Looking through the window at my side. To the driver pointing on me: „He has no seat-belt.“ Driver: „Ahm…well. There is no seat-belt on this side.“ Policemen: „This is forbidden, you can’t drive like this.“ Driver: „Okay, what are we going to do then?“ Police: „How about….a coffee?“ Driver: „One dollar for a coffee?“ Police: „Yes.“

Canada

Note: It is forbidden t hitchhike in British Colombia.„Where are you heading to?“ „Vancouver.“ „What, all the way? Well….there is a bus station, I could give you a ride to.“ „Nono, it is alright. I am hitchhiking. It is not far. One ride and I am there.“ „Yeah thats true.“ „I just wanted to walk a bit further, I don like this position. Maybe use the onramp over there.“ „You can walk under the highway pass. There is more space to stop. And you sure will find a ride.“ „Cool.“ „The guys from the highway patrol might give you a hard time, when they see you. I don’t care, I am not from the highway patrol, as you can see.“

Northern California

Two cars stop. „What are you doing here?“ „Hitchhiking.“ „You are not supposed to do that here!“ I give him already my passport. „aha, where are you going?“ „Seattle.“ „To the jail?“ My suit, my suit….. He checks my papers, the younger cop arrives and starts chatting with me. „Ah don’t worry, you are not in trouble.“ As if I would be worried. I tell him my story. The other cop comes back. „Hey Frank, this guy hitchhiked all over the world!“ „Really?“ „Man, I would love to give him a ride to Winters, but I guess this wouldn’t help.“ Third car arrives, which is very unusual. They called for the Sergeant. Now all three of them are surrounding me. Sergeant: „Where are from?“ „Pardon?“ He gives me a clap on the shoulder. „Where are you from?“ „Oh, Germany.“ „Nono, where in Germany?“ „Frankfurt.“ „Oh, I lived in Frankfurt for two years. And Frank, you also lived in Germany, right?“ „Right.“ Short chat about how beautiful Germany is and that they really liked Sachsenhausen. Then they suddenly all turn around and walk to their cars. While they go the Sergeant said: „Well, you are not supposed to hitchhike here. So….hitchhike your way out! I don’t want to read about you afterwards!“ Alright.

Special: The Mexican

„They deported me already 13 times.“ „Really?“ „Yes, but I always came back! They fly me out, then I go dancing, to some party in Tijuana. And when I am drunk, I go back.“ „So it is possible to cross the border?“ „In the past it was easier. But I know how to do it. If you do it the first time, it might be difficult. But I did it so often, not a problem. If they catch me and deport me, I just try the next day.“ „Do you have friends, that pick you up from the border?“ „Nono, my family sends me money and I take a Taxi to the Greyhound station and then go by bus. I don’t know why they still deport me. It is a waste of money!“

Der Beitrag Traffic Exists. Hitchhiking Possible; (12) The very best of: Police controls erschien zuerst auf Warm Roads.

Five tacos for a Hallelujah, afterwards straight to bed. I sleep under a pigeon tree. I am covered in shit in the morning. Thanks you fuckers.

8:00am

The first ride took some persuading. The truck driver didn’t really want to. His co-driver was standing at the taco shop with his mum. I bummed them for a cigarette. They added a croissant. They even asked the trucker once again if he wasn’t going to give me a lift and so he accepted. Mum continued feeding me with corn puree and meat stuffed leaves.

8:40am

Two sloppy Mexican worker. They feed me egg-salad-sandwich. One of them likes me so much that he takes a picture of me and hugs me several times. A lot of love is in the air that day.

10:03 am

A very special encounter. A guy approaches me, looking as if he was headed to go bowling. Violet shirt and besides a pair of shoes nothing on him. I figure that he is from Honduras and tries to get into the US without a passport. To his brothers place, in Houston. How he was going to cross the border? Well, swimming of course. Tough shit. It seemed that it wasn’t the first time for him. He buys something to drink for me and our first driver. I have a bad conscience and give him my map in return. We have the same path in front of us but we separate soon since he has no papers and I don’t want to be stuck in a police check. Costs so much time.

