A quick brief of my experiences. My first adventure began in Alamosa, Co where I was attending college. I do not own a car an must get out every once in awhile. So mat the end of my first summer in Alamosa I wanted to go explore the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. I was quickly picked up by a retired proffessor of Adams State College in Alamosa. The whle way I nevr had to wait for more that 40 min to an hour between rides. By the time I was above Steamboat Springs, Co it was around 4 pm. I was actually just outside of a samll town called Hayden, between Steamboat and Craige, Co. I had started out at 6:30 am. Not bad time.

I was actually only going to start looking for a plave to spend the night when I was picked up by what would be my last ride. It turned out that the guys that cramed me into their car wioth their dog were on the way to the Tetons for the same type of adventure. Thus I ended up packing with theses guys for the next 5 days in the park and they gave me a ride all they way back to Alamosa. And the bbest part was thhat they were KIND!

I have thus hitched to denver and albequriqie, NM all out of Alamosa several times. just local trips.

My latest adventure was my attempt to get home to Sacramento Ca for x-mass. I went North as my luckk in that direction was always good. I did have a hard time getting out of Krembling, Co. A two hour walk with many cars passing my by. Many from texas and most with only one or two people in a large suburban type car. How ironic that my first adventure I was cramed into a ford escort with two other guys a dog and lots ogf gear. But finnaly to my resuce a bus pipcked me up. NOt your typical bus. It was a road bus of the Band "The String Cheese Incident." Turns out these guys were on their way to steamboat springs, Co for a gig thatr night and were running late. By the time wee pulled into steamboat it was 2 pm and heavy snow. Not many options for there is not much in the way of other towns around there. They said that if I helped them unload they would get me into the gig for free. These guys were great, they fed me hung out with me. I was introduced to many of thhier friends who were cool.

The next day I departed west, after contining north to I-80 in Wy. From there I headed west. Did not take me long again, maybe an hour at the most between rides. After a wait on 80 outside of Rock Spring I was piccked up by a guy going to Ca, but south. He dropped me off in Utah at about 4:30 pm. I figured I still had about an hour left to get a ride and that anyone goiung west was at least going to Reno, NV. So I tried my luck once again. This time only to be ticketed by ther Utah Fuzz. They were not very kind at all. Matter of fact they were dicks! I was ticketed four $40 and told to get off the highway or I would be brought in.

That has ended my experiences, but hope to soon travel again across the south west.

Wish me luck!

Matt Ridge