070103

 

     Taos, NM

Tuesday July 1, 2003

     5:55am  I just woke up and put my boots on. I slept pretty good. I crashed out around 12:00am. I got about six hours of sleep. Now I'm going to go find a bathroom.

                   Hehe, where I slept behind wasn't a church. It was a funeral home.

                   Man, I had all this shit stuck on my poncho. I slept in grass. So, I'm just going to sit here and pick all this stuff out. It's alright. I'm going to walk to downtown Taos. Later on.

                   Okay, I walked up to the Chevron. Didn't get a cigarette there. I'm going to go across and down the street to the Allsups.

                   Rolando was very generous and gave me a cigarette at the Allsups. Thanks a lot, Rolando.

     6:30am  I just changed into my shorts. I took my army pants off. I went to use the bathroom at the Allsups. I'm looking in the mirror at my funny-lookin' self.

 

                   I need a picture of me, hehe. Hmm, I'm going to take a picture of me in the mirror.

                   I went outside and I'm going to take a picture of my watch.

 

Just for my webpage.

     7:02am  Whoa, there's another 420 Gear store here in Taos.

                   Okay, historic marker time. "Taos. Population 3,369. Elevation: 6,983 feet. The Spanish community of Taos was developed 2 1miles Southwest of Taos Pueblo. It later served as something for the mountain men. It was the home of Kit Carson, who is buried here. Governor Charles Ben was killed here in the anti-US insurrection of 1847. In the early 1900's Taos developed as a colony for artists and writers."

     7:05am  I'm walking down Paseo Del Pueblo. That's the street I've been walking on this whole time.

     7:08am  I was walking down Paseo Del Pueblo and Ruby was gracious enough to give me a cigarette. Thank you, Ruby.

     7:18am  I just passed by this shop called Vibrations. This novelty shop. In the window there's a sign that says, "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds." That's true. Bob Marley said that. There's another one that says, "Give peace a chance," by John Lennon. "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." John Lennon again. "The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth." That's right. That was King Seattle. Here's another one that says, "Will work for peace." Hmm, I really need to talk to these people. It sucks that it's so early. They don't open until ten or twelve, I don't know. I really need to talk to these people.

     7:23am  I found this recliner in the shade outside of some gallery. I'm going to smoke a cigarette and the very last of my weed.

     7:35am  Okay, I'm up from my little recliner in the shade. I'm going to go to Taos Pueblo.

                    I went to Kit Carson road and I took a picture of the big mural here at, umm let me see what the name of the building is. Cabot Plaza. 

                   Cool. I'm going to take another picture.  

                   This town is awesome! There's not that many people, but it's all packed in right here. There's shops everywhere. There's even a bus system here. I'm going to catch the bus somewhere. I'm going to walk to the Taos police station and ask them some questions.

     7:45am  I walked into the police station and told this lady, "My name is Victor. I'm a long-distance walker/journalist. I was wondering if you could inform me of any resources available in this town. You know, like food, a place to stay, bus fare, etcetera." She said, "Oh, there's a Joseph's Table down the street." It's like way down there, though. I'll see a good part of this town. Maybe I'll talk to some people.

     7:52am  I'm going to stop and pack up my poncho. Shit, it's been recording on normal speed this whole time. It should've been on half.

                   Okay, I ate a couple more snacks and I'm up walking again. Oh cool, a gas station. Cigarette!

                   Okay, nobody smokes at the Allsups. Okay, I'm going to take a walk inside the Sierra Vista Cemetery. Let's see if something cool happens to me in here.

     8:20am  Okay, nothing cool happened at the cemetery. I'm still walking down the street.

     8:25am  I'm coming up on the Mobil Quick Stop. There are mechanics here. Grease monkeys always have cigarettes.

                   No cigarette there.

     8:26am  Found a penny on the ground.

     8:30am  I was told it wasn't called Joseph's Table anymore. It's called Manou, and it's on the opposite side of town. The lady told me to walk this way. I haven't seen one bus today. I'm hoping one will come soon. Maybe I'll catch one. Forget walking back. I can do it, but I want to keep walking this way.

     8:39am  I just walked into El Prado. I guess I'm already in a different town. I probably should walk back the other way. Damnit, I hate backtracking. I don't see bus stops anywhere. Well, I'm going to keep going until I get a cigarette.

     8:40am  Traffic is horrendous in this little town.

     8:56am  I'm walking back to Taos. Walking through historic Taos, NM. Soul of the Southwest, it says.

     9:15am  I'm getting up from the bench I stopped and rested at by Blake's.

     9:21am  Stupid British chick. I asked her for a cigarette and she told me, "They sell them inside." Like I don't know where they sell them.

                   Cool, I just walked by Arte De Xuaca. I talked to Robert. He was cool. He was young. He just jumped outside and started talking to me. I told him what I was doing. He went, "Awesome! It's about time. We've been waiting for somebody like you!" He couldn't listen to all my stuff because he had to go back to work.

     9:45am  I walked by the Taos Inn. I saw three ladies sitting down smoking a cigarette. Denise was very gracious and gave me one. A good 'ol American Spirit. No additives. Thanks a lot, Denise.