I won’t see him again. Looks like he did catch a ride before me. Pity. I wanted to get to know him a little better. Good bye, illegal immigrant.

11:03am

The next driver takes me until somewhere in the middle of nowhere, close to the highway towards the border. Midday sun was chilling in the sky. Hitchhiking was slow since Monterrey. I‘ve decided to play the being-miserable-card and started to walk along the highway in the sun’s heat. Cars and trucks rush past me. It’s very hot and I wonder if that was a good idea.

11:46am

Grandma, grandpa and grandchild stop. Why I was alone out here in the heat and that they can’t leave me like that. I have to drink water and eat a sandwich.

2:10pm

Border. I have to pay 26$ to exit Mexico. What the hell? Here I find out that my 100 Dollars are gone, the one that I had packed for emergency. My driver lends me the money. I have no chance to give it back to him. But he doesn’t even want it back and continues straight after a “decent” check while I am stuck at the border for about 3 hours. The US administration takes its time.

Again they completely dismantle my backpack like in Panama and here they have a drug dog in addition. Luckily I had lost the small piece of hashish that I was carrying since Uruguay, saved for a special occasion. Would have been a birthday present. (It took me a month to find out I hadn’t lost it when I accidentally found it again. It was hidden so well, that neither me not the dogs nor the other personal searching my backpack had found it. Well done, Stefan!).

7:55pm

A Mexican who didn’t give me a ride but a melon instead. Now I have a ride to the city boundary of Laredo. He is a bus driver and offers me a hotel room, several times. It takes me a moment (as always) until I figure out, that he’s gay and wants to share that room for some dirty stuff (and that I wouldn’t have to pay). I decline. A friendly goodbye and I continue.

8:20pm

I’m on a gas station. Strange things happen in the USA. Firstly one of the security guards comes over. He looks like a Star Trek fan, rather fat and with glasses. He tells me that there is a homeless shelter in the city. Thanks for the hint. He was good spirited, trying to interpret reality within his range of memories and experiences.

One hour later. He is back, rather his colleague comes bringing him. His colleague was more like the Texas Cowboy guy. “Law and Order”, a tiny statue, disgruntled and with a formidable schnauzer for which I envied him. Obviously he didn’t like hitchhikers. We had one of the most epic conversation, one that you can really only have in ‘murica.

“Sir, you can´t ask all the people here. They will come and complain.”

“Well, did anyone complain so far?”

“No, but what you do is wrong.”

OK. Sure, end of conversation, no need for further discussion.

9:28pm

After I left the gas station I am in a hopeless position holding my honey melon. Amidst the darkness. A cargo train passes. Train Hopping? Well, wrong direction. But suddenly a pick-up stops. Mexican. What else. He can bring me 70 miles close to my goal and I am allowed to ride the loading platform. Others didn’t want to take me on the loading platform since we are going to pass a big immigration check and it is clearly forbidden to ride on the back of the pick-up. Well, millions of stars above me, pick-up … and I am so bad at saying no to an offered ride.

10:14pm

Immigration checkpoint. I try to play sleeping and hide, not working so well under the light of around 100 spotlights that beam down on me. Police approaches. “You are the rider?” “What?” “You are the rider?” “Yes, I am the hitchhiker!” Isn’t Ryder a candy bar?

Then, the one and most important question: “Are you US citizen?” Inside I was nearly rofling. That question is the opening to an amazing video about human rights. It’s about the these illegal checks and very amusing. The only right answer to that question is “I am not answering this question. Am I being detained?” but I wasn’t on confrontation course, handed them my passport and both were very friendly. In the beginning one of them was like “That is that guy” but in the end they figured they had mistake me for someone else. They congratulated me on my ride on the pick-up since usually nobody here stops for hitchhikers.

