city I went
looking for a Salvation Army store. After I found one, I walked away
with a British Navy jacket for only a dollar. It was wool, warm, and
appreciated. The weather was miserable, but at least I felt a whole
lot better wearing my spiffy new jacket.

The rain started up again, but before too long it stopped and then
started up again. It was that kind of day. Rides were short, but I was
thankful for every one. I met a lot of people. Twice, I had joints
laid on me. One ride was in a far out hippie van where lots of great
music was played. In that van I met Peter, another hitchhiker heading
to Ohio. When the driver dropped us off, we agreed to travel together.

The weather cleared a bit once we hit Montana. In Missoula, Peter and
I erected a lean-to behind a gas station to escape from what turned
out to be the last of the rain. The lean-to worked well. The next day
was sunny, and we hoped we would catch a long ride.

Aug. 22

After three rides, a really nice couple heading to Yellowstone picked
us up. We camped at the beautiful West entrance of the park. I'd been
to all of them now. You can't get into Yellowstone without being awed
right from the start. I was traveling alone now. Peter stayed to see
the park with the guy and his chick. While in the park, I managed to
see two more black bears and another Bull Moose. Yellowstone was the
best park for seeing animals.

At the East entrance, I got a ride all the way to Minnesota. The
driver was not pleasant. He wanted a gas contribution, so I gave him
$5. I was glad when we finally went our separate ways. After that, I
decided to take the ferryboat across Lake Michigan. When the hitching
got poor (five cars in four hours), I turned around and headed back to
the north/south highway. The rides got better after that. The
hospitality I encountered during a couple of my rides left me somewhat
inebriated. The beer flowed, and the smoke dope was in abundance.
Those Badgers really knew how to enjoy themselves! By the time I
reached northern Wisconsin, I could barely walk.