Hitchhiking Has Become A Lonely Activity Since The 1970s

Today, very few venture onto the Trans-Canada Highway sticking out their thumbs. There was no awe-inspiring moment of, “Hey, why don’t we hitchhike out west this summer.” At least, not that I recall. It was just the thing to do back then, when thousands of youth — actually hundreds of thousands — took to the highways and back-roads to travel across Canada, the United States and Europe by sticking out their thumbs. It was 1972. School was out, rock and roll was in, when three fresh-faced girls with long hair, faded jeans and backpacks joined this historic movement and set off to see a world beyond the borders of Toronto. No iPods, cellphones or credit cards, just a bit of cash stuffed in our pockets and a naive sense that all would work out in the end… read more >