As it turns out, that one's a lot easier than the first, because your grandfather used to hitchhike across Canada on a somewhat regular basis. Sure, it was more common then, but still...my family is awesome. My parents were skeptical of the idea at first, but the more I hitch (and the more tools I find to keep myself safe), the more accepting they are of the idea. I'm not going to be getting any travel partners in the near future, but it's great to have your family's support when doing something that may be a little bit crazy.
The purpose of this trip was to visit my grandparents. I decided to take the PCH, also known as Highway 1, starting from Ocean Beach. The MUNI light rail took me to the south end of the beach, where I found that there really wasn't any good location for people to stop. Too many cement barriers. Still, fun. I walked on top of the barriers till I ran out of them, then started thumbing it. My first ride was a late-middle aged woman and her daughter. They were on their way to clean out a house and get some of the stuff ready for a garage sale. They took me as far as Pacifica, to a spot where they'd seen hitchhikers before. And to be honest, it was a nearly perfect spot. Huge pullout, on the main road with plenty of traffic, and a stop light that made people pause right in front of you. It was occupied when I arrived, an Asian girl about my age hitching down to Big Sur to do some camping. I walked off a ways to let her get a ride first, and 5 minutes later I had the corner to myself.
The next ride came from a family in an SUV. The father had done some hitching when he was younger, and still picked people up as a way to help others out. I wish I could remember more about what he did and why they were there, but I do recall that they were from Sacramento. I got as far as Moss Beach with them, and was feeling pretty good about the whole venture. Two great people, and very little waiting, on an absolutely beautiful day.
My next ride was my last. Esteban, a geophysicist who'd just gotten a job in Arizona, was in the city and had decided to drive down to Santa Cruz before heading to a party in Palo Alto. He's quite the accomplished musician, playing the guitar, trumpet, accordion, harmonica, and keyboard (I believe). Sometimes he'll play two of them at the same time. Strange fact: he bought the accordion in Pocatello, Idaho, while on his way to do field work. He gave me a demonstration of his accordion/harmonica abilities when we got to Santa Cruz, playing a bit of Pink Floyd in an impromptu parking lot concert. He's not a hitchhiker himself, but he has associated with plenty down at Slab City, an improvised settlement in southern California. Apparently they have awesome New Years parties down there, and is an awesome place to visit. I may well have to do that.
This was a rather short hitch, but a very enjoyable one. I really should spent more time on this highway - the PCH is a beautiful place to wander.
Distance Hitched: 59 miles
Total Time: ~2 hrs
# of Rides: 3
Total Cost: $2.00
