At first I didn’t take him for a hitchhiker, even though he was standing at the on-ramp at Via de la Valle. He had a preoccupied look, as if being without transportation was a momentary inconvenience, and he couldn’t allow that to untrack his thoughts. Sure enough, the moment I turned onto the ramp, he stuck out his thumb. He was a little red-bearded rodent of a guy, with thick glasses, yellow teeth, and a greasy Padres cap. By Steve Sorensen, May 11, 1989 | Read full article The conductor announces we are ready to cross the Continental Divide, at 9200 feet. “Will all be downhill all the way from here to Denver.”