030408

                                                                                                              to Monticello, FL

Tuesday March 4, 2008

     3:56am  I had a good eight hours of sleep. Eight to four, that's seven. I am pretty well-rested. I found a little camp nearby behind a golf course, I think. I should probably take a picture, but it's too dark right now. I'm going to wake and bake. I don't have any cigarettes to smoke. That sucks.

     4:12am  There's a Shell on the other side of these woods right here. I'm going to go see if I can go on a snipe-hunt at the Shell gas station and then come back to my camp. I'm going to wait for the sun to come up before I go stand in front of the gas station. I should probably go back to sleep. I don't know. I'm going to go find a cigarette and celebrate and then take a nap. Perfect little campsite. I took pictures and stuff.

     4:29am  I went to the Shell but didn't find a cigarette. They have one of those smoking posts, so I can't dig through it. Luckily, some black dude walked up and gave me shorts off his cigarette. I'm going to walk back to the Circle K. It's not too far I walked back to my camp and got my tape recorder, because I had left it. I'm having a good morning. I'm all baked on that one-hitter stuff. I have a little bit of that chronic left. I'm going to go to the Circle K and find a cigarette.

     4:34am  I got three different snipes and came back to my camp and packed up. Maybe I'll go tell this guy my story at the Shell station. There's a little strip mall back here with a grocery store. I'm going to try and get the guy at the Subway to give me some food so I can start walking 90.

     5:17am  I'm all packed up and ready to go. I'm going to go to the Shell station and see what time the Subway opens. I'm totally out of food. I had my last Ramen yesterday. There's a Publix food market nearby. I'm going to go buy some more Ramen. I think I have fifteen cents.

     5:24am  The Publix doesn't open until ten in the morning. I'm going to take a shit at the gas station.

     5:35am  I went inside the gas station and took a shit and brushed my teeth. Some guy just walked outside and told me it was supposed to rain.
                  
     5:52am  I walked back to the Circle K. I ran into another hitchhiker sitting down on the ground. He asked me where I was going and I told him I was on my way to save the world. What was your name? Wheelo. I offered to smoke him out. We're going to smoke right behind the Circle K. I put down my military rain poncho and we're going to sit down and toke.

                   Wheelo had a good little quote. He told me to look at what today was. It's March fourth. That's a good little pun. That's exactly what I am doing, marching forth. Did you take a hit already?

     5:58am  Wheelo is recommending I check out his buddy's music. belna.com Alright, I'll put a link to it on my website. You'll find his picture on the website. I'm going to take one of him anyway.

     6:12am  Wheelo gave me a cigarette. I didn't mention.

     6:15am  Wheelo is giving me a contact in Miami. His best friend. Hollywood, Florida. I'm heading there. Dale Bassing 954-240-8026. Crashpad? Wheelo: "Not just a crashpad, a tour guide. He's the greatest brother in the world. He's been studying Spanish like crazy. He would love to sit and talk to you and learn Spanish. He's been down there for fifty years.

                   Wheelo was telling me a story about a pig fucking a horse. How? Can you describe this to me? Wheelo: "The horse is laying on its side and the pig is behind him. They were in love." All we need is love, hehe.

     6:34am  We had a good smokeout session. I smoked the whole half a joint Homer hooked me up with yesterday. The guy with the Zeus beard on the Harley. I told Wheelo a couple of my stories. I even told him the Note From the Rich. He was laughing the whole time. Great presentation. He gave me the number to some guy in Miami. I'm going to tell him my story. I wrote the number down in my wallet. Let's see who Dale Bassing is.

                   Oh yeah, I didn't mention. Right when I walked up I took my WPTMJ shirt off to put on a sweater, because it got chilly. Right after I took my shirt off a state trooper pulled up and parked his car and walked into the gas station. Seems like I took it off for a reason. I'm going to put it back on though.

     7:51am  I put on my rainsuit. It's drizzling. I'm walking to the grocery store. I bought some cookies for fifty nine cents. I'm going to go buy as much Ramen as I can with my change.

                   I had fifty cents and I bought three Ramen's. I'm going to eat one.

     8:38am  I walked back to the Circle K.

     9:07am  Sweet, this sheriff walked up to me and told me no loitering, that I couldn't stand here.

     9:08am  Some stranger gave me a lot of bananas. I appreciate it, brother. I tried to give you credit. He gave me all these bananas. He came to restock with fresh ones and gave me the old ones. Oh yeah, that cop was trying to run me off and I told him I had permission from the manager, Leslie. He all asked me what does she look like, making sure I wasn't lying. Just then Leslie pulls up and gets out of her car and he asks her. Leslie told him, "Yeah, he's cool." The cop told me to not be bothering anybody. I told him I don't bother anyone.

