Remember, when I get older you're going to have to carry me.
Some of you probably can’t even remember the days when picking up hitchhikers was acceptable. People routinely hit the road with nothing more than extra clothes in a duffel and their thumb in the air. You didn’t have to worry (at least not as much) about serial killers, rapists and simply “weird folks.”
I worked with an older video photographer (older than me) who routinely discussed his hitchhiking adventures from coast to coast. He enjoyed the freedom, the adventure and most of all, the cost. He didn’t have much money back then so a free ride was greatly appreciated.
I never hitchhiked any long distances. I once bummed a ride from an American Indian after tiring from a long distance canoe trip and hoping to find a ride to my truck. Come to think of it, that guy talked me out of a $20 bill for the ride. I wasn’t hitchhiking. I took a cab ride!
So how does the hitchhiking theme tie into this blog? This weekend we undertook some major hikes. Cole and I scouted elk country on Saturday and found ourselves in the fog at the start of the hike. After wandering up and up we finally stopped for lunch and when the fog lifted we couldn’t believe how high we had hiked. Sage knew. She plopped down and needed a nap. Instead of waiting for her to finish her REM cycle Cole fit her into my pack and off we went. We found the elk we were looking for over the next ridge and quietly exited after noting their location.
The next day Katelyn and I headed to Montana. We were mainly flatland hiking, but it still was tiring for a pup. It didn’t help that the ranch owner showed up with his 6-month-old border collie and the two puppies were a blur of fur for nearly 30 minutes. Needless to say, Sage once again ended up in my backpack. At the rate she’s growing this hitchhiking won’t last for long. At the rate I’m aging I’ll be the one looking for a ride. Do they manufacture baby carriers for adult-sized passengers?
Mark Kayser
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