Cynthia Shannon asked Richard Sutton:

Can you tell us some stories about hitchhiking in 1973? That sounds wild! And kinda scary... Would you recommend hitchhiking today?

Richard Sutton It took five days. Twice I was offered a bed in a spare room and while I didn't sleep all that soundly (watching for the door to open with my hunting knife held tightly in hand... it was a run-down gas station, no less! Looked like a future slasher film set.) it was still greatly appreciated. Both times, I got breakfast, too and was driven to the highway on-ramp and dropped with a cheery wave. Truck Drivers were good for making lots of distance. One ride ran from Nebraska all the way to Pennsylvania! Lots and lots and lots of talk, and not just an occasional snide hippie comment. I was dumped in the circle near the giant Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, where I was completely ignored for hours until a Cadillac slowed and pulled over so the blue-haired ladies in the back seat could flip me the bird, glare and drive off... probably to church. I had to walk back to the highway to get out of there. The last ride was the hairiest. It was a step-van driver who was late making his last deliveries, and stopped twice in NJ before heading over the GW Bridge. He was only able to slow down enough to drop me in the tunnel at the last Manhattan Exit. I had to step lively along the catwalk to find a fire escape to get out of there. It opened up through a rusted steel door on 125th Street. I had $42 in my pocket and a reference letter. My first view of NY felt like I had landed on a strange concrete planet, but I made my way to the nearest YMCA and a few days later, had a job and enough of a salary advance to put a deposit down for an apartment on 76th. Later that year, I met my future wife on Canal Street and my life began. I would not recommend traveling that way now for anyone. I'm a big guy, but even then I felt pretty timid and vulnerable. This is no way to travel now. Even short hops are much too scary to consider, but back then, I knew I had to make a change and I didn't own a vehicle or bus fare... so I hit the road with my backpack and thumb.

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