041805

 

Austin and walking South to San Marcos, TX

Monday April 18, 2005

     6:45am  I don't know what time it is, but we just had a wake-up call by a cop. I had crashed on the sidewalk with all the other bums.

                   I walked up Seventh all the way to Congress. I wonder where Guadalupe is. I need to go to the drag and start spanging for my bus ticket home.

                   Man, nobody waves back in Austin. That sucks.

                   At the drag I ran into some kid that told me, "Hey, San Antonio's that way." He told me, "I saw you in San Antonio in Travis Park." I promptly hit him up for my story, but he wouldn't listen at all. He had asked me if I had a pipe and I was holding my little one-hitter. We went and smoked somewhere. I couldn't tell him my story at all. He was way ignorant. Man, it just goes to remind me how Austin gives me the creeps. I was telling that dude that and he said, "Man, you've come to one of the most liberal places in the world." I told him, "But everybody is still ignorant. This is a big huge gear of the machine. The capital."

                   Alright, well screw Austin. I think I'm going to start walking South. Umm, I'm going to walk South until . . . umm, I'm going to walk all the way to San Antonio.

                   I'm walking South on Guadalupe. I walked to Fourth and stopped at some bench to take off my layers. I'm walking now. I have my badass tiedye on. My bright one.

                   Oh yeah, and at that ARCH place I crashed out at there was tons of homebums everywhere crashed out on the sidewalk. Like I couldn't find any room at first, but I finally did. I slept alright.

                   Guadalupe turns into First. I'm just passing Riverside. Riverside Drive. Palmer Event Center. Right in front of where the Bob Marley Fest was.

     8:27am  I just got on a bus. Over by Barton Springs. I had fifty cents in my left pocket. I don't know from where. He's going to take me as far South as I can on 35. Then I can start walking to San Antonio.

                   Today is April 18th. Two days until 4:20.

                   Lemme see if they give me the 'ol manager is not here line again.

                   The greedy ass Mexicans failed at Arandinas Mexican Restaurant. Haha!

                   I've eliminated that option. She told me, "My dad's the manager. He's not here right now." Like it matters, dude. Anyway, I'm going to get a snack. I have a dollar.

                   I jumped on the 333 bus that just pulled up. Right in front of the EZ Mart.

     9:28am  Jumped on the 333. No, the #10, I think.

                   Tell the driver what?

                   Driver: "You want to get off by Akens High School. And then you just continue straight down that road until it turns into I35."

                   I don't know what time it is, but I just got dropped off at William Cannon and First Street. I'm waiting for another bus. I'm going to go buy me something to eat at the EZ Food Store here.

                   Steve at the Quik Mart hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, bro. Everybody gets credit, thanks. And he gave me my pie for just a dollar. Thank you.

                   I just had an awesome presentation with the 252 driver! He asked me, "Do you ever get in trouble with the law?" I told him, "Well, I've got some jail stories." I told him my Brewster County Jail story. He just dropped me off at Mairo. I'm going to walk to the Shell station and then walk to where I gotta walk to, to go to 35.

                   I had that driver's full attention with my story. He listened to the whole thing. He was nodding his head up the whole time. Saying, "Right, right, right." I'm walking South on First.

                   Turning left on Slaughter.

                   I was going to walk to the highway and I ran into Jeff again. Austin is a big town and I got recognized in a random part of it! He gave me another cigarette. Jeff was the kid who told me I inspired him at Marley. He's going to go pawn his TV at the pawn shop to get some cash.

                   I stopped into the RaceTrac on Slaughter and South Congress. I went in the bathroom. Took a shit again. The lady in there told me there was a truckstop nearby. Hmmm. She said it was at the next overpass. That might just be a possible option.

                   Hmm, I might hit up Subway. Wait, Texas Roadhouse. Maybe I'll go hit them up.

     12:26pm  Brenda at the Subway is hooking me up with some gasoline for my stomach so I can walk to San Antonio. I appreciate it, Brenda. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                     I don't know what time it is, but I'm taking off walking. 35 South.

                     I'm on 35 South. The access road still. Please Love, mobilize me. Hey, I'm close to that Onion Creek place I've been to before with that girl and her grandma(1-1-04, 7:05pm).

                     About to pass Old San Antonio Road.

                     Leanna, right arrow.

                     Coming up on the 16/26 junction.

                     Passing sign that says, "Creedmoor, next right."

