Hitch Hiking
Rick Hughes February 2, 2010

AS A YOUTH I HITCH HIKED EVERYWHERE, AT THAT TIME I NEVER WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED IT WORTH A TOPIC OR A STORY, OR A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, TIME HAS PROVEN MY EVALUATION WAS WAY OFF. FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND, MY DAD DIED SUDDENLY AND MY MOTHER, SISTER, AND I MOVED INTO MY AUNTS HOME IN BELLPOINT, FOR TWO YEARS AND MOM GOT A JOB AT THE PRISON. SO IN THE SUMMER OF 1954 WE RELOCATED TO ALDERSON. AFTER 2 WEEKS I WALKED OUT ON THE MAIN ROAD STUCK OUT MY THUMB, IT WAS ONE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON AND I CAUGHT A RIDE TO HINTON. MY RIDE TOOK STRAIGHT THROUGH ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN. I ALWAYS LIKED DOWNTOWN AREAS AND HINTON HAD A NICE VIBRANT DOWNTOWN. AS SOON AS I ARRIVED I WALKED ALL AROUND, AFTER 20 MINUTES I DECIDED TO GO HOME TO ALDERSON. THIS TIME HITCH HIKING WAS NOT QUITE AS SMOOTH ON THE RETURN TRIP. I CAUGHT A RIDE TO AVIS, WALKED FOR A PERIOD, CAUGHT ANOTHER RIDE TO BELLPOINT, WHERE THE LITTLE POST OFFICE WAS, CAUGHT ANOTHER RIDE TO THE BRIDGE, WALKED ACROSS, AND CAUGHT ANOTHER RIDE TO TALCOTT, THEN ANOTHER RIDE TO PENCE SPRINGS, AND FINALLY A RIDE BACK TO ALDERSON. I DID ALL THAT IN 3 HOURS, AFTER THAT EVERYWHERE I WENT WAS ON MY THUMB, USUALLY TO LEWISBURG.

ONE SUMMER I HITCH HIKED TO CHARLESTON AND BACK. ANOTHER TIME I WENT TO CATTLESBURG KENTUCKY. THE VERY BEST HITCH HIKER WAS TOBY KENNEY, I NEVER HITCHED WITH TOBY, BUT I DID WAVE AT HIM HE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND YOU CAN BET HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION BEFORE I REACHED MINE, HE WAS A REAL PRO. AS I REFLECT ON HITCH HIKING TODAY, YOU COULD NOT DO IT, THE POLICE WOULD PROBABLY PUT A QUICK STOP TO IT, AND SURELY ALL TYPES OF SOCIAL SERVICES WOULD BE ALERTED. I ALSO REALIZE THAT TIME AND HIGHWAYS HAVE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED. TODAY, I AM ALMOST A FULL TIME DRIVER FOR ONE OF MY GRANDSONS. STILL HITCH HIKING WAS UNUSUAL AND A RATHER REMARKABLE ADVENTURE.