I am a member of the National Hobo Association    and am what is sometimes referred to as a "yuppie", or recreational hobo.  My friend Chris "Klickety Klack" Kasten and I would often spend time in the Cajon Pass, watching trains, and smoking cigars.   Occasionally, we would spot hobos on the trains, and contemplate what it would be like to hop a freight.  One day, I was sitting in the dentist's office and picked up a copy of California Magazine.  It happened to fall open to an article written by several members of the NHA describing a hop from Mojave to Bakersfield.  After reading the article, that was it.  We HAD to do it!