c199b88e_Hitchhiking_in_Japan_Log__Highlights_of_trip
[Date] 03/07/08 to 03/11/08 [Destination] Tokyo and back [Distance] 570KM [# Vehicles] 15 [Highlights of trip] 
My luggage next to a mountain of snow. At a little past 11AM on March 7, 2008, I set out on another hitchhike trip toward the Tokyo area, about 300 kilometers from home. I always feel a rush of inspiration every time I start out on a new trip because each one is a fresh adventure with different challenges! Some wealthy people my age (now 57) spend 10s of 1000s of $ to climb mountains to relieve their boredom. They could have just as much fun or more without spending any money and make new friends on top of it by hitchhiking! This trip took me through one of the snowiest regions of Japan, the mountains between Niigata and Gunma. In the photo you can see my silver aluminum carrying case with my umbrella leaning on it next to a mountain of solid snow that was piled up by a snow plow. The case is 43 centimeters or about 18 inches tall. I would estimate the snow mountain to be at least 4 meters or about 14~15 feet high. Among the interesting people I met this trip, one was a professional bicycle racer, one a director of a printing company, one was a lady whose nephew is a missionary in Brazil, and one was a lady driver so small her hand looked about half the size of mine! The first leg of the trip was a bit of a challenge. One driver let me off at a an expressway parking area with only few cars. After waiting 30 minutes for a ride, I decided to leave the parking area and walk along the access road to the Ojiya Interchange about 2 kilometers away. There would be more cars passing at the interchange which would increase my chances.The problem was how to leave the parking area without walking through deep snow in my dress shoes. I finally found an exit road leading to a gate that was locked. On the side of gate was a fence that was low enough for me to climb over. After walking less than a minute, I flagged down a passing driver who took me to the interchange saving me the 20 minute walk.
Hitchhiking in Japan Log
Highlights of trip