Hitchhiking Eastern Idaho

    About a month ago a friend of mine celebrated his 29th birthday. A few friends and I got together and took him out to dinner. On our way back we picked up a hitchhiker named 5. 5 was from Salt Lake City, Utah. He was unlike any other hitcher I'd ever encountered. He was very organized, with a pen and a pad of paper scribbled with directions, tips and tricks that he had picked up in each town from the locals that knew the areas in which he passed. he was well dressed for the experience, and well groomed. To say the least he just didn't fit the part! We asked him where he was headed and he replied Montana. My buddies and I had no other plans for the day so we decided to take 5 as far as he needed.
    Over the next hour we discovered a little about 5. We learned that he was actually a pretty successful businessman, that he was employed by a company that hired him to travel around the country and move company vehicles from one location to another and that he would pocket the travel money that they had allotted him and just hitch his way from one place to another. 5 had made a career out of hitchhiking! I was pretty impressed! This guy was good!
    5 told stories. when I say stories I mean he never stopped talking the entire time we were on the road (about 3 hours to be exact). He told us about hitching in the 70's he told us about Europe and Canada, Asia and all over the United States. He gave us a lot of valuable information, such as if I were in Thailand and I had an itch for a pizza, sprinkled with pot delivered to me by a naked woman seated on a baby elephant I could have it for about $60, and the price of a girlfriend for a week in Bangkok. Over all it was quite the learning experience.
    In the end we dropped our newly found friend off in West Yellowstone, had an ice cream cone and headed home. I will never forget 5. I'm pretty sure every time I see a hitchhiker I'll look to see if it's him.

    Just after Christmas 2009 I had been placed into a situation that blessed me with the opportunity to choose my own adventure. Previous to visiting my friends and family in Seattle, WA. over Christmas break my car chose to stop working on me leaving me to bum rides off friends to work each morning or walk the 30 min drive to Idaho Falls. One particular morning I was late for work because I was unable to secure a ride from a friend. I girded up my loins,  on this particular morning,  quickly fashioned a sign from an old cardboard box and made my way to the freeway. I was amazed at how easy it was to hitch a ride! I hadn't been on the side of the road for more than five minutes when someone picked me up. For the next week I hitched to and from work.

    Jumping forward to just after Christmas. I had descended the plane at about 845am in the Boise, ID. airport when after a quick phone call I discovered that I didn't have enough money to catch the Salt Lake Express. Either way it would be 12 hours before it arrived to take the long awaiting passengers home to their destinations. I had an idea! It worked before so why not now? I grabbed my bags stuffed with presents gifted to me over the break, a coco motion, some socks, and a slew of gift cards and headed for the road! I was picked up just after I passed the first on ramp. The woman took me just far enough to make it to the next on ramp. Awe the widows mite!
    After walking a few a farmer by the name of Merl picked me up. He drove me all of the way to Twin falls. He was the nicest man! He told me stories of his family, the Mexicans that worked for him and life on the farm. I envied him. He was the kind of man I wish to be when I reach a ripe old age. A real man! Very "John Wayne"!
    Merl dropped me off just outside of twin falls next to a field of cows. I walked for about two miles thinking about my life, kicking rocks and feeling the warm sun on my cold face. It was a bitter sweet few miles. I thought about the life I've lived and the things I'd done. I felt at peace with myself. I had not been a perfect man,but I'd lived a life and that life had made me who I was at that moment in time.
    Two miles passed pretty quick. Truck drivers aren't like they are portrayed in movies! My thumb in the air was a ghost to every truck driver that passed. I was unsure if they changed lanes to avoid hitting me or just to make sure I knew that there was no chance in hell one of them would pick me up. the cows kept me company though and when my feet felt sore enough someone picked me up. believe it or not it was a Salk Lake Express driver headed home from work. He took me all the way to Pocatello and didn't even mention it when I fell asleep for an hour or so. He just offered me a bottled water upon awakening.
    Sure enough my time had come to an end with my new friend upon arriving at the gas station in Pocatello and after a quick lunch I headed back to the road. This time I was not alone! A strange black man accompanied me. At first he was ahead of me, but I figured that the closer i was to him either ahead or behind would throw off the drivers and my chances of being picked up would be less than likely. So I tightened my laces and kicked it into gear. I walked fast! with in a few minutes I had blazed passed the awkward black man and moved on to greener pastures.
    Around the time that I had come just a few exits before the Fort Hall Casino A construction worker picked me up. He was worried that I might be picked up by the cops( to my understanding it is not illegal to hitchhike in Idaho, but I was happy for the ride). He managed to drive me to the casino being that he was on his way to waist his earnings or gain a fortune depending on his relationship with lady luck. He was nice enough, but time was short and was less than sufficient to create a relationship from thin air.
     Within five minutes of leaving the casino I was picked up. The man asked me if I were a Mormon I replied that I am and he told me to get in anyways. Over the next hour or so he expressed every frustration he had with church. He told me a bit about his passed and confessed a few sins. Its weird how comfortable people can  get with complete strangers.
     Alas after an hour I was home in my little snow town of Rexburg, ID. My journey was over, but I would surely see the road another day! It would haunt my dreams.