Yet another random stranger........

[Yooper]

I know that some of you think I'm nuts. But I'm having fun with couchsurfing.com.

I live (literally) in the middle of nowhere, so I don't get many requests, but when I do, I try to accomodate them. At the moment, I'm awaiting another guest. She's young, traveling home for Easter break, and will stay with us tonight. Otherwise, I have no idea what to expect.

We've hosted single guys, brothers from Brazil, and a couple of others. But never a young single girl before.

We're staying in our house in town tonight, since it's a bit cool at the cottage. But in the summer, we invite couchsurfers to the cottage as well. It's fun for all of us!

Any one else a couchsurfer?

 

[dataz722]

I have waaaay too many issues trusting people to be able to do that.

 

[Shooter]

Once, when I was younger, my parents brought this Italian couple home. My dad saw them stopped along the road and he was into cycling at the time. He was curious about their luggage, a brand he'd never seen before. My parents found out they were bicycling from Alaska to South America and climbing all the major mountains along the way and were on a limited budget. So, they ended up staying at our house and having dinner with us. It was kind of weird.

I don't know if the fact you live in the middle of nowhere has me more worried for your safety...or the safety of your guests?!?!? Oh well, I will be passing through your neck of the woods soon and could definitely use a place to crash. I'll be bringing Mr. Choppy, my hatchet, if that's okay. I always like to have Mr. Choppy to talk to as I slip off to dream land. He's comforting in that way.

We'll be seeing you soon!

 

[brewingkitty]

wheres the french fried taters, eehhhh huhm?

 

[jamesnsw]

I've never actually used couchsurfing, but I've been the recipient of completely random hosts who have been more than gracious and hospitable.

So Yooper, thanks for being willing to open your house. I hope someday to have more space and time so I can invite people in as well.

 

[ChshreCat]

Sounds like a good basis for a slasher flick. Let me know how it turns out and I'll incorporate it into my screenplay.

 

[Yooper]

Well, for all you mr. smarty pants (what's the plural of smarty pants? smarty pantses?), she's adorable. She likes the Vienna lager particularly, better than the steam beer, and hasn't tried the IIPA. She has good taste in beer, at least.

 

[ChshreCat]

Suddenly, I want to couch surf at Yooper's house too!

 

[bob1852]

I like IIPA

 

[Clayton]

WOW thats crazy and nuts. and one of the coolest things i have ever seen.

i wish i would have know about that web site when i was younger what a great way to travel around if you are open to new stuff and people

 

[homebrewer_99]

Last year I picked up a hitchhiker at a gas station in the middle of Ohio and brought him all the way to my house in western IL.

Found out he was a Danish student on break. He gig was interviewing Americans and recording different sounds while taking the northern route to San Fransisco then taking the southern route back to Florida then up the coast back to JFK. He recorded a bunch of truckers talking over my CB. He thoutght they sounded interesting.

Anyway, I called the wife while I was on the road to let her know I was bringing someone home to stay the night.

Next day I took him 30+ miles to the I-80 Truck Stop (world's largest) then went into work.

When I parked I realized he left his recorder in the car. I called the truck stop and asked them to look around for him. I went back about an hour later and eventually found him. As I'm talking with him a worker came by and asked if that was him and delivered my message. I told them that it was me...great timing, huh?

I'd do the couch thing, but my wife would not like it.

When we were in Germany in 1999 she asked me where I would go if she wasn't there. I told her I'd buy a 1 way ticket to China then hitchhike all the way back to Germany. So, I'm still adventurous that way.

 

[Shooter]

Well, for all you mr. smarty pants (what's the plural of smarty pants? smarty pantses?), she's adorable. She likes the Vienna lager particularly, better than the steam beer, and hasn't tried the IIPA. She has good taste in beer, at least.

If she starts giving you opinions about what type of knife she prefers along with the beer critiques it's time to be concerned.

I'm just sayin'!

 

[Chudz]

[incredulous] So wait . . . you're saying that if I join that website I can have a young, single girl stay over???[/incredulous]

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'd do it. Mainly because I have several condition one pistols scattered throughout the house. She/he can bring a knife, but I'm showing up to a gunfight.

 

[brewingkitty]

I'd do it. Mainly because I have several condition one pistols scattered throughout the house. She/he can bring a knife, but I'm showing up to a gunfight.

thats no way to treat a lady! everyone knows only a sword is allowed.

 

[bkov]

cool deal! never heard of the site before. is there any safety precautions or is it just based on trust/hope?

 

[mmonacel]

thats no way to treat a lady! everyone knows only a sword is allowed.

LOL!!!!

Nice.

 

[Gremlyn]

Pics or GTFO Yooper.

 

[Yooper]

cool deal! never heard of the site before. is there any safety precautions or is it just based on trust/hope?

It's all trust. Sort of. You get "rated" and there are reviews, and you can choose who to allow. When the Brazilians stayed, I had talked on the phone with the older brother and liked him instantly. This girl emailed me, through the site, then I looked at her profile. I liked her instantly, too. The site is couchsurfing.com.

There was one request that I denied- the guy just gave me weird vibes. So I said no. The others have been wonderful. They've tended to be young college age kids, but one guy was around 30 and he'd never been in this area before. In the summer, we have a lake cottage with kayaks and it's more enjoyable around here, but most of them have come in the winter. There was one guy I really wanted to host- he was from Quebec, and older, and taking a sabbatical and riding his Harley to the Pacific Ocean and back. Unfortunately, I was out of town at the time. I would have loved to meet him!

