I’m standing on a deserted 2 lane road in rural north San Diego county hitching over the mountains to the desert town of Borrego Springs for the annual spring wild flower bloom. I’ve heard this is supposed to be a good year. When it is, the desert is transformed from a place of sand and rock with some cactus scattered about to a paradise of wild flowers. The whole valley is carpeted with blooms of every color and size. Whichever way you look only flowers meet the eye from tiny ones close to the ground the size of a pinhead to large cactus blooms 10 feet in the air. The flowers range in color from deep reds and delicate pinks to bright yellows, oranges, purples and whites. It is truly a beautiful experience and I go every time I hear it’s happening.
It takes a while to hitch there. Even though it’s only about 100 miles from San Diego unless you go on a weekend, a time I avoid, there’s not much traffic. But it’s a pleasant spring day and hey, what else have I got to do. Here comes a car now and it’s one I don’t recognize. Since I hitch a lot I can usually spot the year, make and model of any automobile pretty easily. But what’s this? Could it be an old Rolls Royce? It is. Not much of a possibility of it stopping but I stand up and stick out my thumb to give them a chance.
Hey, it’s slowing down. It stops right in front of me. I look in and inside in the front seat is a young couple. The guy asks me, “Where ya going?”
“Anywhere you are.” I answer.
He tells me to hop in back.
As I do I say, “Man, what a bitchen car. I can’t believe you stopped.”
He smiles saying, “We thought it’d blow your mind. This is a 1936 fully restored Rolls Royce Silver Phaeton. Pretty cool, huh?
I have to admit it sure is.
He and his girlfriend introduce themselves then tell me that they’re going to the top of Palomar Mountain for the day. Would I like to join them.
I tell them, “I don’t care where you’re going. I’m along for the ride until you kick me out.”
They laugh as we pull away. I can hardly believe it. Here I am in the back seat of a classic Rolls just cursing down the highway, life just don’t get much better, but then it does. The girl turns to me saying, “Would you like to get high?”
I assure her I do.
She lights a king size J, takes a toke, gives her boyfriend a hit then passes the doobie to me saying, “This is some killer bud.” I take a hit and try to pass it back. The girl tells me, “Keep it. We just finished one right before we picked you up.” then turns back.
The guy laughs and says, “Knock your socks off, dude.”
Life is strange and wonderful. I settle back into that plush leather upholstery, take a toke, look out at the passing scenery and enjoy the ride.