Early Journey

       My days on the road flared up earlier than I expected, when my second to last stop on my visits before hitting the road, kicked me to curb with about an hours notice. I was left to my own volition to get from Alvin Texas to Houston. So it was time to see what I could make of hitch hiking. My bag still heavier than it will be for my main trip, weighed heavy on my shoulders as I walked out of my hosts house into the hot, humid Texas morning. I was in a neighbor hood, so I just started trying to find my way to the highway. The hitch hiking gods felt like giving me a signing bonus on the hitch hiking travel plans because I got my first ride after about 20 minutes. He was a nice guy, in maybe is 30s, he had tattoos on his arms and was driving a suburban. He told me it was to hot for me to be walking and offered to drive me up to 288, which was great for me and I gladly excepted.  The drive was about 20 minutes, he told me about his job as an iron worker, and that I should be careful in south Houston on account of the crime. He dropped me off at a gas station right on the highway and handed me a 20 and wished me luck.
     I went into the station to see if they had any cardboard for a sign, but I don't think the attendant understood me very well, so I headed out to the road signless to try my luck. And as luck would have it I got another ride shortly after hitting the on ramp. A nice man by the name of Fransisco, we talked about our home towns and his broken truck that he was going to get parts for. He took me as far up 288 as he could, and dropped me off at the beltway.
    This is where my luck turned south. I found a tractor rental place that was willing to give me some cardboard for a sign, and they took my picture and told me I was a mad man.  After that the rides stopped. I realized to late that I was too close to the city, where it is notoriously hard to catch a ride from what I have read. I slowly waved my sign and walked, in the hot brutal Texas sun, It wasn't long before I had sweated through my clothes, and I was drinking most of my water. I walked for about 5 miles inhaling the exhaust when I happened upon a couple of gents selling melons and other fruits under a canopy on the side of the road. They let me rest under there shade and gave me a cold water bottle, which was great. I chatted for a while and asked them how much longer it would take me to walk into the city. The answer they gave me didn't bode well for my moral. I then asked them if there was a bus stop around, to which they said there was one right on the other side of the overpass we were next to, just in front of the community college (which I had missed due to walking backwards sailing my sign). I ran over to catch the bus, I was the only one on at the time. The bus driver told me that the bus couldn't take me downtown, but he said I could ride for free, and he would show me the right bus to take.
      I took one more bus for about 30 minutes and this brought me right into downtown where I was to meet my friend who was going to drive me to Dallas. I was lucky and landed right next to the highway. So I meandered over to a McDonalds that was easy to see from the highway, but it was to crowded inside for my liking, so I went out back and sat in the shade and smiled and sighed for an hour or so until my friend showed up.
     We drove back to Dallas, through a storm of quality proportions, ate some burgers, and arrived at his appartment after the sun had set.
     And here I am for a few days, enjoying great company, and making final preparations for my long journey. My short stint into the world of charity traveling has given me hope for what is to come, for although I ended up tired and sweaty. The people I met in cars and on busses and even just on the side walk were great people, people who were just happy to meet someone new and swap a few stories or pieces of advice. Next update will be from the open road.