I think part of our life / responsibility as a human is to host or be hosted by others and learn what we can. One thing though - I prefer to be specifically contacted because I usually don't respond to general requests. I also will focus on hosting or being hosted by those that share a lot of information and photos about themselves.

Summer of 2014, I rode my bicycle solo from La Crosse to Villa Park, Illinois. I couchsurfed, camped, and stayed in a motel. 7 days of riding; great experience.