                   Illinois plates 797-0836, the guy who gave me the bananas. I tried to log his generosity and he told me, "Oh, I'm not generous." I tried to get his name, but he wouldn't give it to me. I got his license plate though, ha. They were old and he was going to throw them away so he gave them to me.

     9:15am  Eddie just hooked me up with two cigarettes. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit.

     9:27am  Oh yeah, Leslie came back. She told me she was coming back yesterday but she never did. She hooked me up with a cigarette and she's listening to the rest of my story.

     9:52am  Matt hooked me up with a cigarette at the gas station. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.

     10:02am  Wheelo told me that when I call Dale to tell him that I'm a walker and ask him about his bicycle trip from Daytona to Miami. That he likes that story.

     10:17am  I got tired of standing at the gas station and I'm walking. I tried standing there with my thumb out, but barely no cars are coming. I'm walking to 90. I10 is a little bit up ahead, I think. Exit 209B if my memory serves me.

                   I forgot to tell you that this dude Wheelo told me about some guy to call, that he carried around a tape recorder too. I'm going to call him when I get to Miami, in Hollywood. I'm walking the highway now. When I left to walk to go over to the onramp he told me, "You taught me a lot, man. Thanks a lot." He told me, "I love you, brother." I love you too, man.

     10:24am  I just finished up my little project. I patched up my rainpants. Oh, I didn't tell you. I had taken off walking and I was confused with the exits. Before I walked here yesterday I thought I had taken Exit 209A, so I assumed 209B was up ahead a little more. I was walking and I looked back and I ended up being on I10. Highway 90 is the road the Circle K is on. While I was walking back I noticed that my rainpants had torn real bad and those pants are mission-critical. Hmm, how can I save them? Did I tell you it's been raining all morning? I thought I was going to stop under the bridge and try and fix them. I needed more light though. I went back to the Circle K and Wheelo was still here. He gave me a cigarette. It dawned on me that I could patch my rainpants with Shoe Goo. I sat down in front of the Circle K and patiently fixed that tear with Shoe Goo. It took me like half an hour, but I was able to save my pants. I'll take pictures and show you the work I did.

     10:35am  I gave Brian my website here at the gas station. He's got a webpage himself. What is it? http://www.brianeltomi.com/

     12:17pm  I didn't tell you. I was finally able to detach myself from Wheelo at the gas station. He was totally cramping my style. I had competition to get rides. Well, Wheelo was conveniently in the restroom and I asked this brother Robert for a ride. He was heading East on 90, which runs parallel to I10 and he's being generous enough to give me a ride. I appreciate it, brother. Thanks a lot.

     12:48pm  Hell yeah, what awesome perfection. I'm in Monticello. What a great blessing. Wheelo was seriously cramping my style. If either of us got a ride we agreed to try and ask if a friend could ride too. I was dreading having to travel with this kid. I would never be able to get my story out with him around. He had been harassing all the customers at the gas station. He was asking every single person that walked out. Me, I'm real selective in who I ask. You can read people. Right after Wheelo goes to the bathroom I ask this brother if he's going East. He told me, "No, I'm going that way." I told him, "Yeah, that's where I need to go." He pointed to the I10 East sign and said, "No, that way's East. I'm going North." I said, "They run parallel eventually. That way is East too." I scored me a ride to Monticello. I'm going to eat me another Ramen. I'm hungry. It's so awesome how I totally escaped from that kid. I guess I should have asked Robert if he could give my friend a ride too, but Wheelo was totally cramping my style. I really didn't want to travel with this kid. He was totally monopolizing the possibilities at the Circle K. I was still trying to finish my story with Leslie. It was so awesome how she showed up when that sheriff was trying to run me off and she had my back. I'm out of there. I got dropped off by the Jefferson County High School. I got to tell Robert my story. I told him the spirit's part and asked him to do me the two favors and everything. I told him he would be on there when I updated it. That was an awesome experience. I just had to wait. The whole patience game. I had even considered starting to walk the highway and I double backed when my pants tore. I thought Highway 90 was a little bit further up. I started walking and I realized I was at Highway 90 at the Circle K! I took a picture of the courthouse here in Monticello. The opera house too. Shit, I lost my water bottle again. It's alright, I can make another one. I have more lids. I'm going to walk to this gas station now and eat my Ramen.

     1:09pm  Some guy I couldn't understand his name on the recording gave me a cigarette in front of the IGA. I appreciate it, brother.

