【Hitch-hiking from Salt Lake to Denver】PART 3 搭车去丹佛-第三章

（Continues from the previous blog post--Hitch-hiking from Salt Lake to Denver Part 2)

This was 2:30pm in Roosevelt, Utah. Three cars took me here from Salt Lake City in 6 hours. My destination was Denver, still hundreds of miles away. However, I was assured that I was getting closer and closer. Sayer, John, and Amanda/Greg were all great "car hosts" along the way. Our brief encounters were pleasant and memorable. 

I realized that I was somewhat off-course. I needed to get on an interstate highway (I-80, I-70 or I-15) in order to get to Denver in an efficient manner. Roosevelt is sort-of mid-of-nowhere. If I had to stop for the day here in Roosevelt, I thought to myself, I would be quite satisfied with my Day 1 progress already. One thing about hitch-hiking is that you cannot be greedy. CELEBRATE WITH EACH STEP ALONG THE WAY. 

（续）六个小时之内，3辆车已经把我从盐湖城送到了北犹他的小镇--罗斯福。丹佛依然在几百公里之外，但我对目前的进展已经非常满意了。可惜，罗斯福前不着村后不着店，我必须尽量朝州际高速公路方向前进。搭车是个要且行且庆祝的活动；目前3辆车几百英里的战绩非常可观，哪怕当天要在罗斯福住一晚我觉得也值得。

【Hitch-hiking from Salt Lake to Denver】PART 2 搭车去丹佛-第2章

If you haven't done so, you probably want to read my previous blog about my preparations for this solo, dangerous quest. In short, I made my decision to solo hitch-hike from Salt Lake City in Utah to Denver, a 600-mile stretch of mostly interstate highways. I evaluated the dangers and tried to minimize them by waiting at gas stations, hoping someone was kind enough to pick me up. 

So, what was I doing in Salt Lake City?

I was on a roadtrip with my boyfriend and his family. We drove some 2000-miles, starting from my favorite city in the US--San Francisco, and were planning to get to Yellowstone. However, we decided to shorten the trip a bit, and end it at Salt Lake City.

It was actually my THIRD time traveling to Salt Lake, believe it or not. My impression of SLC has always been great. People always talk of Utah as a conservative hell filled with Mormons, but all I received at SLC was nothing short of pure kindness and warmth. 

Interestingly, both my last and this visit to SLC involves couch-surfing. If you haven't heard of it, couch-surfing is a great way of getting 'free' sleeping space, being it a couch, a bed, or a floor. I couchsurfed around 6 times before I decided to do it again in SLC. And luckily, my request was accepted just after two hours, by a beautiful girl named Sidney, with whom I stayed for two nights and became friends with. 

盐湖城其实是我毕业公路旅行的终点。我是第三次来盐湖城了，对这里的印象非常好。在我心中，盐湖城并不是一个死板刻薄的摩门教圣地。当地人的真诚和友好让我印象很深刻。这次来到盐湖城，我同样选择了沙发客的形式 （这是我第7次沙发客了，也是第3次一个人沙发客）。我的沙发客主人是一个美丽的女孩子，名叫Sidney. 我在她家待了两天，很快就成为了很好的朋友。

Sidney is an elegant young lady with some acute artistic sense and a precious heart. We had tons of fun watching a free documentary together at downtown SLC and dining at a Tibetan restaurant. She also showed me around City Creek, which was a fancy shopping center downtown. It was at her home that I made this board that has a huge DENVER on it. I didn't plan to use it on the roads. It was only for the sake of photography :)

Sidney只有19岁，是一个很温柔善良的小美女。我在她家里做了这个写着“丹佛”字样的纸板。她没有上过大学，而是高中毕业后就直接工作了。我在姑娘家住了两天，期间和她一起吃饭看电影逛商店，非常快活。

【Hitch-hiking from Salt Lake City to Denver】Chapter 1--How to Prepare 搭车去丹佛-准备篇

Why Hitch-hiking? 

Hitch-hiking wasn't something in my life span at all, until I met a friend who hitch-hiked all the way from Kansas to New York City. His name is Elwin （侯李睿）.

Elwin is a quite adventurous guy. In fact, he really inspired me to start planning about my own adventures and setting my first step. Before I met him, he was on a road trip from San Francisco to NYC. Somehow his friends had to drop out in the midth of the trip when they were in Kansas. Instead of giving up, Elwin made a board that said "HITCH-HIKING TO NYC, CAN YOU HELP ME?" and ventured on.

