Thumbing a ride is a legitimate method of transportation in the Canadian Yukon. After spending 25 days base-camping around Aishihik Lake, we hitched about 1,700km over 10 days.

Here are photos of us in and around strangers’ cars.

If Ed is to be believed, there a only a hundred times in your life that you truly feel alive. Riding out of the wilderness in the back of a pickup with a dead moose at 3:57am was one of those times.

A few days later, Ed and I stick a thumb out at Carmacks. In approximately 30 seconds, a car pulls up. Canadians are helpful folk, but even by their standards this is quick. “Hey there kind lady can you give us a lift to Dawson City? We promise not to be axe murderers.”

“Sure, can you drive?”

“We look at each other in mild disbelief. “Yeah of course.”

“Thanks, I’ll climb into my boot and take a nap. I’m rather tired.”

The passengers have become the driver. This is the best moment of our fledgling hitchhiking careers. The culmination of all our vagabonding expertise.

About half an hour in she starts groaning. Every time the car shudders it’s like she is getting mauled by a disagreeable bear.

Turns out she had appendicitis. That ride was probably not one of her hundred times.

Please, if you are at all a decent human being, pick hitchhikers up. It means a lot, and they may end up driving you and your inflamed appendix to the hospital.

This series was shot during a research expedition to the Canadian Yukon. Here’s one about the food we ate. More to come, I promise.