Once, at 18, when I was on my 3rd cross-country hitch-hiking adventure I distinctly remember the two guys in a beat-up van who stopped for me late at night outside of Vegas.
They were stopping at passing gas stations and getting the gas out of the hoses.....then I saw one guy stealing quarts of oil from those racks near the gas pumps while the other guy kept the clerk busy. Remember those racks?
I got my guitar and backpack out, thanked them for the lift....and hiked down the road before we all got arrested.
I also remember this - I came upon a city park. Nice grass. I stretched out under a tree. Went right off to sleep....to be rudely awakened by an auto sprinkler system kicking on about 5 AM!
That night, it was like midnight, looking down there at all those crazy bright lights from an on-ramp at the edge of town - was the closest I ever got to Vegas.
So, when people ask, "you ever seen Vegas?"
"Well, I sure have!"
Some 'rides' you never forget!
One time: my ride was out of San Diego - two sailors towing a 57 Chevy and a trailer. Going to Kansas City. "Can you take a turn at driving through the night, kid? "
Sure I can, I'm an American 18 yr old. (I rode motorcycles - the last time I'd driven a car I was 12. My grandmother used to toss me the keys and send me for eggs at the farm up the road) They went to sleep and I didn't kill us all that night.
Stig
