Day 83 - Down to the Carolinas

Back on the road, and happy for it :D It's been a nice break being in a bus, but it's more fun hopping into random cars.

Today's experiment was also seeing if being in a white shirt and tie increased the response from drivers. While one experience isn't really enough to reach solid conclusions, my preliminary thoughts are that it helps in citified areas, and it hurts in rural areas. Though my last ride (in a rural area) did say that he stopped because I was dressed like he was (he was wearing a white shirt and tie, heading in to manage the bar at a hotel).

Quick info on my rides:

The first ride was a man, born in Pakistan but raised in the DC area. He'd rarely been to Pakistan, but still had a noticeable accent. He runs a used car business, and throughout the ride would get calls relating to various problems that he would need to resolve. Obviously a very busy individual, and I was quite fortunate to get a ride from him. I only had to wait about 5 minutes, too.

My second ride was a man on his way to Florida from Long Island, NY. Retired for 10 years, he used to be a guidance counselor in Brooklyn, and before that was a special ed teacher. It was a profession that he was at first very gratified by, but by the end of his 29 years of service was more than a bit disillusioned. He'd also served in the army for a time, has several successful kids, and family scattered around the country. He's heading south to find an apartment to rent for a few months this winter, then will return and bring his wife down with him.

The third and final ride of the day was with a man who tried for the American Dream (or American Game, as he later referred to it), made it, then lost it. He was an application developer for some software company, and eventually the bottom fell out. He went from being enamored with technology, to getting rid of as much as possible, and was impressed with the advancements, such as the fact that I could quickly do transit routing through google maps. Still, not a part of life that he wants to return to.

And finally, in the evening I had the opportunity to meet up with an old friend and roommate from Page School down in Chapel Hill. Home of a great burrito place, I might add. Meeting up with old friends is perhaps one of the best parts of this trip. I wish I could stay here longer, though. Apparently he and another page are participating in a stand-up act next week, and it would be really cool to see both of their routines. But alas, in the morning it will be time to move again. And come to think of it, it is also time to sleep.

Trip Stats:
Distance Traveled: 258 miles
Total Time: ~5:45
Google Estimated: 4:33
# of Rides: 3
Total Cost: $17