Aaron and I picked up a super lovely hitchhiker who was walking along the side of HWY 81. His name was Chris and he greeted us with a pearly white smile. The feeling of his dry rough skin shaking my hand had me convinced he was parched from the desert sun, yet he expressed his love for walking in the heat. We supplied him with water, chocolate and tuna. He was a sweetheart, probably the kindest hitchhiker I have met so far. We dropped him off at the food mart in Hachita. With gratitude, he threw on his backpack, grabbed his hand carved hiking stick and continued his hitch towards San Diego.
I went inside the Food Mart to use the restroom and accidentally walked in on a guy peeing. I apologized with laughter and made my way back to the van. Him and his friends perked my interest as I saw them come outside and so I stood up out of the van. I told him they looked famous and asked where they were from. The blonde one smirked and with a sexy accent said, “my name is Andrea and I am from Italy”. He said he was in a psychedelic alternative rock band titled “New Candys” with a “Y” and was on the road touring from Europe. We flirted it up and I gave him some stickers in trade for an autograph. I blew them a kiss as Aaron and I drove off into the sunset.
We got lost and so I hopped out of the van to ask some farmers and border patrol for direction. I poked my head into their car and watched the way they became all frazzled around me. I would’ve made a move on all of them if the timing was right, BUT I know the Universe likes to tease me before I get what I want. 😉 They gave me directions and so we drove for a couple of hours down a dirt road towards the terminus. The sun was setting beside us as Aaron and I spent our last moments together. Halfway there we met a guy named “Whip” who was thru-hiking with his dog. I nearly cried from excitement at the sight of another hiker. “I am home”, I thought to myself. 👣🏔✨💫