It took him about 15 days to reach NYC. Luckily, through another good friend I heard about a Chinese guy who was going to do a cross-the-US marathon from NYC to LA. Elwin heard about the story too, and volunteered to help resupply him along the way.

 So, in one summer, Elwin ran through the entire United States TWICE, west coast to east coast and then back to west coast. That Chinese super runner was able to make the entire coast-to-coast in 89 days with the help of Elwin and other volunteers who drove the car and resupply him along the way. His name is Wang Xuan (王玄).

This was the summer of 2011. Back then, hitch-hiking wasn't on my to-do-list at all! However, having friends who dared to do it, and really DID it, really opened up my eyes. Both Elwin and Wang Xuan were my early inspirations to take on something big, challenging, even dangerous. And yet spectacular. Two years later, in the summer of 2013, the seed they had planted grew into a big tree--and I was ready to start my own hitch-hiking trip too.

为什么要搭车？说来还要追溯到我在2011年认识的一个朋友--侯李睿。当时他一个人从堪萨斯搭车到了纽约，又在同一个夏天帮助中国马拉松长跑者王玄从纽约跑到加州。在一个夏天内侯李睿横跨了美国两次！当时我还没有严肃地涉足穷游和户外，但侯李睿和王玄的经历可谓是让我大开眼界，也在我心里埋下了一棵种子。没想到，两年后的夏天，我也开始了自己的搭车之旅。

Don't you know how dangerous it is?

Indeed, I knew. I know it doesn't sound that trust-worthy when I said it. But, really, trust me, I was aware of the dangers and risks I was taking--hitch-hiking SOLO.

I did not want to die. I did not want to get raped. I did not want to be robbed, burned, or whatever. NO. Life was precious enough to me that I feel I should hold onto it tight. Tight enough for me to protect myself in every way I could.

So, instead of the traditional way of hitch-hiking (standing by a freeway/highway and sticking your thumb out in order for a car to notice you and hopefully stop by), I tried something else. I would only go to the gas stations near highway entrances and ask people face-to-face for a favor to pick me up.

I understand that this would not eliminate the danger of hitchhiking, but it is indeed safer. Why?

• The time is longer for both parties to make decisions--should I get into the person's car, or should that person take me. It's an interaction between people. Easier for both of us to figure each other out.
• If that driver refuses me, it would at least make him/her feel a little bit guilty. But waiting on the street wouldn't necessarily do that trick.
• It's safer, since I am not standing on a road and letting cars pass me by.
• It's faster, because I can ask and get the answer from 100 people in less than half an hour.
• It's easier. If I wait in the right gas station, almost ALL CARS are going to the place I want to go to, thus increasing the chance that I will be picked up by someone

独身搭车可谓是找死--我可能被杀，被抢，被强奸。而且我是一个瘦弱的女生，并无还手能力。于是我采用了另一种搭车方式：去加油站等，询问经过的车主。虽然这不能完全消除搭车的风险，但起码有如下优势：

1. 更靠谱。面对面的交谈，能让我和车主对彼此有一个初步印象

2. 更微妙。如果车主拒绝搭我，他/她起码会有一点愧疚，而在马路上飞驰而过的那些车就不一定了

3. 更安全。在加油站坐着，总比在公路旁站着安全。

4. 更快。在公路上可能2小时也不会有车停下，但在加油站，可以轻松地在半小时内遇到很多人。

5. 更简单。只要找对了加油站（高速入口，目的地方向），就基本能保证大多数车辆都是会经过我要去的目的地的。这样大大增加了我被搭载的几率。

How did I prepare for it?

Hitchwiki.org has this great tip sheet for all beginner hitch-hikers: http://hitchwiki.org/en/Top_Tips. Read it, and you won't make as many mistakes.

Do some research about your route. Which cities/towns look like good locations? More specifically, which gas stations receive the most traffic, or are closest to highways?

I did my research. I was about to hitch-hike out of Salt Lake City, towards Denver. There are two major highways that go out of Salt Lake--I15 and I80, and numerous other freeways. Thus I picked a gas station which is closest to the junction of both interstate highways (within 1min drive distance). I also went to the gas station and informed the cashiers of my plans, so it won't be a surprise for them to see a hitch-hiker the next day.

Besides, I also contacted several friends who had extensive hitch-hiking experiences. 

