081808

 

San Antonio, TX

Day one: 28.5 miles

Monday August 18, 2008

     5:10am  I woke up about ten minutes ago with only 6.25 hours of sleep. I don't think that's enough, but I'm not going to try and go back to sleep. I'm going to get ready to go. 94 miles.

                   Me before I left the house.

     6:48am  I just got a courtesy ride to 1604. My walk is starting out great. I'm going to ride it to Bandera and 1604 and head North first, clockwise. I'm going to eat breakfast somewhere.

     6:55pm  It's about time I made an update. I just got teleported to Bandera Pointe. It's lightly drizzling right now. It's supposed to be raining all week long. I'm going to go to the Exxon Tigermart and fill up my CamelBak with ice. I'm going to walk around Loop 1604. I am actually doing this. Oh yeah, that girl I met downtown the other day, Brandi, she signed my guestbook. It had been like nine days since somebody signed my guestbook. I was all bummed out about that.
Brandi signed it beautifully. It seems like I have prevented yet another suicide.

                   Pictures of myself in the mirror in bathroom.
                  
     7:30am  I am taking off walking around the loop. A journey of ninety four miles starts with one small step. I've taken like three of four so far, hehe. Man, I'm all stoned, hell yeah. I'm going to be stoned the whole way around. I'm walking on the outside of the loop side, so I can give cars the peace sign. I got my bag filled with ice at the Tigermart. I bought some snacks and ate some breakfast. I've got some shit to-go. I've got granola bars. I'm walking. Alright, peace out.

                   It magically stopped raining right when I was done eating my breakfast. I've got my rain poncho in my cargo short pocket.

                   I am wearing my CamelBak on my front. I really shouldn't have worn my WORLD PEACE THROUGH MARIJUANA shirt on this walk. It's being covered up by my CamelBak and is going to get ruined walking almost a hundred miles. I brought my other two WPTMJ shirts with me, but I am only going to wear one. I am only going to ruin one. Fuck it, it's part of my uniform. I have to wear it.

     7:37am  Let the peace sign giving commence. Everybody's giving it back.

     7:53am  Coming up to the first stoplight. Hausman Road, I think. I'm going to walk an hour shift then I'll rest. Eight thirty.

                   Add to the Note From the Rich where it says, "So you go through life mechanically playing your assigned social role, terrified what others would think should you ever dare to "break out of the mold," So you go through your ignorant  life..." Add ignorant.

     8:04am  About to cross another stoplight. I don't know what street this is.

     8:13am  It's seventy six Fahrenheit right now. It's all cloudy right now. This sun is nowhere near coming out. It's not raining though. Walking 1604 East. Northeast.

                   Coming up to Babcock Road and Fiesta Texas, half a mile away. Altex Computer store.

                   Passing Hills and Dales, some bar. I tried to take a picture, but my camera is messing up. That sucks! I hope it's just the batteries. But my mom brought me some new batteries, cheapies though. From the dollar store. This camera drains batteries quick so I'm sure that's the case. I have some brand new Energizers in my pocket.

     8:22am  I'm going to take a breather when I get to Babcock. There's a Church's. I'll change out the batteries and smoke a cigarette and smoke some weed. It should be 8:30 by the time I get there.

     8:24am  I stopped to take a leak on the side of the road. On my story when I say that we would just stop doing things we don't need to be, add, "and stop wasting our world away." I'm going to take a rest. Cool, there's a bench up there. Babcock.

                   Ha, there's a place called Joe Momma's Coffee House. That's funny. Joe Momma.

     8:39am  Ate a glazed donut and smoked some weed and a cigarette and took a chug of Riovida and I'm off again.

                   I had stopped at the bench at the Church's right there. I'll take a picture. Oh shit, I can't take a picture. I forgot to switch out my batteries.

                   I took a picture and I'm walking now. If you zoom in you can see the bench. I had to dry it off with a handkerchief because it was wet. Next rest at nine thirty.

     8:49am  Walking in front of the UTSA entrance, whatever street this is. 605 bus route.

     8:54am  Crossing La Cantera.

