020708

                                                                             Lake Charles to Baton Rouge, LA

Thursday February 7, 2008

     7:53am  Up and at 'em. I'm going to go find a store where I can take a shit.

     8:11am  I didn't tell you. I went into the Vegas Casino and used the bathroom.

                   Break here.

     9:51am  I have an update to make. I had a weird little session right now. My tape recorder messed up. I noticed that it wasn't recording. The batteries seemed a little weak. I have a battery charger but it's messed up to where you have to be pushing it for the little red lights to be on. The only outlet I could find at the gas station was the one behind the ATM. Only the top one was vacant. I rigged a way with my stick to use that top outlet and put pressure on the charger. I was going to stand there for a like a whole hour charging my batteries. I got an idea and checked my wallet. I had like five dollars. So I asked the cashier, "Hey, do you guys sell Triple A batteries?" Dude, they're like $1.99, so I don't have to charge mine anymore.

                     Lady I told my story to.

     10:38am  I forgot to tell you. I'm going to start walking the six miles to the next gas station. I'm not going to walk the highway. I'm going to walk back to that stoplight I crashed close to last night and turn left. Recommended by the nice cashier at the gas station. I took a chug of Riovida.

     10:56am  I'm going to stop and take a quick break at Mile Marker 37. I got a cramp too.

     11:10am  Taking off. West 90, I'm walking,

     11:28.54am  Mile Marker 38. I'm going to take a pause and take a piss.

     11:32.56am  Taking off.

     11:46am  I took a picture of a cross.

     11:51.43am  Mile Marker 39. I'm going to stop here and rest. Even though I could keep going.

     12:08pm  I took a big quality break. I switched out my tennis ball. I cut me a new one. I aired out my feet and everything. I'm about to take off. I'm going to eat me a Snicker's before I take off.

                     Leaving.

     12:29pm  I'm not stopping. Three more miles to go.

     12:48.05pm  Mile marker 41. Stopped to rest.

     12:58pm  I forgot to tell you. Some guy just pulled over for me! I was resting and eating some almonds my sister gave me. This guy just pulled up in a truck and asked me if I was going that way. I was almost there. I only had like a mile left. I was walking good today. I got rewarded, hell yeah. I forgot his name. It freaked me out because he grabbed my pack and threw it in his truck. He said it was a company vehicle so I couldn't ride in the front. But I could ride in the back. He's giving me a ride almost to I10, to this truckstop. I see a water tower that says Iowa. Love's truckstop.

     1:06pm  I am just now taking my lunch rest. I went two miles without resting. Homer was the dude's name. I appreciate it, Homer. Everybody gets credit.

                   Homer just hooked me up with some pork steak! His mother made it. Good thing I have my Ziploc bags.

     1:28pm  Hell yeah, that guy hooked me up rowdy! He gave me a steak! He gave me a muffin. He gave me a twenty dollar bill! I told him my story and everything. I got to the Johnny Appleseed song and asked him the two favors.

                   217 minus 160 is how much I am carrying. Fifty seven pounds. I weighed myself on the scale in the bathroom.

                   I don't think I ever mentioned it. I crossed over to the West side of the highway back to the truckstop. The gas station on the other side wasn't populated at all. Everybody is all over on the West side at the truck stop. I asked permission in the back and they told me they couldn't let me do that. I told them I was just resting then. But, then this trucker dude came by and asked me where I was going. He said he was getting off around seven or something and that he would give me a ride. So if they tell me shit I can just say I'm waiting for seven. I already stashed my weed in case the cops come. I'm wearing my World Peace Through Marijuana shirt. I put it on when I got here. I'm letting everybody see it.

                   Earlier, when I was walking I90 and Homer picked me up I had taken my shirt off because I didn't want to get it dirty while I walked. I wasn't even wearing it when Homer picked me up. I was wearing my grey thermal and shit. I told Homer my story. I didn't tell him the whole thing. He gave me a steak and twenty bucks!

     3:45pm  I am in transit again. I didn't tell you. This guy Kevin who saw my shirt earlier at the gas station. Out here in Iowa. He had told me he wasn't going my way, but he ended up coming back to get me because he was now going a little East, so he's giving me a hop. He just hooked me up with a pack of cigarettes. He just bought a carton. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     3:59pm  Remember how I told you I had stashed my weed in case the cops came? Well, I forgot it! I had put it in the newspaper machine. When Kevin pulled up I totally forgot about it and got in his truck and we took off. Halfway there I remembered. He's going to give me a ride back so I can get it.

     4:30pm  Back at the truckstop in Iowa. I'm going to get my weed.

                   CSY920, these government agent-looking couple just walked in. They were dressed nice wearing guns. They were all looking at my shirt. Screw it, I'm not scared.

     5:06pm  I just took a picture of my bag and my stick. All sixty pounds I'm hauling. On the left hand upper compartment I have about seven pairs of socks. On the left hand upper compartment I've got tennis balls.

     5:38pm  I got bored on that side, so I came back to the East-going side. The gas stations are a little more busy now.

     6:04pm  I got my ride! Before you know it I saw a cool dude with a beard inside. He saw my shirt and I gave him my website. I asked him if he was going East and he said, "I don't know, I'm with my uncle." About five minutes later he walks back in the store and tells me, "Your walk is over." I'm getting me a ride to Baton Rouge! Everybody gets credit, man. Thanks a lot.

     7:07pm  We're in the town of Henderson. How long is this bridge? Eighteen miles long, damn. What's the name of this bridge? It goes across the Atchafalaya Swamp.

     7:09pm  Red alert! Red alert! I left my weed again! See, since I get all paranoid about standing outside the gas stations with my WPTMJ shirt, I always stash it when I go outside in case the cops come. For the second time today I forgot my weed when I got my ride.

     7:41pm  I just got some good news. I'm going to New Orleans tomorrow! And, I'm going to get a place to crash tonight. Kevin and Buddy. Kevin, the dude with the beard I was talking about, he's letting me crash at his place tonight. In the morning they're going to New Orleans anyway, so I might as well go too. Just think about all the empty seats being chauffeured around out there. How wasteful we have become.

     7:48pm  We are driving through Baton Rouge. We're going over the bridge that spans the Mississippi river.

     8:06pm  Uncle Buddy just volunteered me a twenty dollar bill! I appreciate it. I'll pay you back by saving the world. Sound fair?

     8:39pm  I forgot to tell you. Kevin and his Uncle Buddy brought me to Baton Rouge. Kevin's wife Rachel and their adorable daughter Grace. We met up with them and we're going to their house now. Thanks for helping me live this dream, guys.

     11:01pm  Look up Todd Snyder lyrics and be sure to put them on my website.

                     Drive through.

     11:24pm  Man, what a magical night I've ended up having tonight. We came back to their trailer. They have such a beautiful little daughter. Beautiful wife, too. I am being treated like royalty. Rachel listened to my story and they're glad to be a part of it. They're glad to be helping the cause. Hell yeah, like minds come together. Just behold all the little synchronicity involved. I had been hanging out mainly on the West-going side at the truckstop. I got tired of it and right when I decided to go to the other side, by the McDonald's which was all dead, but I went over there anyway, I got me a ride.

                   Oh yeah, Kevin hooked me up with a lot of weed! A lot more weed than I had lost. That's awesome. I lost my one-hitter too, which majorly sucks. Be sure to ask around about Scoot when I'm in New Orleans.

Next day..