South of Stanley, Idaho

Sawtooth Mountains near Stanley, Idaho

Last night I camped out near Lower Stanley, Idaho.  This morning I was walking south of Stanley on Highway 75 and got a ride to this bridge just south of Redfish Lake.  I then walked around two miles and this guy pulled over to give me a ride.  His name was Mark and he and his son-in-law and grandson had been out backpacking in the Sawtooth Mountains and were heading back to Hailey.

Mark said he used to hitchhike quite a bit back in the 1970s.  I told Mark that I had been hitchhiking the United States for a number of years.  He then told me that he used to live in Ellensburg, Washington back in 1985.  I told Mark that I lived in Ellensburg back in 1986 and 1987.  We discovered that we knew some of the same people.  I mentioned a guy named Jude Doty who used to have a Christian Hostel on South Pearl Street; Mark knew Jude.  Then I told Mark that I used to do some ranch work for Arvin Marchel; Mark knew Arvin.  I said that I used to go to the Bethel Gospel Church while I was in Ellensburg and asked Mark if he knew Pastor Coussart; Mark knew Pastor Coussart.

It's a Small World
A Short Hitchhiking Trip
The American Flag:  A Christian Symbol

Hitchhiking South of Grangeville, Idaho
The Spirit Driveth Him into the Wilderness
A Ride in Nebraska, Blue Highways and William Least Heat-Moon

Hiking the Summit Creek Trail, Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho, June 2021

Hitchhiking in the State of Washington

Last month I was hitchhiking east on U.S. 12 near Dayton, Washington.  This guy pulled over in his pickup and gave me a ride all the way to Kooskia, Idaho.  His name was Larry and he was a Christian.  We had very good fellowship.

We were driving close to Clarkston, Washington when he asked me if I needed anything.  I told him that I could use a new pair of pants.  So we went to this store and Larry bought me a pair of paints and some other clothes.  He then took me out to eat and drove me all the way to Kooskia (which was way out of his way).  He gave me a hundred-dollar bill and I was able to get a motel room for the next two nights.  I was very grateful.

After I stayed in Kooskia, I hitchhiked into Montana.

Here is an email from Larry that I received earlier today:

"I called Gene after I saw you.  He didn't know of anyone wanting work, but we had a nice visit.  He told me I should buy your books which I was planning on it anyway.  I've read the paper back [High Plains Drifter] and my son is reading it.  I am going to read the other one soon too.  I picked up a hitch hiker today by Umatilla and took him to Biggs near The Dalles [Oregon].  I gave him $50.00.  He was pretty teary and appreciative.  When I got saved it was a week after I turned 21.  I'm 64 now.  I use to do quite a bit of soul winning back then.  I feel like I dropped the ball today and was supposed to at least explain the plan of salvation to the hiker today.  I asked God to bring some one across his path that doesn't drop the ball.  I really think after spending time with you I have a lot more compassion and maybe I am supposed to stop and smell the coffee instead of going a hundred miles per hour with my business.  I can't put my finger on it, but I think something is up.  I hope to see you again some time. Your friend in Christ.  Larry."

Book Review:  High Plains Drifter

The Spirit Driveth Him into the Wilderness

Jesus in the wilderness

Dreams from the LORD 2003-2006

22 March 2005

Mark 1: 12: “And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.” This verse reminds me so much of what happened in my life back in 1986. I had been working on an apple farm near Embudo, New Mexico for two months. The people I was working for were unbelievers and it was fairly oppressive being around them. Then early one morning, the Lord told me to hit the road—the Spirit drove me from the apple farm to the highway and I hitchhiked all the way to Ellensburg, Washington.

It was all such a relief to get away from those dead, pagan people. I tried to talk to them about the Gospel, but it was like talking to a brick wall. The Lord blessed me so much for leaving that place. I eventually got into a small Pentecostal church in Ellensburg and it was a very good experience; I later got baptized in water by the pastor of that church—Pastor Coussart. That was the first Holy Ghost church I ever attended. It was called Bethel Gospel Church.