                   Oh yeah, it's all cloudy. That means the GPS satellite can't track me. I'm undercover. Under cloud-cover, hehe.

     9:07am  Coming up on I10. I wonder how long it will be until I see I10 on the other side of 1604.

     9:10am  Crossing over Leon Creek.

     9:13am  About to pass Old Fredericksburg Road. I'm going to walk underneath I10 after it. I'll take a picture.

     9:15am  Walking underneath I10. About to walk under I10.

     9:17am  Just started raining. I'm going to don my rain poncho. I'm going to keep walking though, in the rain.

     9:20am  Ah, I'm going to take another break before I go. I'm still underneath I10 and it's raining pretty hard. Plus, I am not guaranteed a dry rest-spot for my nine-thirty break. I'm just going to chill out and smoke.

     9:37am  I'm all suited up. I've got my poncho on and I'm going to take off walking. Even though it's pouring rain. Well, it's let up a little bit. Next rest at ten thirty.

                   Man, it was raining hard when I was under the bridge. Good thing I stopped there. I was going to keep going, but screw it. I had a little rest and I took two hits. I noticed they had a bus stop there and I wanted to go over and hand out my website. "Hey, I'm walking around the loop for world peace through marijuana. Check out my website," but forget it. There's nobody there now. I just picked a dry spot somewhere in the parking lot and sat down on my bag. I'm just going to keep going. I feel great. I feel really good.

     9:46am  This is a dousing shower. I am dry though. I've got my good poncho on. My boots are a little wet. Thank you so much Ryan from USF in Tampa for this poncho(3-21-08:7:42pm). It's so awesome. Thank you, Love. Thank you, universe for providing me that dry shelter for the big rain. Also for this poncho too for keeping me dry and enabling me to continue my walk. Rain or shine.

     9:48am  Cool, there's a sidewalk here. Sweet! I took a picture of it. I don't know what the intersection is. Well, 1604 and something. I'm on the other side of I10 already.

                   Hanks Storbeck Garage Incorporated. Flooring and design.

                   97 bus stop. Down with Babylon.

                   Road Rage Vehicle Wraps, whatever that means.

                   Tradesman Drive. Never heard of this place.

     10:03am  Coming up on Military Highway and Shavano Park. Farm Road 1535.

     10:05am  Taking a piss-break.

     10:09am  Passing Martin Marietta Materials, whatever that is.

     10:13am  Coming up on Roger's Ranch Parkway. There's a gas station there. I should go buy batteries. It's a little early.

     10:15am  Passing that road I was coming up on, Roger's Ranch I think.

                     I'm going to go hit up Freddie's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. I'm going to see what they tell me there.

     10:19am  No at the Freddie's. Oh well, it's all a number's game. He got scared. Nobody wants world peace!

     10:26am  Passing Shavano Ranch Street.

     10:41am  Passing Salado Creek.

     10:43am  I'm going to take a breather underneath the Salado Creek Bridge.

     11:03am  All loaded up and ready to go. I lost my sense of direction, hold on. I took a long break. I took a piss and smoked weed. I smoked a whole Bugler.

     11:05am  Back on the access road.

     11:09am  Passing Treble Creek right in front of Roger's Ranch Business Park. There's a stoplight up here. I'd take more pictures, but I'm waiting to come to a gas station I can buy batteries at. Plus, it's raining and I can't get my camera wet.

     11:11am  I crossed the stoplight, whatever street it is.

     11:13am  Hollaway Center.

     11:17am  Walking in front of the Vineyard, whatever the hell this is. Across the street is Centurion Storage.

                     Lee's Burger Joint. cool. Maybe they're not open. They might not be. There's one car in the parking lot.

                     They're closed.

     11:38am  It just started raining hard! It's dousing right now! I'm over here by Blanco and 1604. I thought I might take cover under the little covering at Carino's, but then I spied better cover up ahead. I walked over it in soaked boots, next to this building. It's perfectly dry here and there's even a bench I'm sitting at. I'm sitting in front of Randal Voigt D.D.S. Complete Dental Care. Oh shit, I should hit them up to get my molar pulled, hehe. "Can you do it real quick while it's raining?" Haha. I should go in there and talk to them.