     9:47am  I just told those three chicks my ideas and they went, "Alright, that's perfect!"

     10:25am  I just got out of Cottonseed Outdoors. I told them all my stuff. I got their email addresses. Planting the seed in every town I go. This guy told me there was a welcome center a bit down the road and that they have free maps there. That's where I'm going.

     10:59am  Denny was gracious enough to give me a cigarette in front of Vibrations. Thanks a lot, Denny. That's very generous of you.

     10:51am  I came back to that Vibrations shop. I talked to Sarah. I didn't record it, but I kind of remember Sarah not agreeing with me about money. Damn hypocrites need to practice what they preach. Trying to make peace cost-effective by having those stickers on the window. How evil.

     11:21am  Got some more Marlboro Miles.

     11:50am  I just got through talking to this guy and a girl. I Don't remember their names, but I got their email address. They were cool.

     11:54am  What was your name? Steve hooked me up with a good no-additive American Spirit. I appreciate it. That's very generous of you.

     12:19pm  I'm talking to Chris and Nathan. They gave me their email addresses at Inspirations.

                     Badass, I just got me a big rainbow scarf! These two guys just gave me a $20 bill!

     12:50pm  I asked these two guys where they Greyhound station was. They told me they had moved it. They gave me directions. I was walking the wrong way. I'm walking back, now.

     12:54pm  For some reason I am thinking about sex an awful lot. I don't know why. My mind is wandering.

     1:06pm  I'm walking the right direction. I'm going down Salazar street. I got directions.

     1:17pm  Got two groundscores on the ground. Two cigarettes.

     1:19pm  Now passing Calle Allegre. Happy street.

     1:37pm  Annette just gave me a ride a little bit closer to the Greyhound station. She was getting in her car and I asked her if she knew where the bus station was. She ended up giving me a ride, cool.

     2:37pm  Dude, I got to the bus station and guess who I see. That guy I talked to earlier at Inspirations who gave me twenty dollars. My ticket to Raton was $21.50. I had bought some cigarettes. I was like, "Fuck, I'm short some money. Like $6.50." That dude hooked me up again with another $20! Now I got like ten dollars and I'm going to see if I can score me a dimebag before the bus comes tomorrow at 9:30am.

     2:41pm  Oh yeah, that dude is giving me a ride back into town. I'm going to try to score me a dimebag.

     3:08pm  I'm going hiking with Gwenyfar and her dog, Vetta. Like the Volkswagen.

                   We never went hiking, but Gwenyfar took me to her house and smoked me out. She's the coolest girl in the world. Damnit, what did I tell myself about falling for every cool girl I met on this adventure. It's not easy. She's hot and she thinks a lot like me.
                   She did get me thinking about me and my scripts. She told me that she didn't like the idea that everything I told her I had told to someone else before.

     5:07pm  Gwenyfar told me I have to make it a point to visit Ashville, NC. Cool things will happen there.

                    Remember to read the Alchemist, by Paul something. I'll find it.

     6:05pm  Gwenyfar brought me to the Taos Plaza.

 

                    I hadn't been here yet. I can't believe I hadn't found this place.

     6:11pm  This redhedeaded girl just came up to me and talked to me in the plaza. I was telling her my scripts, but she took off.
                   Man, Gwen has me thinking now. I feel all retarded now. I'm all scripted. I feel all unoriginal. Ugh, but I have to do this. I have to keep telling the same stories. They evolve over time. It's world peace I'm after. It's that important. First impressions are everything. I'm in a new town meeting new people. I need to give people something to remember me by. The same thing.
                   I'll work on getting new scripts and being more original after I'm finished with my mission. Right now, I need to keep playing by my rules.
                   I'm getting out of here tomorrow morning. I'm going to go to Raton and see what happens there. Alright, later on. I shouldn't let this bring me down, but it kind of is.

                   Gwen is very attractive. She's amazing. I knew not to get my hopes up or anything. It couldn't work between us. Even if she didn't end up with her boyfriend(they're having problems). I want to travel. She wants to settle down. She hates the fact that I'm all scripted and she wouldn't dig it. She was really cool, though. Really cool. Hehe, I can't fall in love with every girl from every town. Like I did with Gretchen.

                   Cool, that redheaded lady came over and took a picture of me and my walking staff. That's cool.

     6:50pm  I walked into the World Cup Cafe and asked if I could use the restroom. They said no and told me there was one across the street. So that's what I'm doin'.

     8:15pm  I'm just waiting around. This dude said he could get a dime for me. So that's what I'm waiting for.

     11:05pm  Christo was nice enough to offer to smoke me out. We went to this little dark corner and sat down. I told Christo to take it from there. He was there too. Let's see how he remembers it.

                     Christo: "Well, we were jammin'. Having a sidewalk jam. I was playing some jammin' tunes and the brother walked up. I felt that peaceful spirit and I knew you were looking for some good medicine to enlighten the path. After that, we partook of some cornmeal porridge. You know dude, marijuana. Then after that, we went back to the shadows."

     12:02am  I'm walking towards the Greyhound station. I'm going to find somewhere to sleep so I can crash and take off in the morning. Even though I'll wake up way before it's scheduled to leave. Maybe I should stay up, so I can wake up later.

Next day..