     1:18pm  Leaving the IGA. It's not raining anymore.

                   Shit, it is raining. I'm going to go hit up Chicken Light.

     1:31pm  I walked into the restaurant here. I walked in and asked if I could talk to the manager and the girl told me they were outside. I walked outside and realized she thought I had asked for the bathroom. I went back in and clarified and she told me to wait, that he would be right there. That he was busy. Well, it's not busy anymore and they are still ignoring me. Damnit, all you have to say is no. You don't have to be so friggin' ignorant. I know they're going to tell me no, so fuck this. I was just testing your greedy asses anyway.

     1:34pm  Taking off.

     1:41pm  I am following the To I10 way. There's a Subway right here. I'm going to go hit them up.

     1:44pm  They told me no at Subway too. Oh well. He was all, "We get in trouble for that." Thanks anyway.

                   Ha, I freaked them all out in the Subway. I'm going to try the Pizza Hut.

     1:48pm  The girl at Pizza Hut told me that everything extra they had went in the garbage. How wasteful we have become.

                   They told me no at the Pizza Hut. I'm going to walk up to the Burger King and hit them up. I doubt they will. There's a Hong Kong Noodle Shop too right next to the Winn-Dixie.

     2:04pm  They gave me a bowl of rice at the Asian place. I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

     2:05pm  Johnnie hooked me up at the Burger King. I appreciate it, Johnnie. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     2:09pm  Hell yeah, I got hooked up with a Whopper and fries! A whole combo. I'm not going to eat it right now. I'm going to put it in a Ziploc bag.

     2:19pm  About to pass sign that says Capps 10 miles, Perry 38 and St. Petersburg 234.

     2:37pm  I decided to take a break and eat some of this Whopper. I could keep going, but I want to eat. The next town is ten miles away.

     2:58pm  I took a little rest on this wooden bench here. I'll take a picture of it. The grass is still wet, so I pulled my rain poncho out and sat down on it. I've got a little bit more weed left. Like enough for two or three more hits. I smoked all the good shit. That cool biker Homer hooked me up with some too. I got totally hooked up at the Circle K all day long. Then I scored a ride out of there. I was able to get away from that Wheelo kid.

                   It's raining harder so I had to put my raincovering on.

     3:08pm  I'm going to keep walking now.

     3:29pm  Passing Too Long Keem Road. I wonder what the story is behind that name. I am almost about to pass the sign that says the town of Drifton.

                   Uh-oh. Jefferson Correctional Institution. Nobody's going to pick me up around here. That's alright. I'll walk it anyway. I think it's only ten miles to the next town.

     3:38pm  I just took a time-consuming detour. It started drizzling so I tried to go under this bridge. It was a real bitch, but when I finally got down there it stopped drizzling. I'm going to climb back up and keep going on the highway. I took a smokebreak and took like three or four hits and I took a chug of Riovida so I'm all charged up.

     4:07pm  I just ran into this sheriff. I volunteered him my ID and he told me, "Alright, whatever. Later on." Nice guy. I didn't get his name. I'm glad he didn't make me take my bags off. He would've seen my shirt. I gave him my website though.

     4:19pm  Whoa, what a surprise. I am already at the I10 junction! I thought I was on my way to that town ten miles away. Sweet, there's lots of gas stations here.

                   Pedestrians Prohibited

     4:29pm  Man, they have everything at this intersection. They have an Exxon/Wendy's, they've got a BP, they have a Days Inn Hotel, they've got a Chevron/McDonald's and they have a Mobile/Arby's. Sweet, I won't go hungry on this corner.

     4:37pm  First I went to the Exxon/Wendy's. It's kind of lame. It's not too busy at all. The girl working there is busy talking on the phone so I can't tell her my story. I'll go try the Chevron. They don't have any cigarette butts in the ashtray here either. I'm going to walk over to the Chevron.

     4:45pm  Ahh, the Chevron/McDonald's is lame too. I'm going to go try the Mobile/Arby's.

     4:49pm  Nathan and his friend hooked me up with a cigarette at the Mobile. I appreciate it, brothers. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.

     4:55pm  I went across the street right on time. I went across the street and these hippie kids were there. Well, it was just some dude with long dreadlocks and a beard. I gave them my website. They're looking at it right now in their car. They're working and shit. I asked them if they could kick me a nugget, but they told me they couldn't have any while they were traveling.

     5:32pm  Louis, the cashier at the BP gave me a cigarette.

                    I came to the onramp and I'm thumbing it.

                    Weird, I'm not on 90 anymore. I'm on 19 or something. It was because I followed the To I10 signs.

