This'll do, until the real adventure begins

I was driving to Lubbock from Fort Worth the other day when I saw an old man walking down the side of the frontage road. My hitchy senses were like "Okay Karma, I see you tossing me this bone, I got you girl". And so I go on this epic journey to turn around and make it back to this old man (because of course there couldn't be a simple U-turn, it had to be at an intersection of two different highways to make it more challenging). And knowing I was about to partake in a little hitchhiking adventure of my own I was more than a little excited to set my karma straight in life. This was exactly what I needed. It's really not that common to see hitchers 'round these parts (these parts being Texas) and I was worried someone else was gonna get to this guy before I did (as if everyone is as excited to get a hitchhiker as I am), but I ended up winning the race in the end. I pulled over to pick up Byron (was his name, though I don't know if I am spelling it correctly) and before ya' knew it we were like best buds. He had a gnarly awesome beard and smelled almost as good as I used to on the Appalachian Trail (sarcasm). Used to be a farmer and all sorts of cool things. He told me all about his hitching adventure of the past five years before I ended up buying him lunch at a truck stop and sending him off with all the good luck I could spare.

Continuing my drive to Lubbock, with all the excitement of a hitchhiker settling in, I see another pair of hitchhikers on the side of the road. How lucky can I get? Three hitchhikers in one day? Crazy right? I throw on my hazards and pull up in front of the two even before they have their thumbs up. This was a real treat for me, these were real hitchhikers. Making their way from Mississippi to New Mexico for some awesome camping trip. You never see real hitchers around here, and I found some! She was 21 and he was 24, and they were both incredibly nice. This was their first time hitching anywhere so we shared some stories about our hitching experiences and I gave them all the tips I could to help them get along on their way to New Mexico. I was so happy to be a part of their first hitching trip. But what I really mean to say is, it's always nice to welcome someone to the family. We spent a good couple hours getting to know each other before I dropped 'em off a little out of my way with my car USB charger (a necessity for modern hitching) to help them along. Yet again, thanks Karma... for throwing me a bone. Seriously though, how lucky can you get?

All this was the perfect way to get me ready to hitch up Seattle way. I'm super pumped to get pointed in that direction. I'm leaving around the 13th of May, hitching to Seattle, to go work in Alaska for the summer.  I really am excited, but, as life always sees fit to do, I have been meeting all the awesomest of people lately. And they almost make me regret leaving for adventure.... Almost, but not quite. Sometimes the call to adventure is just so strong there is nothing you can do about it. But oh well. Adventure here I come! I still won't forget all the amazing people I've met in the past couple weeks. I hope to meet up with you all again soon, but until then, and until the real adventure starts, I will miss y'all.

Be happy,

Beacon