I was too young to go on the Hippie Trail. By the time I came of age the Hippy Trail was closed down. But I remember the hippy vibe as a youth. Many of the adults in my life appropriated the alternative hippy lifestyle. I grew my hair long and wore a peace sign around my neck as a teenager. I thought it was cool to be a hippie.

When I met my co-author, Steve Reifman, over a decade ago, we became fast friends when he told me about his many adventures. I knew then that I would have to write a book some day about the hippy trail. I didn’t get to live the experience first hand, like my friend, but I lived through it vicariously by putting the story together.

– F.T. Burke