Picking up 3 backpackers from the Florence Lake Junction and taken to civilization near Shaver Lake...These Fresno St. students were very grateful.

Good for you, Jay!!

Giving rides to travelers and hikers -- and receiving the kindness of strangers in return -- good karma all around. :)

Edited by ben2world on 09/14/2010 21:40:15 MDT.

Good job, Jay.

It is sad how our society has changed in such a short time. In the 60's and early 70's I hitch-hiked everywhere. As a kid, every summer day I would hitch-hike to the beach with my 8'6" Greg Noll surf board. It was common for me to hitch-hike to the Sierras or Lake Tahoe from L.A. One summer I even hitched to the Rockies. One memorable segment was from Green River Utah to the Rockies. Got picked up by a "flower-child" couple in a psychedelic VW micro bus.

Thank you, Jay for showing kindness. Their smiles say it all.

A trail angel did the same for me and two friends recently when we got off the trail in Colorado. I was sick (bronchitis) by then and the 6mile ride down the dirt road was truly a Godsend!

Again, the smiles tell the story!

Todd

Edited by funnymoney on 09/15/2010 06:50:03 MDT.

Nick:

I don't know the answer, but I constantly wonder if society has changed -- or has the media changed our perception of our society?

Way too many Americans get their knowledge of the Middle East solely from our news media (traveling requires too much time and money for many) -- and way too many Americans have a woefully skewed "understanding" and "fear" of that whole part of the world.

Methinks the same phenomenon has been at work here at home too. IMO, 95% of people are pretty OK -- esp. when you meet them in "onesies and twosies". When troubles start, they usually start with groupies -- and usually when coupled with booze and/or drugs.

That was very nice of you.

In the 70's my brother hitch-hiked and backpacked from Ontario to BC and back again. He'd get rides to the trailheads and set out on foot. He was the inspiration for many of my own outdoor adventures. It's sad that there is the fear being safe now.

Edited by Laurie_Ann on 09/15/2010 08:27:11 MDT.

Good job.
I gave two backpacking hitchhikers a ride from Lone Pine up to Onion Valley last time I was in the Sierra and pick up folks with packs whenever I can.
I've been saved myself a few times...I guy once gave me a ride from Florence Lake to Fresno, even insisted on buying me dinner and waiting with me to catch a train home.

Good to know good people who are not afraid exist out there.

Hitching is still a viable form of transport here in Humboldt. But it is like the 60's 70's in some respects. One rule, no patchouli.

Edited by kthompson on 09/15/2010 22:27:46 MDT.

Usually our rig is full up , but recently in the Cascades we hit the brakes to give our new friend Deuter 90 liter a ride. We had met at the Mirror Lakes. We were both Old School but I had gotten lighter. He was built for a planet like Jupiter and had no problems. The great thing was we still traded greatest places and past times . I have to say that if anybody here at BPL would kick him out for his mind set I'd choose him hands down over some gram weenie. But He already had a ride and we just wished him well. I happen to think his Karma went pretty deep. My wife and Daughter sure thought so. Back in the day hitching in Glacier was a way of life. But my friend Linda hit the reality in Arizona separated stupidly from her male companion. The choice put to he was F*** S*** 0r WALK. She walked and it turned out OK. Lucky she was.

Edited by Meander on 09/15/2010 20:19:40 MDT.

Hitch-hiking is pretty normal around here. You rarely have to wait long to get a lift. The main thing is to pay it forward! I urge you all to help out a fellow traveler with a pack on! I am a bit less likely to offer a lift to someone who has no pack...