Pine → Strawberry

Didn't like the vibe with this man, we probably shouldn't have taken the ride. Nothing bad happened, but I felt sketched out.

Hwy → Canyon de Chelly Visitor's Center

Young boys (looked too young to be driving) in a pickup. We sat in the back with the two dogs. Martina's hat flew away :(

Flowing Springs Campsite → Pine

A mom in her 30's with tattoos and three girls ages 8,9,10. Had been camping nearby us.

Visitor Center → Junction Restaurant (Chinle)

A woman who was "just going for a drive." Recommended the Junction restaurant for good local food, and dropped us off right where we needed to be… We ate Navajo tacos.

Burnside → Canyon de Chelly (North Rim Hwy)

A Christian Navajo woman who asked me if I believe in the Bible. She said "It seems simple enough to me."

Chinle → Campground at Canyon de Chelly

A family gave us a ride in the bed of their pickup, just as the sun was setting.

Strawberry → Burnside (Navajo Nation)

A lovely woman in her late 20's named Larose picked us up. She is Navajo. We stopped at an outdoor flea market in Dikon, most people were selling stuff out of the trunks of their cars. Bought some Kneel Down bread (good!) and talked with locals. Stopped at her mom's house in Greasewood. She told us about her high school sweetheart, who used to drive his quad across the open… (read on in Trip)

Hwy → Antelope House

A young girl driving quickly to pick up her mom, whose beadwork is destroyed in rain.

Payson → Tonto Natural Bridge

A Christian man who had done time in prison. Picked us up in a U-Haul. Offered us lots of help through his church. Told us about some weird spiritual energy on a certain stretch of highway.

Mesa → Fountain Hills

A kind woman from the valley picked us up. She reminisced about hitchhiking with friends as a teenager.

Fountain Hills → Payson

A mother and her 23 year old son with their two dogs

Tonto Natural Bridge → (Up)

After the hike, there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot. We caught a ride in the back of a pickup.

Tonto Natural Bridge → Campsite North of Payson

A sweet latino family, who were worried about dropping us off on the side of the highway with a storm rolling in. We sat in the bed of their truck. They gave us Gatorade.

Tonto Natural Bridge → (Down)

A big family, we squeezed in

A Navajo Shaman named Billy picked us up. He dropped Martina off in Flagstaff, and then took me to my front door in Phoenix. He blessed us with sweet grass and a prayer. Told us about the sacred sun dance. Invited me to a pow wow where he dances. Warned me of dangers in Chinle. Shared stories from his youth- he hitchhiked to Wounded Knee! Talked about his time in Vietnam, and… (read on in Trip)

Grandview Trail → Grand Canyon Visitor's Center

After our hike we we picked up by a cute latino het couple. The woman was sweet, afraid of heights, and fascinated by our "bravery."

Flagstaff → Grandview Trailhead

A father and his 14 year old son in a minivan packed with supplies for a two week road trip. There were no seats so we sat on the floor. The father had hitchhiked extensively in his youth, mostly in the Canadian wilderness and the West. Full of adventure stories, life experience, and political perspective. They were heading on to Colorado.

Ride in the back of a farm truck with a bunch of olives

A woman from Neot Semadar picked us up. Neot Semadar is one of the few kibbutzim in Israel that have not been privatized. Everyone who lives there shares finances, no one has a specialized job, and they truly live as a community. It was fascinating to get her perspective on what it is like to live in such a place, as well as her opinions on why so many kibbutzim have moved… (read on in Trip)

An empty tour bus picked us up! The driver only spoke Hebrew.

Two brothers picked us up, they were heading to the beach. They asked if we wanted to go for a swim before parting ways, and we agreed. They took a back way on dirt roads to avoid paying private beach fees. The water was the bluest blue and refreshingly cold. We all dove in, explored the ancient Roman ruins nearby, and then they drove us to our next hitchhiking spot. It was a sweet ride.

First ride on the back of a motorcycle! He even had a helmet.