我是怎样准备此次搭车的？推荐一个网站--http://hitchwiki.org/en/Top_Tips。另外，我研究了出盐湖城的几条路线，决定在两个高速路交叉点附近的加油站等待。出发的头一天，我去加油站踩点，并且告诉里面的工作人员我第二天会在这里搭车。最后，我联系了几个有丰富搭车经验的朋友，确保万无一失。

This is the Maverik gas station where I started my trip. It's within a 1min drive from both I-15 and I-80. 

这就是我挑好的加油站，离出城的两条高速都非常近。

The next blog post will be about my actual hitchhiking experience, stay tuned!!

我的下一篇博文将会详细讲述我的搭车经历，敬请关注～

Places and Faces: Some of My Past Adventures 我的行走经历

I was born into a very travel-oriented family. Both my grandmother and my mother are travel addicts, and unfortunately, so am I.

I was born and raised in China and came to the US when I was 17. I attended high school and then college, and graduated Summa Cum Laude this May (May 2013) with a psychology degree. Besides my travels, I was an active student leader, a psychological science researcher, an ambitious graphic design intern, and a well-rounded student in general. I sustained most of my travels through my tutoring job at school.

My immediate plan is to move to Dallas, Texas at the end of this summer and land on a job there, and prepare for my next adventure which is the Pacific Crest Trail.

My travel/outdoors/international volunteering experience started extensively in 2012. In the following pictures I will be presenting, not necessarily in chronicle order, some of my past adventures.

我在中国出生和长大，外婆和妈妈都是旅游狂。17岁的那年我来到美国，并于2013年五月以特优的成绩从大学毕业。在大学生时代，我除了这些旅游经历，还有丰富的社团/实习/科研经验。我的户外/旅行/志愿者经历大多都是从2012年开始的。目前的短期计划是在秋天搬去得克萨斯达拉斯，并准备我的下一个大目标--徒步“太平洋山脊栈道”。

2012.1 -- Volunteering at El Yue, Limon, Costa Rica

We lived in tree houses, worked on the organic farm in the morning, and taught young students in the afternoon. It was a fun two-week experience.

2012年1月，在哥斯达黎加的农场上做义工和支教

2012.2--Snowshoeing the Hunter Mountain, 2nd highest peak in the Catskill Range here in New York

2012年2月攀登Hunter山

2012.5 Did some fun beginner's river kayaking in Pittsburgh, PA

在宾夕法尼亚的匹兹堡皮划艇

2012.4--Traveling to Montreal, Canada to visit my best friend who was exchanging at McGill University

蒙特利尔，加拿大

2012.4--The entire Quebec was seeing numerous student walks, strikes, parades against the rising tuition costs. I was lucky to be able to participate in a fun walk on April Fool's Day, when all the signs/slogans/symbols of the walk were marked with an ironic tone. 

在蒙特利尔的时候，整个魁北克省的大学几乎都在为狂涨的学费而罢课和游行。我也有幸参加了一次游行。因为时值愚人节，所有游行的标语都有浓厚的反讽意味。

2012.4--Hiking Balsom Mountain in the Catskill Mountain Range

我几乎每周都去爬山，学校Outdoor Pursuit组织的登山活动也经常参加

2012.6--A grand 4000-mile trip in the American West. Three friends and I rented a car, started in San Francisco, and drove to LA--Grand Canyon--Page, AZ--Bryce Canyon--Salt Lake City--Yellowstone/Grand Teton--Idaho--Oregon (Crater Lake)--back to California. We couchsurfed 3 times, camped 4 times, and slept in hostels along the way. 

2012年的暑假，我和3个朋友用了两周多的时间完成了一个“美西大圈”。我们一路上主要是沙发客，露营和青旅。这是一次穷游体验式的旅行，非常愉快。

2012.7--Traveling with my adventurous grandmother to Cambodia and Vietnam

和我热爱旅行的外婆一起去柬埔寨和越南旅游

2012.11--This is probably my once-in-a-life-time experience that very few people would have the opportunity to enjoy. The "Wave" is a secluded, permit-required area hidden in the deep desert on the border of Utah and Arizona. Each day, only 20 people would have the chance to enter the area.

"波浪谷”之行，每天只能有20个人能获得许可证进入此地，可谓是此生难得一次的体验。

许可证要么提前3个月在网上抽取，要么提前1天在当地抽签。

2012.12--Another big road trip, from Pittsburgh all the way down to Florida, and back up.