When the Holy Ghost drives you into the wilderness, or onto the highway, or into the city—let me tell you: you got to go NOW! Timing is everything. If the Lord wants you to go someplace immediately, then there is a good reason. It may not be your reason, but it will be His reason and that’s all you need to know.

Why did the spirit drive Jesus into the wilderness? Because Jesus obeyed His Father, came to John the Baptist and asked John to baptize Him in the Jordan River. Then when Jesus came up out of the water a voice from heaven said, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” All these things happened because Jesus obeyed His Father.

If you don’t obey the Father, then the spirit won’t drive you anywhere. You will go nowhere fast. You will go backwards and trample on His Precious Blood: Hebrews 10: 38-39: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Mark 1: 22: “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.” No doubt the Presence of God was so powerful in Jesus (the anointing) that His doctrine ran over their karma, which ran over their dogma. So many cars, so many dogs—so little time. When you abide in the Presence of God, it can really discombobulate (I think that is a word) some people. When you live and drive outside the box, you can only run over the karmas and dogmas that love to stay inside the box. The Scribes were inside the box. The Pharisees are inside the box. The box makers have built mansions—or tombs—with whitewashed walls inside the box. So many boxes, so little time.

Box teeth, box taste, box eyes, box everything.

If I hear the word “box” again, I think I am going to vomit.

A Week in the Life of a Hitchhiker

Northwestern United States

In the past week, I hitchhiked from Helena, Montana to Dayton, Washington. The ride from Helena took me to Missoula. This guy's name was Harry and he came from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeast Montana. Harry was from the Assiniboine Tribe; we had a good talk. I told him that I was a Christian. He knew very little about Christianity. I told him about my faith in Jesus and that he should read the Gospel of John in the New Testament. I think he said that someone gave him a copy of the New Testament some years ago.

It had been snowing that morning when I left Helena and there was some slush on I-90. Harry was going 85 miles per hour when he hit a patch of slush. All of a sudden, we were going sideways down the interstate. Then we went sideways down into the median (I thought we were going to roll his van over) and continued going sideways into the next lane into oncoming traffic. This big tractor-trailer was bearing down on us and I thought we were going to get T-boned by the tractor-trailer when, all of a sudden, the van straightened itself out. Harry took control and we drove on the shoulder to the next exit. That happened near Clinton, Montana.

It was quite a rush for at least several seconds. It all happened so quickly. Harry and I looked at each other and heaved a sigh of relief. Harry said that my God saved us. I said, Praise the Lord!

Harry was in a hurry to get to this hospital in Missoula; he had injured his back getting bucked off of a horse during his rodeo days. We went to this hospital where they gave him some shots in his back. I sat and talked with Harry as he lay in the bed. The nurses thought it was pretty funny that he had picked up a hitchhiker.

After the hospital, Harry took me to his relations' place in Missoula and I slept on the floor that night. The next morning, his nephew drove me to Lolo where I started walking west on U.S. 12.

I walked a couple of miles or so and this married couple in a vehicle pulled over. They were Michael and Sandy and we had some excellent fellowship--they were really in tune with the Holy Ghost. We drove to a cabin that they had rented and had a powerful prayer meeting. The demons were manifesting in Michael as I commanded them to come out. We later had breakfast at a local bar/restaurant and then headed back to Clinton where I stayed at their place for the night. The next day Michael drove me over Lolo Pass to Lochsa Lodge and dropped me off. Then I walked a few miles and got a ride to Kooskia, Idaho.

From Kooskia I got a ride to Kim and Pat Hosking's place between Stites and Harpster. I met Kim and Pat while I was hitchhiking on U.S. 12 near Lolo, Montana in 2004. Kim builds wood furniture and has a portable band saw, so he can cut up logs into boards.

I hadn't seen Kim and Pat in a year. They let me stay for five nights. I helped Kim cut some white pine, yellow pine and red fir logs on his band saw. Pat was doing some editing on her book The Lion's Roar (her pen name is Margaret Hosking).

It rained last night; the skies are overcast now. I got a real good sunburn on my neck and arms after working with Kim on the band saw. It is a real blessing to be out of the sun for a few days.

Rose Hill Woodworks
Book Review:  High Plains Drifter