                     Passing sign that says, "Exit 223 FM 1327 ½ mile away."

                     It started drizzling hard. I just put on my rain poncho.

                     Puryear Drive.

                     I stopped at this four way stop here and took off my rain poncho. It stopped raining. Oh, there's a busy intersection up ahead.

                     Passing sign that says, "Buda, ½ mile."

                     Exit 221.

                     Entering Buda City Limits. Hays County Line. Victor's back in Hays County.

                     I asked this guy at the gas station on Menchaca Springs Road. I'm going to see if anyone has any matches. I want to smoke some weed.

                     I'm going to hit up the Subway again, hehe.

                     Renee at the Subway in Buda hooked me up. I appreciate it, Renee. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                     I'm leaving Subway. Renee made me an awesome sandwich! She asked me what I wanted and I told her to surprise me. They hooked it up phat. Foot long With all these hams and cheeses. It was damn good. I ate half of it and I've saving the other half for later.

                     Damnit, I want a lighter so I can smoke some weed.

                     James hooked me up with a cigarette at the Jack in the Box in Buda. I appreciate it, bro. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                     Oh yeah, at the Subway when I left Renee told me, "Good luck." Just like everybody else tells me.

                     I just tied my rainbow string on my stick and I'm walking now.

                     Oh badass. I am a measly thirteen miles away from San Marcos. 63 to San Antonio.

     1:40pm  I was just walking down 35 South. All of a sudden Steve pulled over. Just as I passed the sign that said San Antonio 63, Steve pulled over. He's going to give me a ride up the highway a little. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                     It wasn't that far at all, but every little bit helps.

                     I just had a badass presentation at the Sac-n-Pac. I bummed a cigarette off the cashier kid. I stepped outside to smoke. I guess he noticed me taking a hit of weed. He came outside and gave me a couple more cigarettes. I put on my presentation and he gave me his email address written on a paper sack.

                     51 to San Antone, 17 to Austin.

                     Jacob at the Sac-n-Pac gave me a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

                     That guy earlier gave me a short little hop and three bucks. I bought a lighter for a dollar at the Sac-n-Pac. The cashier hooked me up because I didn't have the six cents tax. I did but I didn't want to break a dollar.

                     Whoa, I'm coming up on the Home Depot. I could've sworn when I started walking today I saw a billboard that said Home Depot was like twenty miles away. I've walked far.

                     Coming up on Exit 215. Bunton Overpass.

                     I stopped hear at the Long John Silvers by another Sac-n-Pac. I ate the other half of that sandwich. I smoked a cigarette and smoked my last hit of weed. Good thing I don't have any marijuana on me walking through Hays County, hehe. I'm going to walk to San Marcos today.

                     Kyle, ½ mile.

                     For a while I started walking on the other side of the highway. On the Northbound side. Just to give everybody the peace sign. I crossed this bridge, but I should have stayed on the other side. I'm not getting a ride. I'm going to walk. I should get back on the North Side. Next bridge or overpass.

                     Walking South on Opal Lane. I'm going to take a piss behind this wall. I have to go pee.

                     I have had the greatest pace all day long. I've just been hauling ass.

                     Whoa, I'm going to walk to San Marcos before sundown. That's awesome.

                     Marker 212.

                     211.

                     Walking in front of Plum Creek Campgrounds.

                     I don't know what time it is, but I'm coming up on Yarrington Road. Whoa, there's like a graveyard on the side of the highway.

                     "Department of Public Safety Trooper," it says on top. It's got the big seal of Texas. It says, "The troopers of the US Department of Public Safey Acknowledge and thank Trooper Randall W. Vettere for the great sacrifice he made to keep the public safe.
                     Trooper Vetter was shot near this site on August 3rd, 2000 after stopping a car for a traffic violation.
                     His effort and memory will stand the test of time. May God bless his soul."

                     Peace out, Trooper Vetter.

                     Coming up on Exit 208. Blanco River.

                     I'm about to walk over the San Marcos City Limits. I did it. I made it.

                     I came over and I sat on this big pile of rocks to rest my feet and smoke a cigarette. I'm going to try and scrape me up a resin hit.

                     I'm up from my rest and I'm walking again. It's windy, I should put my thermal on.

                     San Marcos Next 5 Exits.

                     Crossing the Blanco River.

