The People of the Trip

Beginning with the first ride each person had a story to tell. I have to say this first, thank God I was not picked up by anyone that was bad. I was truly protected, and I felt it and didn't worry (I was not a dummy,either). There was a few short rides that I don't recall, but starting with the first guy, I remember the "Special Ones".

My first pickup out of Lexington was a vacationing trucker that drove a big car and told me about the sights on the Bluegrass Pkwy. He was very polite. I rode with him until he headed south, and west was my only goal. That was the way most rides ended.

I had another man pick me up that wasn't so polite, but even he wasn't too bad. He talked alot until he found out I wasn't going to sleep with him. He abruptly pulled over on the off ramp and got out when I did. He slapped something in my hand (it was getting dark) and told me that it was in case I found someone I liked better than him. He was very sarcastic and as he pulled off I could see he gave me a condom! This was the only time I was thumbing at night, and then it wasn't for long.

I ended up one day in the suburbs of Indiannapolis, and I was picked up by a young couple. They told me that I was in a bad place to be on the road at night. They were going home and "partying" and invited me to come and spend the night on their sofa. So I did, and I got my first shower in a couple of days, and a steak dinner. Also, all the weed I could smoke, and beer I could drink. It turns out, the "party" was because the guy was going to jail the next day and that was how he chose to spend his last night of freedom....

I think I made it through dinner and one joint and beer and this party animal zonked out. The next morning they dropped me off right where they had picked me up and I continued my way west.

Next in my memory book comes Casey.....


Peace

The Trip

Okay. I have been searching maps to be sure of my beginning, but hell, who is? So I'll just start.

The afternoon I decided to do it Winn was with me. I sat down at our kitchen table with the atlas and closed my eyes. I put my finger down on where I was heading first (this was my decision making process), opened my eyes and saw Lexington, Kentucky. I thought this was cool, as I loved horses. So I packed one small bag and Winn took me to the Greyhound station in Marietta and I said my only goodbye.

The bus left late in the afternoon, so we rode into dark on back roads much of the time. It stopped at places that looked like nothing but an old front porch. I had a few drunks for company, along with several pregnant women, most slept most of the time. I was wide awake thinking and dreaming about what was to come. I never thought of ending up where I did, I was truly living by the moment.

I arrived in Lexington at 3 a.m. and to my despair found only one place open! I just went in for a moment and started my journey right then, with only my thumb and legs to depend on. I knew I wanted to go west, so I followed road signs and after a couple of hours got my first ride on the Bluegrass Parkway going west. What a way to start the day.....

Peace