Utah

 August 2010 
  
          We waited out front of this Flying J for hours and hours soliciting everyone that pulled out of the lot for a ride. We had no luck, it was very disheartening and drained all the enthusiasm we had gained in Lava Hotsprings. I finally decided to walk to the nearest highway on ramp to see if there was a safe place for us to hitch, Ty and Mai Tai waited at the Flying J. There was not a lot of room at the on ramp, but there seemed to be just enough shoulder for someone to pull over. I was excited about trying to hitch here, I had a feeling we would have much better luck than our current spot.
         On my way back to Ty and Mai Tai, a trucker was driving to the truck stop and asked if I needed a ride, I told him yes and explained that I had my boyfriend and my dog waiting at the stop for me, I asked if he would be able to take all of us. He looked kind of doubtful then, but agreed. I ran back to Ty all amped up and told him we had a ride! We quickly scooped up all our stuff and ran over to the truck that was now parked in the stop. The driver came around the corner and I excitedly introduced Ty and Mai Tai. He wasn't very friendly and said he had changed his mind and couldn't take us anymore. The whole situation gave me the creeps, the fact the he was more than willing to give me a ride when he thought I was a young single girl, but changed his mind when I was "protected". Who knows if he had fowl intentions, but it made me glad I wasn't hitching alone.
          We walked over to the free way on ramp then and put up our thumbs. A few cars passed us by before one stopped. It was a car full of ladies that just wanted to make sure we were alright and had water. They were worried about us and said we looked young to be hitchhiking. We assured them that we were fine, but appreciated their concern.
          We decided to toke a little while we waited, figured we might as well ease our frustration. A few minutes later a guy about our age in a beat up little car pulled onto the off ramp heading towards the Flying J. I quickly stuffed little bowl blue into the mesh side pocket of my pack. He stayed stopped at the off ramp for awhile as if he was considering picking us up and then finally pulled up by us and inquired into our situation. He told us he was heading to the Grand Canyon and could at least give us a ride into Utah. His car was full of stuff and he had to get out and rearrange in order to fit us. This guy was way laid back, he had long curly hair and was wearing a baseball cap, he had on no shirt and no shoes. He said he had to stop for gas first so we pulled back into the Flying J and even pitched in 5 bucks for the tank. When he came out he had a six pack of beer in his hand and offered us each one in the car. We were a little nervous about him drinking and driving, but he seemed sober enough and we figured as beggars we can't be chosers. Besides, a beer sounded great after our long frustrating day.
          Our new friend turned out to be from British Columbia, Canada and was on a road trip in the states. We had an awesome time with him. He too, like so many of ours rides, had hitchhiked before and shared his stories. He had a few scary moments, but he agreed that we had a much better situation with the two of us and our dog. Whenever you're alone, even when you're a larger man, you're more vulnerable. He took us a ways past Salt Lake City stopping often along the way, playing tourist. Eventually it was dark and he dropped us off at the junction for Hwy 6.
         So here we were, on the side of the hwy, it was pitch black outside and seemed like a storm was coming. Across the road was an empty field with some construction vehicles parked to one side. We decided to walk over and see if there was anywhere inconspicuous for us to make camp. We found a little ditch in the field that the road crossed over. The road created a bridge over the ditch and was a little higher than the field. This kept us out of sight from the road at least, we just hoped there wouldn't be construction work going on in the field in the morning.
          There's definitely a storm coming. As we put up our tent, the wind starts blowing so ferociously we can barely hold it down. We notice windmills across the road, and realize this probably wasn't the best place to camp in a storm, to late now. We stake the tent in good and climb inside for cover. Before bed we want to smoke a toke again, but I can't find little bowl blue anywhere! Then I remembered that I had set it in the side pocket of my pack, it's definitely not there now. It must have fell out, hopefully on the ground and not in that guys car. I'd hate for him to be driving around with smoking paraphernalia unaware. I'm a little sad over losing little bowl blue. It was just a little piece I had picked up in Venice Beach for ten dollars, but it had lasted me like 3 years. Really it was better not to have it anyways, we weren't in liberal California anymore. At least I didn't have to ditch it willingly, I wouldn't have had the heart.
          All through the night lightning crashed around us. I could literally see it with my eyes closed! I barely got any sleep, while Ty snored away next to me. I felt so vulnerable laying there in the middle of an open field. The sky was changing by time the storm passed, it was almost daylight and I was finally able to sleep.