Hitchhiking across United States

I was on the road for 28 days already, pursuing my childhood dream: Hitchhiking Route 66,all the way, from Chicago to Los Angeles, when I got into a situation that no hitchhiker wants to be.Out of the blue,it seemed as if my well of rides ran dry. Three days in this land and not a single ride found.

Truth is I couldn’t explain it, and I still can’t. I followed all the basic rules of hitchhiking. I left the highway and made my way to service roads, making it safer for vehicles to stop, ? tried to find a ride in some of the big gas stations next to the interstate; that didn’t work either. All my efforts were going to waste. Last option I had, was to use the local bus, but in the mind of an adventurer this feels like the ultimate humiliation,doesn’t it?

While I was begging for a lift at the gas station, a chopper rider approached me and we started talking. He showed great interest in my story and he really enjoyed the fact that a foreigner was there to pay a tribute to the Mother Road, so he offered me a ride to Albuquerque. We are a generation born and raised in the culture of Hollywood, so such an offer made me feel like I was starring in a movie made for..well, myself!

We didn’t waste much time, and moments later we were hitting the road on a Harley-Davidson, experiencing the road to its fullest. After 4 hours of straight driving, my newly-made friend, felt like stretching, so he decided to make a quick stop, a little outside Adrian, Texas. What I didn’t know is that the place he stopped was the famous Midpoint Cafe, a rest station located in the middle of Los Angeles and Chicago, equally separated from both cities. 

The guy running the place, Matt, is one of the nicest guys I have ever met in my entire life. Always smiling and helpful, he bought the place in 2012 and brought it back to life since then. He holds a huge book, to my eyes it looked like the Holy Bible of Route 66, where he records all the nationalities that visit his cafe. What made it more interesting though, is that first comers, from any country, eat and drink for free there.It’s an old tradition, holding on since the early days of the cafe, in the 30’s. Oh and guess what; I was the first Greek ever entering the place! 
Matt offered me a refreshing milk shake, plus his celebrated ‘’ugly pie’’, the trademark of the house, which actually tastes better than good.

If you ever get your kicks on Route 66,make sure you'll say hello to Matt and his ugly pie.Trust me, they are both worth it!