On the Road Again 2016 #14

 The motel in Hope was fine - small and certainly not the most luxurious one on the strip - but it was what I needed. I ate at a small restaurant, trying to not wolf down the veggie burger and fries. I am generally not hungry when I am travelling. The occasional granola bar is generally eaten because I am bored as opposed to being actually hungry. But once I have stopped for the day - I am ravenous. I debated having a second beer but I decided that was a bit excessive - I also wondered if it would go to my head. It would not do to fall asleep on the short walk home to my bed.

I was up early the next morning. I made the short walk to the hitchhiking spot just before the highway. It was Saturday and I was hoping for someone who was going to Vancouver either for an event or perhaps shopping. What I got was short ride to Chilliwack and then another ride to Mission. After standing at the entrance ramp for some time I noticed a city bus going by. I like city buses and I assumed that this one would get me to somewhere that would be useful. In fact the driver said that there would be three transfers but that I could get to a Sky Train station. What he didn't tell me was that it would take hours to do so and that there would be three separate bus fares. In hindsight I think I would have been better off standing on the entrance ramp. I am sure that within an hour I could have got a ride into downtown Vancouver and saved myself three bus fares. Next time I will do it differently.

I did eventually get to Vancouver; I did catch the bus to Horseshoe Bay, and in Nanaimo caught the Greyhound bus to Duncan. In Duncan my daughter in-law kindly came and got me. It was not that I could not have walked the kilometre or so home - but I was tired and yes on some days I feel older than I thought I would.

It took me just over two and half days to get from Winnipeg to Duncan. It was a great run. I meet some interesting people  - all of whom had interesting tales to tell. I hope, as always, that I in return for the drive and the company, was able to entertain them with my conversation and my stories. I hope that they felt that it had been a mutually beneficial relationship. These relationships, some very short but a number of them lasting six or seven hours - are why I hitch. I love that excitement of getting into a stranger's car and heading off down the highway. Drivers pick me up for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes they are bored; sometimes they are curious about who this person is on the side of the road; sometimes they are paying back the rides they have gotten when they hitchhiked; sometimes they are being charitable; sometimes they have no clear reason - it has been an impulsive stop that I think sometimes they almost regret as I get into the car. But for whatever reason, they do stop - and I am grateful to them all.

Already I am thinking about doing it again - not because I need to go anywhere but because hitchhiking is fun and because hitchhiking defines at least in part, who I am.

P.S. my neighbours, all of who now know that I hitchhiked across part of Canada, are interestingly somewhat blasé about my trip. They have clearly talked to each other about it as I didn't tell them - but they are an accepting lot of people and don't think any less of me because I don't have a fancy car or take planes across the country. It feels good to be home