02.08.15 7:05am

I slept next to a fence on the gas station that night. In the morning a car passed by and stopped: “Are you homeless?” the driver asked, sounding like Marge Simpson. I had to laugh. “No, I´m just hitchhiking.” “Oh, I bought you breakfast.” Okay…

7:48am

First ride, nice guy. Finally able to talk in English. I am offered more food but I already had a McDonald’s breakfast.

9:53am

A talkative woman gives me a ride. She says that her husband asks her to not take hitchhikers. “But I hitchhiked in the seventies myself, back and forth through all the country and somebody has to stop for you.” Classic. We befriend us on Facebook.

10:01am

Standing besides the street, in my hand a bottle. A car stops and gives me a sign with a bag. “Here, I bought some water for you. It’s too hot outside.” Wow. That’s America. Food and drinks on mass, more than I can consume. If I could come with the car? No, sorry.

Well, I got two bottles of water now that I don’t need.

10:07am

Gas station. A friendly and pretty woman in her thirties with two kids. In the beginning she didn’t want to give me a ride but I had a feeling so I just stood there tactically leaning back. They filled up gas and I went back to my position. Shortly before they started they beckoned me to the car. She said: “And then I saw that you are carrying a watermelon. And I thought, you can’t be dangerous”. The spirit of the Mexican that wanted to give me a ride but had no space was with me. Thanks.

12:56am

Last ride to Austin. A guy who earns his money with drug dealing, well suited. I see a homeless person with a nice base-cap and think aloud. ”I could use a hat.” My driver is instantly pushed. “Really? Man, come on, I’ll get you one!!” We drive to the next head shop and I am free to choose a base-cap. They all looked (sorry about that) like shit. Stoner hats. I don’t want to be seen with that on the street. But well, didn’t want to hurt his feelings either and took the least shitty one. At the cashier’s desk I was shocked. 48$. You really wanna buy me that? He was completely fine with it.

I had arrived to Austin, Texas. I hitchhiked from Germany to the USA.

Der Beitrag Mexico out of the logbook (2) erschien zuerst auf Warm Roads.

12:10 am

No idea where they were going. They said something about “close to the border”. Would push me pretty far. I sit on the loading platform and enjoy getting further that fast. We go through heavily vegetated areas. A heavy and intense smell of pussy is in the air. Is there some strange plant radiating this horny odor? Or did we just pass the “giant, glowing clitoris”? I was happy.

2:10 pm

A Family stops and takes me. I sit with the father, two sons and the mother on the platform. The oldest son and grandpa are sitting inside, driving. We stop at an intersection waiting for some acquaintances. Another pick-up with blue barrels shows up. Inside: alive fish. The family buys two buckets and we go on.

2:43 pm

Mazda pick-up with two guys. If I had lunch already? They buy a pizza and a bottle of coke and we share. They take a picture of me and invite me to smoke a joint. Sorry to decline. No drugs at “work”.

6:57 pm

Border of Mexico. It takes me 17 minutes to immigrate. It is bucketing down. No chance of continuation. I speak to two elderly men at a nearby bar. My Spanish is already good enough for conversation. The night starts.

8:55 pm

It’s dark, time to get lost. Two policemen take me to the next village on their way home from work. Even better, one of them is fetching his motorbike bringing me 7km further to the next city. Wow, it’s so nice here! Mexico.

9:32 pm

Had a nice ride with a taxi driver in the city. Now it’s the first time that I meet Mexican food. Tacos. Hadn’t really eaten much that day so any food would have been great anyway. Still, Tacos are delicious! With cheese and three different sauces.

10:03pm

Further. Walking to the end of the city.

00:06 am

No luck, walking further. There is a gas station, I look for a place to sleep. A security guy is sleeping there already. He is a little shocked as I wake him from his midnight nap. I ask if I can join and suddenly there are all in all 3 Persons sleeping there. Not only the security guy but also the people working at the gas station took a collective nap under the stars. After a short talk they allowed me to sleep under the roof of a nearby building.

