072804

 

Santa Fe to Española to Embudo Station to Taos, NM

Wednesday July 28, 2004

     6:07am  I crashed under the bridge on Alameda last night. I just had a rude awakening by some cop. I was lying there and I turned my head and saw some cop. He told me I couldn't be there. I told him okay and started packing my things up. I didn't get that much sleep. I crashed out around twelve or 12:30am. I woke up in the middle of the night with some bum snoring.

     7:25am  I'm at The Salvation Army waiting for breakfast and I told Sheldon and Tina 

my story. Tina was cool enough to give me a cigarette. Everybody gets credit. Thanks for listening to my story, too.

                   I just took a picture of them.        

     7:27am  Sheldon just gave me a destination. He told me to go to Ann Arbor one of these days. He told me they have a Hash-Bash there. They have some naked run where you take all your clothes off and run around.

     8:52am  I just got out of breakfast at The Salvation Army. I don't know what I'm going to do.

     9:24am  I forgot to tell you. I'm over here by the Vargas Mall. I'm going to try and hitchhike to Taos.

     9:53am  Morton Bradbury is giving me a ride to Los Alamos.

     10:24am  I am back in Española. This guy Morton just picked me up. He's an old dude. He's like a senior professor. He gives speeches and stuff. He's a distinguished professor, I think he said. He's been working on it for over twenty years. He's a scientist. He picked me up. He told me I looked interesting. I am in Española. Cool, I'm going to see if I can get to Taos.

     10:48am  I walked into Becky's Salon. I was going to see if I could get a free haircut. She told me no. There's a barber shop close by, but there's two guys waiting. I don't know what I'm going to do.

     10:52am  I saw an Arby's and I went inside to get hooked up. Sure enough, Tommy is hooking me up with some gasoline for my stomach. No thanks, I don't need any Arby's Sauce. Thanks a lot, brother.

                     I scored me two burgers at the Arby's. Just like that. I'm going to walk until I get hungry.

     11:32am  I'm walking past the Oh-Kay Casino Resort. I've walked maybe like two miles or something like that.

     11:43am  I came to some gas station Phillips 66 gas station. I used the restroom and then came out and asked the girl working, "Hey, I am trying to get to Taos. Am I going to get in trouble for asking for rides?" She tells me, "Nah, maybe when the next shift gets here they might run you off." She said I have like an hour. Wish me luck.

                     My tape is running out. All I have to do is flip it and I have a whole other forty five minutes. Blah, blah, blah.

     11:48am  Neill hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                      I just asked some guy and he told me, "Yeah, I'm going to Taos. Give me a chance. Let me see," and he went inside to ask his wife. Maybe I can get a ride. Cool. Cool.

                     That dude came out and said, "Wish I could help you out, man. Good luck."

     12:50pm  I said screw it and started walking. Before you know it, Pete pulled over and he's giving me a ride. I appreciate it, brother.

     1:14pm  I just got dropped off by Pete at Embudo Station. Population 21. Elevation 5815. I'm going to go talk to people at this restaurant. The highway runs along the river here. Pete told me that kayakers here that run the river all the way down and hitchhike all the way back. I might get a ride to Taos.

                   Rio Grande.

     1:19pm  David here at the restaurant hooked me up with a cigarette. He didn't have time to listen to my story, though. He gave me some matches, too. I appreciate it, brother.

     1:34pm  I took a picture of the Embudo Station, NM sign.  

                   I came and smoked that cigarette by the river. Now, I'm going to walk to the highway and stick my thumb out.

     1:46pm  Mile marker 18.

     2:03pm  Mile marker 19.

     2:17pm  Passing a sign that says, "Embudo Post Office, next right." There's some shade under a big tree. I am going to stop and rest and switch out my tennis ball. I walked over a mile, I think.

     2:39pm  I was just sitting there and I had to take a shit bad. Hmm, maybe I can use the restroom in the post office. There's like an empty house here. Private property. I went in the backyard and took a shit in an empty paint bucket.

     2:52pm  This older guy pulled up at the post office with his wife. The guy had an earring and long hair. His name is Magpie. I asked them if they could get me any closer to Taos. He told me they didn't have any room. I was able to tell him a little of my story. His wife came out so they had to go. I got his email. magpie@speakeasy.net

     3:07pm  John pulled up and I asked him if he could give me a ride to Taos. At first he told me, "Sorry, it's a government truck." When he was leaving he waved me over and he's hooking me up anyway. I appreciate it, brother.

     3:41pm  Guess where I'm at. I'm in Taos, already. That dude was awesome. He listened to my story and everything. Whoa, cool. I see a bum flying a sign at this Raley's supermarket. I will keep that in mind.

     3:48pm  I'm over here on La Posta Road and Paseo del Pueblo Sur. I am going to go to this Fiesta Mexican Restaurant and see if they'll hook me up.

     3:50pm  Daniel here at the Fiesta Mexicana is hooking me up with some gasoline for my stomach. I appreciate it, Daniel. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                   Shweet, callin' the shots. Got hooked up at the Mexican restaurant. Just like I knew I would.

     4:05pm  I scored a whole meal at that place. Rice, beans and everything. Two tacos. Now, I'm going to walk to the Stop n Go, there's Stop n Go's in San Antonio, and bum a cigarette from somebody.

     4:20pm  I just went to the 420 Gear shop! What a coincidence that I walk in the 420 shop at exactly 4:20. I told the guy my platform. He didn't have a cigarette. When I asked him if he would listen he said, "Nah, that's ok." Ignorant ass. He works at a head-shop where they sell pipes and shit. I only need three dollars to get my one-hitter.

     4:47pm  I walked down the street and turned left on La Placita. It means plaza in Spanish, so I'm hoping it goes to the plaza. It's raining, there probably won't be anybody there.

                   Now passing Bent Street.

     5:11pm  I see a UNM-Taos library.

     5:13pm  That sucks. You have to be a student here to use the computers. Snobs.

     5:20pm  I am at the plaza. The plaza I had come to last year. The Dan Fernando Plaza. The one that has the sign that says, "Taos Plaza," that I took a picture of last year.  

     6:10pm  I had a shitty presentation in the plaza. This guy, Javi listened a lot more than the rest. Umm, I want to smoke some weed and they told me about some park. I'm just going to walk around and ask them where any park is.

     6:45pm  This nice lady gave me a cigarette. I don't know what her name is, but she knows who she is. Thanks a lot.

     6:52pm  I kind of got disappointed. I thought maybe I would take off walking towards Raton and see if I can get some more weed from the lady at the Denny's(7-2-03, 12:41pm). I went to the Allsup's to try and bum a cigarette. What was your name again? Javi came by. I met him at the plaza earlier and he listened to my story. I got in his car and he's smoking a brother out. Him and his friend.

     7:14pm  Guess where I have been brought to. The Hindu temple here in Taos. I am drinking some Chai tea and I am going to see if they can help me out.

     7:27pm  Javi and Ryan 

are going to take off. I'm going to try and tell my story to some people here.

     7:42pm  Marisol, here at the Hindu temple is giving me all this food. A salad and she even brought me out a peach and she made me some oil and vinegar dressing. I appreciate it, Marisol.

Next day..