Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-10
CALIFORNIA WOMAN HIKES
TO CAPITAL FROM SEATTLE
Miss Ray AbrahamSon, on
Return Trip, Longs
for Home.
Lifts" by Friendly Motorists
Help Her Cross Continent
in Two Months.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

4
! Women have claimed the distinction
| of making tranScontinental trips in
| automobiles, airplanes, express trains
and perhaps even in canvas-covered
wagons, but 1t has remained for Miss
Ray Abrahanson OF Oakland, Calf, to
hike from Seattle. Wash, to this city in
less than two months.
OF course, Miss Ahrahamson admits
she did certain amount of hitch
hiking" accepting lifts from friendly
motorists who offered her rides volun-
tarily. But never once" she said, did
I ask ride and only accepted from
persons whom could pretty well judge
were reliable"
Walking from o'clock in the morn
ing until nightfall, she made q point
of arriving at often as possible at
towns in which there were Y. w. G. A.
homes, where she usually spent her eve
nings. IF found no Y. w. c. AS"
she explained, II would go to police
headquarters, where I would ask the
recommendation Of q reliable place to
spend the night
Seeks Haven in Empty House.
A humorous account of her arrival in
washington was given by Miss Anra-
hanson.
had been obliged to seek shelter In an
emp,v house." she stated. "Nightfall
overlook me when I was far from any
town. Seeing an empty house along
the roadside, went in and spent the
night. I nearly froze to death, as my
only covering was my leather coat. The
next morning got an early start. l
had hiked some distance and was APP
preaching washington when truck
stopped and the driver asked me II
didn't want a life? Tired and hungry
I accepted. had been advised in New
York to 60 to the Dodge Hotel, which
I thought was the local Y. W. G. A.
I was dirty and untidy when the truck
driver brought me before the Dodge and
it looked like such an elegant place
was afraid to 60 in. However after
standing In front Of the hotel for some
time. summoned courage and entered.
I must admit was received very cor
daily"
Miss Abrahamson is ready to dispute
the claim Of any one asserting that the
United States is O lawless country, I'M
safe for lonely travellers.
I'm my travels" she said, Il. have
received lifts from Indians, sheriffs,
statesmen and college boys. Sometimes
woman travellers picked me up on the
highway. I want to say that alto
eether have found that there are more
good people in the world than bad"
Miss Abrahamson left her home on
July 2. Travelling by foot and by bus
to Seattle, she took ship for Alaska,
where she remained some time, visiting
Juneau, Skagway and Sitka. Her en-
thusiasm for the northern province is
Returning to Seattle in September,
she started on her eastward journey.
st had never been away from the Pa
cif1c Coast, and it had always been my
dream to see Chicago and New York"
she explained.
1t was this urge to travel that
prompted her to work for three years
at her position as bookkeeper in a San
Francisco office, never taking a days
vacation, or buying other than actual
necessities, until she felt she had saved
enough to finance the hike across
country.
Given Ride Across Desert.
Although Miss Abrahamson's par
ents did not enter enthusiastically into
her plans to start alone across the
continent on foot, they did not put OBJ
stacles into her way in carrying out
her plans.
"I am over rs and have always been
independent, so there was nothing for