                     Aquarina Springs Drive ½ mile. Texas State University Bobcat Stadium Exit 206 ½ mile.

                     Exit 206.

                     Historic district, next right. I'm going to walk into San Marcos and find a plaza or a park and sit down and smoke a cigarette. I walked all the way from Austin to San Marcos.

                     San Marcos to the right. Wimberley 18 miles. Maybe I'll hit up the pancake house.

                     No-go at the pancake house. "The manager isn't here."

                     I didn't tell her, "Your greedy ass failed." She was this pretty girl. She felt all bad anyway. She said, "I'm sorry."

                     Aquarina Springs Drive. Passing Fourth and Eastwood Street.

                     I'm right across the street from the Bobcat Stadium. Texas State University.

                     Walking in front of Aquarina Center.

                     Walking in front of the Strahan Colliseum.

                     Crossing University Drive. Going straight.

                     Turning right on Hutchison. I think it goes downtown.

                     Left on LBJ. Turning left on LBJ.

                     Oh, I didn't go downtown and find a plaza to smoke a cigarette at, like I said I would. Because I didn't see any cool kids anywhere. Everybody looks away from me when I look at them. They look away real quick. I saw this train which gave me the idea to go to the Greyhound station and see if I can get hooked up or something.

                     I went down Guadalupe and MLK. I'm already over here by the Hays County Justice Center. Fuck the police.

                     I should've checked what time it was, but it's not even dark yet. It's getting dark.

                     I just realized I lost my cigarette. That sucks.

                     I came to the Greyhound station and they told me there weren't any more buses to San Antonio today. I'm going to go to a gas station and ask for rides. I can already see the highway from here. Hmm, I'll get hooked up at some Mexican food place, I'm sure.

                     Back on I35 now. I'm 30 miles away from Austin, San Antonio 48.

                     The greedy asses at Dairy Queen told me no. She gave me some bullshit excuse. She told me, "As far as I know, we're not supposed to do that."

                     Whoa, Taqueria Mazatlan, where I scored last time(6-9-04, 12:46pm).

     8:24pm  Andres en la Taqueria Mazatlan me esta dando gasolina para mi estomago. Te lo agradezco, señor. Todo el mundo recibe crédito, gracias.

                     Gregorio me dio un cigaro al frente de la Taqueria Mazatlan. Te lo agradezco, señor. Todo el mundo recibe crédito, gracias.

                     I scored phat at the Taqueria Mazatlan. He hooked me up with a buffet! Then I went to the Conoco right next door and asked the dude Juan, "Hey, will you guys run me off for asking for rides? I walked all the way from Austin." He told me no problem. I went outside to smoke and he comes out and says, "Do you need to refill your cup? Go ahead." I'm going to try and tell him my story.

                     That guy came out and told me, "I'm not running you off, but you're never going to get a ride from here. Everybody who comes here is from the neighborhood. There's a Sacnpac down the street." That's where I'm walking to now. The Sac-n-Pac down the street.

                     He had even offered me a burrito. I told him, "I just got hooked up big time at the taqueria next door. Thanks anyway."

                     I just got to the Diamond Shamrock over by Water World Drive.

                     Wonder World Drive, I mean. Let me see if the cashier will run me out for asking for rides.

                     The greedy ass told me no. She said, "I can't let you do that."

                     Ah, there's no Southbound traffic coming to this gas station. I have to walk to the other one. Two miles, they told me.

                     16 to New Braunfels, 46 to San Antonio.

                     Whoa, next exit 200. I'm already over by the outlet malls. Damn, I walked far today.

                     Exit 201, Mccarty Lane.

                     Coming up on Exit 200. Centerpoint Road.

                     Centerpoint Road ½ mile. Exit 200.

                     I'm walking in front of the San Marcos Fish Hatchery and Technology Center.

                     I'm coming up on the Sac-n-Pac on Exit 200 now. I hope they'll let me ask for rides. Ah, I'll just find a place to crash.

                     The cashier told me, "As long as you're outside. I don't care."

     10:10pm  Man, I've been walking all day.

                      I came to the Diamond Shamrock here. The Sac-n-Pac across the highway from the outlet mall. There's a little travel trailer behind it. I'm not going to get in it, but there's a bench swing out here too. At first I thought I was going to crash on the swing, but I can just crash behind the travel trailer in the grass. I'll put down my rain poncho. I'm tired. I'm going to go to sleep.

Next day..