This Huffy is very close to what I had, except mine was red (including the fenders), and the chain guard was larger. The name 'Hitch Hiker' was in black letters with the thumb up logo.
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Alright alright alright, you had me thinking a lot so I contacted a buddy of mine who has a bike shop. Mike says the only HITCHHIKER name he has ever come across was a Schwinn monstrosity that you would hook up to a normal bike and turn it into a tandem or a two seater bike
Ruuuuuuuun !
Sorry, no. It WAS a Huffy 'HitchHiker'. Like I mentioned, I never seen another one like it. 'Maybe' it was a California only regional promotional special(?). Whatever the case, I know what I had. My parents bought it for me around 1972-'73 (when I was 5-6 years old), and it was stolen around 1975-'76.
We have consulted with the world renowned Doctor. Francis Tumblety , PhD, who is a professor of psychology at Falafala College and a licensed psychologist. Dr Tumblety believes you may be suffering from a case of "french vanilla nostalgia ala venti" where one think someting happened but it did not.
Our further research shows that the only "HITCHHIKER" found in the 72 73 era was an exquisite film by that name but certainly, no HUFFY bike
Thanks for giving us a time line on your age 55/56 as my buddy Mike had placed you as a child of the early 1900s thinking you rode one of these bikes possibly a HITCHHIKER.....