30th of July 2015, 8:58am

I am exhausted. Was a hard night, in the morning I had to wait 100 minutes to get my first ride. I lie down next to the road, taking a nap.

12:37am

The sleeping beauty arises. This was urgently needed rest. At the same moment I catch, freshly committed, the first truck passing. 0 minutes of waiting time. Yeah!

13:34pm

Now on the run. The truck took me until a toll station. After a short while I flag down a small transporter with a huge trailer. I’ll be driving until 10:05pm with this one. Through half of Mexico. Well, a quarter, but several hundred kilometers. Good ride!

10:35pm

I am motivated. Good that I had slept in the morning. A family stops at my police check. My chance. If they were going towards Mexico City? Yes. Can I come with you? Yes. What I hadn’t seen was that there were already four people in the loaded car. Still I could squeeze in. Super nice. I feel flattered. For 3 hours we speed on the highway. Towards Mexico City. Perfect lift at night.

31st of July 2015, 02:33am

Another ride at night. Runs. A priest with his sheeple. I am offered food. The priest formerly lived in Los Angeles, speaks English pretty well. An amusing bunch of people. At least 2 of the 4 people were former drug addicts, before they found god. Crucial question comes inclusive. As always I try not to be very clear, that I believe in god at least somehow and try to switch topics to not offend somebody. My seat neighbour talks herself into an ecstasy, telling me that I have to talk to god because he is taking care of us all. I sit through it, pretend to only understand half of it. Then I receive a sandwich.

6:37am

Long ride at night. I exit at another toll station. A car stops, I run towards it, open the passenger side door. A voluminous woman looks at me, scared, instantly closing the door. Didn’t want to. There is that other guy with the white scarf. He comes towards me, looks like another hitchhiker. He buys me a coffee and a piece of bakery from a street shop. Later on I discover that he is not actually a hitchhiker but truckers pick up people with white scarfs as aiding workers. They help loading and unloading. Interesting.

7:34am

Another awesome ride. One guy with red shoes and a Hawaiian shirt (looking like a pervert, perfect target for me, they are mostly companionable) stops and gives me a ride. A friend of his drives behind us. They had bought a car. We have a great conversation, he is a really nice person. On the gas station we drink coffee. Then he wants to show me a Mexican speciality. We stop at a random street food shop. But they don’t have it.

We had a big nail stuck in one of our wheels. Again a flat tire. Driving to the next car repair. They can’t help us really but fill it up with air again. Speeding to the next workshop. A nice, fresh morning. We change the tire, I am offered breakfast, and further to Mexico City.

I missed the right exit and went 70km too far into the biggest city of the world. But I had a run so what the fuck, what could go wrong?

11:07am

Waited 30 minutes for another ride that would bring me to the northern end of the city. Super happy. One and a half hours of driving in front of me.

12:50am

A nice father is giving me a ride. Wife and kids drive behind us. I receive some ice tea as we stop. In the other car I spy a cat. How nice, they are traveling with a cat.

3:44pm

Another mega ride. Another transporter with a long loading platform. Another father of a family. He invites me to sleep while he drives. If he was tired? No, but if so, he will stop somewhere to sleep because he has kids at home and needs to be careful. He will take me far north. Close to Monterrey where not long ago the mafia war was going on.

11:25pm

Gas station. Amidst the drug trafficking area. Several Mexicans prepare a car to be towed away. They accept to bring me to the next toll station. Then a truck arrives, obviously filled with completely stoned people. Always pushing the gas pedal without a set gear. It roars over all the area. They go a little forwards, then backwards, there is a loud bang, the truck crashes with full force against another car. The driver of the hit car gets out checking the situation. But no need to heat the situation by stressing the crazy folks. I stay in the background, I feel uneasy about it.

Der Beitrag Mexico out of the Logbook (1) erschien zuerst auf Warm Roads.