     11:40am  I went inside and hit the young girl receptionists up for my story. I gave them my website. This one girl smiled real big when I mentioned marijuana.

     11:57am  I walked to the opposite corner of the building and finished smoking my cigarette. Oh yeah, the dentist came out and ran me off, ha! It's like pouring rain outside and he was all, "Can you move over there? We've had customers complain." I've been sitting in front of that place for a while and nobody has gone through the door and all the girls inside aren't doing anything besides staring at me. He wanted me to move but I told him I was about to leave anyway and just
walked to the opposite side to finish my cigarette. It's not raining as hard anymore now. Hehe, he walked out there right before I was going to take a hit of weed. I should leave before the cops show up.

     12:02pm  I just passed Blanco Road.

     12:04pm  Hollywood Park next right.

     12:08pm  I am across the Highway from Ventura Plaza.

     12:09pm  Walking in front of the Alzafar Shrine Center. They have an awesome statue of a Shriner holding a little boy. I wish I could take a picture.
                    
     12:11pm  The weirdest shit. Some girl just pulled over for me. It was my friend Jade(1-7-08:12:40pm, 1-11-08, 1-17-08:11:35am, 1-27-08:6:29pm, 7-29-08:5:08pm)! She was all, "I thought that was you. Do you need a ride?" I told her no, that I was walking the loop. I offered to smoke her out and I got in her car. We drove back to Blanco and smoked in the parking lot of some restaurant she worked at. Then she gave me a ride back to Hollywood Park so I could keep walking.

                     I took a picture of myself in the mirror at the Valero. I spent five bucks and bought a four-pack of batteries.

     12:45pm  They told me no at Subway, but that's okay. I'm not that hungry. There will be more food later.

     12:54pm  I just walked by Twin Oaks Corporate Park.

                     Coming up on 281.

     1:01pm  Redland Drive exit three quarters of a mile. There's lot of Babylon up here. There's a sidewalk here.

     1:11pm  I came in the Chick 'fil A and spent six bucks. I'm hungry.

     1:28pm  I took a smokebreak in front of the Chick 'fil A. I went inside and took off my poncho and sat down and ate so people could see my shirt and stuff. This one guy liked my shirt a lot. I'm going to keep walking now.

                     I'm crossing 281 now.

     1:34pm  Walking in front of The Legacy, some office complex. There's a shitload of construction right here.

                    Random shot.

     1:46pm  Walking by the Community Bible Church.

     1:49pm  About to walk over Mudd Creek.

     1:56pm  Coming up on an intersection, I don't know what it is. I see a Shipley's Donuts, across the street is a A-AAA mini storage, Loveland Trails Shopping Center.

     2:01pm  Coming up on Laurel Ridge. There's a maintenance guy out there.

     2:10pm  It was Redland Road, the road that I passed earlier.

     2:12pm  I see a Valero coming up. I'm going to stop and rest. I forgot how long I've been walking, but it's been more than an hour. I'm going to stop and take a leak.

     2:14pm  Leaving from my piss pause.

     2:25pm  I walked over to Bulverde Road. I'm going to take a break and eat.

     2:51pm  Taking off walking from the Valero. I filled up with ice.

     2:54pm  Eastbound access road.

     3:07pm  Another piss break.

     3:27pm  Crossing Judson Road.

     3:43pm  Rolling Oaks Mall next exit.

     3:51pm  Next exit is Nacogdoches Road.

     3:56pm  I see the breasts of Rolling Oaks Mall. I'll take a picture when I get a little closer.

                   I got to these railroad tracks right before the mall. I'm going to sit down and rest on the other side of the railroad tracks.

     4:35pm  Leaving from my break. I took a big half-hour break. I was pooped. I ate and aired my feet out. I put on a fresh pair of socks, even though they got wet when I put my boots on. Not that wet. I'm walking now. I can feel it. My feet feel much better now.

                   Walking in front of mall now. I see a sign that says Retama Park next right. Coming up on Nacogdoches.

     4:57pm  I am one mile away from I35.

     5:14pm  Coming up to the Live Oak water tower.