     6:00pm  I am talking to beautiful Amy. She stopped and asked me if I was lost. I was looking at my map. I hit her up for my story, but she doesn't have time. Check out my website. That's what that's for.

     6:01pm  I turned around and walked a little and Keisha just volunteered me two dollars for something to eat. I appreciate it, Keisha. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     6:05pm  I'm walking across the street to the Chevron, because they don't have any Bugler's at the Exxon. When I get hungry I'm going to score at one of these places here.

                    This beautiful girl, I forgot her name, but she asked me if I prayed. I told her sure, that I praised love. She asked me if I would pray with her. She said a really nice prayer to the universe and in the end she told me God bless you. She was beautiful. I wish she would've let me take her picture. I couldn't tell her my story, but I gave her my website.

     7:17pm  Brian at McDonald's is hooking me up. Thanks, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     7:19pm  Dude, just as I was scraping a resin hit in front of the gas station this cop pulls up and asks me, "Didn't I talk to you earlier?" It was that one cop who stopped while I was walking. Turns out somebody called the cops about my shirt. I told him, man, nobody wants world peace! He said that I couldn't be at any of the gas stations there. I said, "Well, I guess these boots are made for walking." He smiled and said, "That's right." So I guess I'm walking the five miles back to 90, back to Monticello.

                    The cop told me I had to leave. I asked him if I could get something at McDonald's first. He said, "You've been here all this time and when I tell you to leave you think about getting something to eat?" I said, "Well, doesn't that make sense, that if I'm going to be walking I would want some food?" He told me to hurry up and I went to the McDonald's and hit them up and scored!

     7:40pm  See, right when the cop pulled up I had a little pool of resin collected on my Leatherman. I was afraid he saw what I was doing. He saw my shirt. He told me, "Get your stuff and get out of here. You can't go to any of the gas stations here." I discreetly put the resin on my thumbnail, but when I put my packs on it ended up rubbing off on something and I lost it. Well, once I walked off a good distance I stopped under this bridge in hopes I could find the little resin ball. I took my pack off and luckily found the resin stuck on my pack. I just smoked it right now, hehe. I still got mine! Argh, it's five miles back to Highway 90. I wonder if I can find a place to crash. The sun came down. I woke up early this morning so I'm pretty tired.

                    I put my tights on which are a great walking layer when it gets cold. I still have these green tights I got from cool Troy in Albert Lea, Minnesota after I cleaned up his house.

                    Exit 19. Five miles to Monticello. Interstate is 27 miles.

     8:25pm  The coolest shit. I walked like maybe a mile in the dark. I considered crashing next to these trees, but I changed my mind. It was too close to the building. All of a sudden I see a car pulled over up ahead. I doubted it had pulled over for me. I assumed it had broken down or something. I was getting closer to it and then all of a sudden this cop car pulls up behind me. He got out of his car and walked past me to the guy who had pulled over. He came back to me and asked me what I was doing. I told him that I was on a mission and I was walking to 90 since I can't walk the interstate. He checked out that guy and it turns out he had pulled over for me! He told the cop he was doing his good deed for the day. At first the cop was asking me if I was flagging people down. I told him no, that I was just walking. I told him sometimes people just pull over. Awesome, I'm going to get a ride!

                    Plot thickens. The car won't start.

                    The guy who pulled over for me, his name is Mark. I am telling him my story. Thanks for pulling over for me, Mark. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     8:45pm  Mark is going to show me a place to crash! We are over by the courthouse I took a picture of earlier.

     8:51pm  Hell yeah! What perfection! I got picked up and rescued! It was pitch black outside and I was wondering where I was going to crash. All of a sudden I see this car pulled over and then a cop pulled up behind me. I asked the cop if he pulled over for me or him. He told me to hold on and walked to the car. He told me to just stand there. Not to go anywhere. He went and talked to the kid in the car and it turns out he pulled over for me! I tried telling him my story, but cut it short. I asked him if he had a garage or backyard I could camp in and he tells me, "I know where you can camp." He showed me an abandoned house I could crash in! Hell yeah, I'll take pictures in the morning.

                    That was perfect, Love. Thank you so much. Welcome back to Monticello, Victor.

     9:23pm  I decided to leave the abandoned house. I left my big pack there. I'm going to walk into town and see if anyone is awake to tell my story to, at least once.

                    I'll go find a gas station and tell my story there. Hopefully the cashier is a pretty girl, hehe.

     9:59pm  I made my way back to my house. There was nobody to talk to in town. I walked all the way up Jefferson Street and back. I'm going to crash out.

Next day..