It was a cold winter day in January, and it felt even colder because of the wet clothes that hung to my body. As I walked down U.S. Route 19 outside of Bryson City, N.C., I kept looking up to see the sun quickly falling lower in the sky. The silence in the air was broken by the sound of a car coming up the road. I quickly turned to face the direction the car was coming from and threw up my thumb. Thankfully, a white Dodge truck slowed to a halt next to me. The window on the passenger side rolled down to reveal a middle-aged couple, and they looked like really nice people who were just trying to help someone out. The man asked if he could give me a lift somewhere. I happily answered “yes” and hopped into the bed of the truck. I hadn’t been so grateful for someone giving me a ride in a long time.

Over the years, hitchhiking has developed a bad reputation, and is not accepted as a safe or even legal form of transportation in the United States. In most situations, I would have to agree. Hitchhiking is not safe. You are getting into the car of someone you don’t know. This seems to go against everything our parents have told us about “stranger danger.”

Now you may be asking yourself, “If you feel this way, why do you still hitch?” While it is not always the safest option, it is sometimes the best and only acceptable form of transportation. Because such situations occur most often in isolated areas, it has become an accepted form of travel by many outdoor enthusiasts.

For example, now that spring has arrived, thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail have hit the trail on their way to Maine. They are carrying their lives on their backs, so they can’t carry enough supplies to last them for three to five months. Didn’t you ever wonder how they got new supplies every four to five days? It’s by hitching to the nearest town.

Hitching can also be a great emergency tool for all, not just those of us who find ourselves in the backcountry from time to time. It is not quite as necessary as it was in the past due to all of the technology that we now have, specifically mobile telephones. Before cell phones, if a car broke down on the side of the road, the driver had two options: either walk into town or hitch. Now with phones, we have the ability to call someone to come pick us up.

I do want to make it clear that I am not condoning or recommending hitchhiking. I am just sharing my opinion on the matter; the decision is up to you, but if you are planning on hitching, pay very close attention. First and foremost, you must be ready to turn down a ride if you get a funny feeling; always follow your gut. It may seem silly, but you do actually stick your thumb out on the side of the road. Once you have received a ride, be very nice and courteous to the driver, and if you don’t get a ride, don’t blame them for not picking you up.

Just in case it has not been made clear so far, hitchhiking is illegal in most states, including Georgia, and those that allow it have strict guidelines as to when and where it can be done.