另一次公路旅行--从宾州匹兹堡一路南下，游玩佛罗里达，返程时经过了亚特兰大，奥兰多，和著名的蓝岭公路。

2012. 6--Volunteering in a middle school in Yunnan, China

在云南茨营中学支教

2013.3--Cape Cod, Massachusetts 

麻省边际上的海景圣地Cape Cod

2013.3--Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon

海外速派，大峡谷深处的蓝水瀑布群

2012.6--Grand Canyon for the first time. I traveled there 3 times within a year.

在一年之内，去了三次大峡谷。

2012.6--I love the sea. But I also love the deserts. This is the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.

热爱大海和沙漠

2013.6--Great Salt Lake, at Bonneville Salt Flats

大盐湖

2013.5--Another grand one-way trip from SF to Salt Lake City in the American West

另一次从三番到盐湖城的公路旅行

2012.3--I love running. This is my 2nd 5k race of my college year. I did 4 altogether and wish I had participated in more.

这是我大学的第二次5000米长跑比赛。我一共参加了4次5K比赛。

2013.1--Skiing in Vermont

在福尔蒙特州滑雪

2013.2--Hiking with the Triple Cities Hiking Club 

跟着大学本地的徒步组织走遍了学校附近的徒步线路

2013.3--Backpacking to the Havasu Falls in Grand Canyon. 26-mile trip in 3 days.

徒步进入大峡谷的Havasu瀑布。

2013.6.15--7.21.   37 days, 486 miles, this is my first thru-hiking experience, the majestically beautiful Colorado Trail.

37天，800公里，这是我的第一次长距离徒步--美丽的科罗拉多栈道。

2013.6--While hiking the Colorado Trail, I summitted Mt. Elbert, the second highest peak in the lower 48 states. I also climbed another 14ner--San Luis Peak.

在徒步科罗拉多栈道的时候，我登山了美国本土第二高峰--艾尔伯特山。海拔4400米。

2013.3--Driving from Texas to Mexico! With the help of my friend Captain, we were able to enter Mexico via land. We also couch-surfed with an amazing local host. This was an incredible experience. 

在好朋友“船长”的帮助下，我们通过陆路进入了墨西哥，并且在当地人家里当沙发客。沙发客主人第二天还免费当了一天导游，带我们游玩城市。这是一次非常愉快的经历。

2013.6--The craziest of all...I hitch-hiked solo from Salt Lake City to Denver, in just a day and a half!

独身搭车，从盐湖城到丹佛只用了一天半。可能是最疯狂的经历了。

My next blog post will be about my solo hitch-hiking experience. Stay tuned!!

It's time for some legit blog posts!

Thank you for visiting/stalking my cozy newly-made blog site!

Now, sitting in my apartment (or my mom's) here in New York City, I believe it's time to make a LEGIT blog. The reason? It simply is, I AM READY.

Yes, I am ready. After almost two years adrift in different parts of this country and the world.

Yes, I am ready. After my crazy yet the most sane after-graduation travel--the 486-mile Colorado Trail thru-hike.

Yes, I am ready. After living in a tree house in Costa Rica, watching sunrise over Angkor Wat, getting drunk in Montreal, sliding on my butt in Utah, and many other things.

So now the question is, where should I start?

I believe my rebirth started back in the beginning of 2012, when I made a volunteer trip to Costa Rica after a not-too-bad break-up. 

Then it's snowshoeing on Hunter Mountain, 

watching cherry bloosom in DC,

 flying to Montreal to visit my best friend, 

hiking near the Finger Lakes, 

a grand 4000-mile road in the American west, 

volunteer teaching in China,

 traveling to Vietnam and Cambodia with my adventurous grandma,

 internship in Beijing, 

the Wave (Coyote Buttes North, Utah) permit-granted day hike, 

a 3000-mile NYC to Florida road trip, 

skiing in Vermont, 

swimming in the Havasu Falls in Grand Canyon, 

another grand trip in the American West,

hitch-hiking from Salt Lake City to Denver,

the long Colorado Trail..

and now, planning for my next big adventure--a Pacific Crest Trail, 2665-mile, thru-hike. Possibly happening in the summer of 2014, if not, 2015. 

After going over the list, I found it's virtually impossible for me to go over every single event and re-visit them. So I would pick the big three, which happened very recently: hitch-hiking alone in the US, thru-hiking the Colorado Trail, and planning for the PCT.

So here you go.