Pics or GTFO Yooper.

Well, she's already gone! She talked with me a couple of hours last night, and was up and gone early this morning. She brought me a lovely gift of some artisian bread she bought in Ashland, WI, and wrote a nice note. Maybe we'll cross paths again. She is an adorable young woman who works as an outdoor educator in northern Minnesota.

I think it's funny that only us "old" people (me and HB99) pick up hitchhikers and invite strangers into our homes. I guess it is because we're children of the 60s, and have done similar things ourselves in our youth? I dunno, just a thought.

 

[neovox]

I've stayed at hostels and B&Bs many times. Met some fantastic people from around the world that way. I thought about participating in couchsurfing.com several years back when I had an extra room in the house I was living in, but I'm with dataz722 and am simply not that trusting.

 

[Homercidal]

Sounds cool, but I'm still waiting for "couchsurfingsluts.com" to become active.

 

[RC0032]

Im going to stay with Yooper instead of the frat house next time in at MTU. Better beer and quieter

 

[dataz722]

I think it's funny that only us "old" people (me and HB99) pick up hitchhikers and invite strangers into our homes. I guess it is because we're children of the 60s, and have done similar things ourselves in our youth? I dunno, just a thought.

Its because you're old hippies

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I should do that. But I think the ex-wife would have issues with me having strangers in the house when the kids are here...........

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I think it's funny that only us "old" people (me and HB99) pick up hitchhikers and invite strangers into our homes. I guess it is because we're children of the 60s, and have done similar things ourselves in our youth? I dunno, just a thought.

Children of the sixties??? Uh, Yooper, when the decades changed to the 70s you weren't even SIX yet. That doesn't count. You are a child of the 70s.

 

[Shooter]

I'd do it. Mainly because I have several condition one pistols scattered throughout the house. She/he can bring a knife, but I'm showing up to a gunfight.

Just remember, distance is your friend in this scenario!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Its because you're old hippies

What's yer point?

I was born in 1954...making me 6 in 1960...and 15 when Woodstock was going on and I had my first ponytail, getting high on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City...yeah, that's me, old hippie...:rockin:

 

[Gremlyn]

For me it's kind of funny, because I wouldn't take random strangers from couchsurfing, but I would take HBT regulars that were coming to town, and all the difference there is that I have read a bunch of people's posts. Somehow makes me willing to trust them more...

 

[Randar]

Sounds cool, but I'm still waiting for "couchsurfingsluts.com" to become active.

HAHAHA! Well played sir. Send me a PM if you ever see that site go live!

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I think that is awesome Yooper. People are too filled with fear these days. Sounds like a really cool way to take a trip...

 

[Yooper]

Children of the sixties??? Uh, Yooper, when the decades changed to the 70s you weren't even SIX yet. That doesn't count. You are a child of the 70s.

I was born in the 60s, so I am a child of the sixties! I was in first grade in 1969-1970. And the picture is terrible! I picked out my own clothes, and I look like one of the kids from the Brady Bunch, except I thought an afro would be the tits. Somehow, a blonde, blue eyed, skinny kid with a 'fro and go-go boots looks even more ridiculous now.

I guess I haven't changed much in the last 40 years. I'm just not as skinny.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I was born in the 60s, so I am a child of the sixties! I was in first grade in 1969-1970. And the picture is terrible! I picked out my own clothes, and I look like one of the kids from the Brady Bunch, except I thought an afro would be the tits. Somehow, a blonde, blue eyed, skinny kid with a 'fro and go-go boots looks even more ridiculous now.

I guess I haven't changed much in the last 40 years. I'm just not as skinny.

Yooper, you are MY age, and I am a child of the seventies. So, so are you . Nyah.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I was born in the 70's, but the bulk of my childhood was in the 80's. So therefore, I'm a child of the 80's. That's kinda how it works...

 

[homebrewer_99]

I was born in the 60s, so I am a child of the sixties! I was in first grade in 1969-1970...

To compliment "the lady" (and make her feel younger than she really is), I was 17 and in the Army in 1972...

Yoop: Any cabin-in-the-woods AKA "Troll-central meetings" get togethers scheduled for this summer? I will be retired looking for free places around the globe to get drunk and crash... It would be nice to see the Warren/Sterling Heights group again...

 

[Yooper]

To compliment "the lady" (and make her feel younger than she really is), I was 17 and in the Army in 1972...

Yoop: Any cabin-in-the-woods AKA "Troll-central meetings" get togethers scheduled for this summer? I will be retired looking for free places around the globe to get drunk and crash... It would be nice to see the Warren/Sterling Heights group again...

I don't have any plans, but I would be up for getting together. I know the Predators are getting together May 1 in the Grand Rapids area, but I can't make it. I would love to host a brew/camp/party weekend up here, but so far I have had NO takers!

 

[ChshreCat]

Yet another random stranger........

This thread could have been SO different after that subject line...

 

[Bedlam]

I would certainly be up for something like that, once we're completely settled in. I have myself been the guest of gracious hosts in the past while motorcycling and find it is just the very best way to find adventurous people of good quality. I'll sign on when I get the okay from El Hubbo.

As for picking up hitch-hikers, I've done it a few times. We live very close to the Appalachian Trail, so thru-hikers are all the time going into town. They are usually grateful for a lift to the post office or store. One time I did pick up a hitcher in KY who requested a ride on my motorcycle. I felt like it was safe enough...hell, if he decided to stab/shoot me, he'd have ended up WAY worse off. It worked out okay, although he was very, very odd. Never would have picked him up if I was in a car.