     5:18pm  Coming up on the I35 Junction.

     5:31pm  It was a little confusing here at 35.

     5:38pm  Hell yeah, Las Palapas. I'm going to go try and score.

     5:54pm  Darrel at Las Palapas hooked me up. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                   They told me to sit down real quick.

     6:02pm  Man, I just downed this bigass burrito I just got hooked up with. It was huge. I'm going to go outside and smoke now.

     6:10pm  Leaving Live Oak and Entering Universal City. I took a picture of the water tower.

     6:14pm  I walked like maybe only like half a mile or a quarter mile after Las Palapas and I'm sitting down to smoke a cigarette because I haven't yet after I ate. It's raining so I walked over in front of this Redcats place, some employment center. I'll smoke here. It's still drizzling hard.

     6:28pm  Leaving from my rest in front of Redcats. I left a worn-out tennis ball as a marker. I'm going to keep walking. Hopefully I can find a place to crash soon. Please Love, provide me with a place to sleep tonight. A dry place.

     6:55pm  Kitty Hawk Road exit half mile.

     7:05pm  I don't know what street it is, there's a big HEB. I'm going to go inside and use the courtesy phone and call my mom. I'm sure she's worried about me.

                   Universal City HEB. I'm going to stand outside and smoke. Oh shit, I forgot to call my mom.

     7:16pm  Leaving from the HEB.

     7:30pm  Passing sign that says Randolph Air Force Base/Converse FM 78 exit one half mile.

     7:37pm  Passing sign that says Entering Converse Leaving Universal City.

     7:38pm  Walking over FM 78.

     7:43pm  I took a picture of the water tower.

     7:46pm  I took a picture of the Randolph Ro-Hawks football field. Randolph High School.

     7:48pm  I took a picture of the air force high school gate. It stopped raining. I hope it doesn't rain again. I hope I can find a dry place to camp. I have faith that Love will provide.

     8:11pm  Leaving from my smokebreak at the Valero. Man, I am almost six miles away from I10. Remember how I said earlier today, "I wonder how long it will be before I pass I10 on the other side?"

                   Mirimar.

     8:28pm  I'm considering crashing underneath this water tower here at some Boysville place. I don't know what this place is. Yeah, I need sleep. I should probably wait until it gets darker.

     8:35pm  I have secured my spot under the tower. I am in plain sight here. Hopefully nobody will wake up before it gets light. I'll take pictures in the morning. Cool, cool. I should sleep a lot. I walked like thirty miles today. This guy at the Valero told me it was twenty eight to I10 on the other side from there. I'm going to smoke a cigarette, smoke some weed and go to sleep.

     9:01pm  I am crashing out.

     9:12pm  I am all situated in my bed here. I just put down my rain poncho and am in my sleeping bag. I don't know how long it's going to take me to fall asleep. It's pretty loud right next to the highway. I'll set my watch.

     12:49am  It's about time I made an update. I only got like less than an hour of sleep under the water tower. It's started dripping on me and kept waking me up. I packed up all my stuff and I'm going to keep walking even though I only got one hour of sleep. I do feel a bit refreshed though with that little cat-nap. See, when I had seen the water tower I assumed it would be dry underneath it, but it turned out not to be dry underneath it. Well, it kind of was, it was a lot dryer than the stuff around getting rained on.

     1:03am  I walked over here to the stoplight. Oh yeah, freeway ended a long time ago. 1604 is a two lane road here. Anyway, I walked over to the Rocketmart and I passed this big huge bible church they're doing some construction on. I thought maybe I can go crash there somewhere there. Maybe I'll crash out by the Exxon somewhere.

     1:20am  I was able to make my way to that construction by the church. Some Maranatha church. I had to walk down that street where the stoplight was then walk all the way in front of the church and walked over to the side where they were doing construction. I was able to find a dry spot real quick and I took my shoes off and jumped in my sleeping bag. I wouldn't have dared try to keep walking around the loop on just one hour of sleep. I'll take pictures in the morning. I hope I don't get woken up and get in trouble for sleeping there. Ah, I don't care. I'm walking around the loop, god-damnit.

 

Next day..