I had some hitchhiking adventures in my college days. I would routinely hitch the 200+ miles from school in Western Illinois to Chicago. My major excursion was in 1970 when one of my buddies and I raced two other friends to Cheyenne, Wyoming. There was a seven hour stand waiting for a ride in North Platte, but we made it! At least my mom had no knowledge that I was even gone, so she was saved the anguish you put your mother through.