Sunday, June 10th - A Hitchhiker

Last evening, after the jet boat ride up the river, I was walking Gypsy. It was still light and I saw an elderly woman pitching a tent near the dog walk area. That seemed strange...I had not seen any campers over in this area and there have been a number of tenters here. It was a bit breezy and she asked for my help in getting her "pop-up" tent stabilized. I helped her and she began to tell her life history, beginning with her master's degree in history. She has been hitchhiking across America to learn more history. She has found that men who give her rides EAST of the Mississippi are much kinder and ask less questions than men WEST of the Mississippi. She talked and talked...finally I broke away and made it home.

This morning, as we left the campground to get lunch, she was thumbing for a ride on the street corner. I stopped to say that we were only going a few blocks and would not be able to help her. She said she only wanted to go to the library in Clarkston. MA sez she will get in the back of the Jeep and she can ride up front. So, we load up her suitcases, tent, ice cooler, etc (6 pieces of baggage) and MA crawls into the back of the Jeep (no seat) and away we go. Found the library...the library was closed. MA suggested the library at Lewis & Clark College across the river in Lewiston. Found the library...the library was closed. MA found the Lewiston Library on a map...about 5 miles away. Again...Found the library...the library was closed. What do we do with her? Meanwhile, she (Jean) was spouting non-stop about historical minutia regarding the Nez Perce Indians, southerners who became cowboys, and her life in the Amazon working for the Peace Corps in the 1960's. We finally got her back to the main east/west highway (US-12) and unloaded (literally) her.

When we went together to do laundry this afternoon, I asked Jock, the owner, about her. He said that she appeared at his motel last evening looking for a free room. He sent her over to his campground and allowed her to set-up in an out-of-the-way location (near the dog walk). This morning, when she went to leave, she told Jock that during the night some man had attacked her with a non-lethal weapon, something like a ray gun but not deadly. Our adventure continues. MA says the "there, but for the grace of God, go I".

Anyway, got the laundry completed and will cook NY Strip steaks tonight. Awaiting the series finale of The Sopranos and the season finale of The Tudors.