I have driven and hitchhiked Route 66 several times before it was a thing, when it was simply the logical way of getting from Michigan to California and back.
That must have been a pretty thirsty hitch hike at one time, Ken. Long stretches of desert there. Unless you were lucky, that is.
Hitchhiking was pretty easy in the 60s and not as dangerous as it's made out to be today, although I am sure there were dangers. One time, I stuck my thumb out in Riverside County, California and, within minutes, got a ride that took me to the door of my father's house in Wallace, Michigan. He was only going as far as Milwaukee, I think it was, but by then we'd gotten to know one another and he took me the rest of the way, which was another couple of hundred miles.
Wow, that was lucky. I agree, with hitch hiking back then. I would pick up military hitch hikers only.
Interestingly, although I was a long-haired hippy, a lot of my rides were from soldiers too, and I felt more confident when I saw that the driver was someone in uniform. One time, in either New Mexico or Arizona, a county sheriff's deputy took me to the county line and passed me off to the next county sheriff's deputy, who drove me to that county line. The police weren't always so nice though, although the worst were usually city cops - especially Flagstaff, Arizona, which had a reputation among hitchhikers. We would stand outside the city limits and refuse any ride that wasn't at least all of the way through the city. Nobody wanted to get dropped off in Flagstaff.
Usually the sheriffs and small town cops are good eggs and will help out. In one night, I had a very polite encounter with a NY police officer who informed me that I was driving wrong on a one way street, which I already knew, but I played the dumb, sweet blonde and he was very helpful. A short while later, as I was crossing the G.W. Bridge into NJ, there were stanchions all over the place as they were building the lower level and it was so zig zagged, I kept knocking them down. Well a Port of Authority cop stopped me and began chewing me out, and I yelled back at him as though the Authority was out to get me. He got so disgusted, he just told to get going and not come back on his shift. I feel bad today after what happened to some of them on 9/11. But, to get back on track. Remember, some of those hippy types were very into peace and all that, so it doesn't surprise me that you had such a positive experience.
I wouldn't mind driving the remnants of Route 66 again, although many of the towns that have been bypassed by I-40 are sad, in that they were once full of life and are now empty, falling-down buildings.
Reno stay out of Reno! Got roughed up and my shit searched by a Deputy, his buddy sat down the road, watched me pack my stuff up,and he started in on me. Had a cop pick me up somewhere around Bakersfield, got a "call" dropped my off near a hitchhikers may be escaped inmates sign. Yep I was wearing jeans and a blue chambray shirt. Most folks went out of their way to be friendly and helpful.
Speaking of Reno. I was there around 1961 and was amazed at the sight of cowboys walking around that town with six shooters on their hips. Anything goes I guess.
We stayed in an rv park outside of Reno. We were parked in Nevada but were 3 feet from California. I frequently took a shortcut to the bathhouse through california.....LOL.
I haven't been in Reno since the 1970s but, at the time at least, I much preferred it to Las Vegas, since it had most of the same stuff only it wasn't quite as busy. Still, I have only been to Reno twice and I've been to Vegas a half dozen times or more.
@Lois Winters Why would armed men pose such concern? Cops, security guards, military, the American Public................. You fear guns, then? Frank
Gonna speak for Lois altho it is not my place. She used the word amazed. Not scared. She is from the east coast. To see anyone open carry outside of law enforcement would be a shock. Concealed carry is practiced much more than most people think, but open carry is taboo. For an Easterner to be surprised,(not scared, not fearful) would be an expected reaction.
True, Peter, I was not accustomed to just seeing people strolling around toting a gun on their hip unless they were police. Reminded me of the old west movies I saw as a child. Guns don't frighten me at all. I've used them at times when I belonged to the police department in my town. Plus we had to qualify monthly with our firearms.