So I'm hitchiking down the coast of Oregon. I was picked up by an ex-felon (I only know because he insisted that if I were also a felony that he wasn't allowed to be driving me). Anyway, he drove me all the way to border of California.

It was literally the border. There was a station to stop at where they asked if you have fruits or vegetables.

Just as we got across the border it started raining... hard.

Dude felt bad for dropping me in a rainstorm, but he had done all he could and had to turn back. I had a tent and assured him I'd be ok.

It was also getting dark. I was nearly instantly soaked and knew there wouldn't be another ride that night, so I skipped across the highway and ducked into the woods that lined the roadway.

I found a tree that seemed to block some of the rain and set up my tent... only to realize I had lost my rainguard.

I basically slept in a puddle inside my tent... if you could call it sleeping at all.

I woke up shivering and wet early the next morning.

I laid my clothes out on the road. Luckily the sun was up. Within a couple hours, I was dry and repacked my clothes into my hiking pack.

I caught a ride to Crescent City, which is pretty much the first town if any size on the 101 heading into Cali.

I was dropped on one end of town and walked the next several miles through the town and ended on a beach on the south side.

Thats where the story takes a turn for the worse.

There was the highway going north and south and another road intersecting it from inland somewhere.

Police cars converged on me in all directions.

They all drew their weapons and demanded I get on the ground and put my hands on my head.

This was really scary. If you've never had this happen to you, I can tell you it's not something you ever want to occur.

They cuffed me and threw me into one of the cars. I was very lucky to have a valid ID.

After about an hour in the car, they released me. The officer in charge told me I matched the description of someone they were looking for.

He actually was apologetic, to some degree, and even offered to help me flag a ride out of town.

I politely declined.

I decided to spend some time on the beach before heading further south. A man in a converted van who had watched my ordeal offered my a cigarette.

I was shaken up pretty good, but in the end, I was OK.

It was just a really tough day. But I still had several hundred miles to go.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.