081908

 

San Antonio, TX

Day two: 29.3 miles

Tuesday August 19, 2008

     6:55am  I just woke up. I got five and a half hours more sleep at this church.

     7:04am  All these Mexican construction workers were here. They saw me packing up my sleeping bag, but nobody cares. I'm going to walk to the Exxon and use the restroom.

     7:58am  I'm taking off from the Exxon. I'm leaving the Exxon Rocketmart. I took pictures of the church. I used the restroom and brushed my teeth and bought some food. I tried telling my story to the cashiers, but these old guys in the back wanted to hear it. This one guy ended up failing my test and interrupted me so I just gave them my website and said goodbye. Not this guy. The guy even told me, "I think you're all wrong." That was my cue to ask him to do me the two favors and I did. "NOBODY WANTS WORLD PEACE!"  I took a picture of the small water tower I had crashed underneath at first last night.

                   Picture of church from behind the Exxon.
                  
     8:00am  Another thirty miles today. If I keep this up I'll walk the loop in three days flat.

                   I bought some burritos at the Rocketmart and I ate one and I have another one in my cargo pocket and a breakfast croissant sandwich too for later. I'm going to walk back in the Rocketmart and ask the lady how far it is to the next gas station.

     8:17am  I'm walking, I'm walking. I'm having a good day so far. The sun's coming up. I hope it rains again today. I much more prefer the wet rain than the hot sun. Six miles to the next gas station.

                   Another day of giving peace signs.

     8:22am  Crossing Gray Town Road.

     8:38am  Salitrillo Creek. Next rest at 9:17am.

     8:44am  Badass! I found a bunch of change on the ground right now. I'm going to pick it all up.

     8:51am  $4.55! I just found four dollars and fifty cents in change right now on the ground on the side of the road! It was mainly dimes. I picked up over thirty dimes. There were only two quarters. I took a picture when I first found it. I'm sure you can zoom in and see for yourself. What a blessing. Thank you, love. There were a lot of pennies too, but I didn't bother with them. Just picked up the silver change. I'm scanning for more.

                   $4.60 total! Thanks for the blessing, Love.

     9:07am  I walked up to the top of this hill and I turned around and took a picture of that big way I walked. It's cool how the road winds around. I'm taking a break at 9:17am. I've got some grub.

     9:10am  Walking up on I10.

     9:14am  I took a picture.

     9:18am  I took a picture of what I am sitting on underneath the highway. I'm going to eat and smoke.

     9:43am  I took an almost half hour break. I was sitting on this cement thing. Oh shit, I forgot to take a shot of Riovida. I'm going to go back.

     9:44am  I'm taking off again. I took a shot of Riovida. I had a great break. I aired out my feet and put on a new pair of socks. My feet are nice and dry now. I trimmed my toenail. Actually, I filed one down because it was cutting into another toe. I ate a taco and smoked. I'm walking now.

     9:46am  It's gotten to the point to where I don't care so much about being killed, I care more about not being able to finish my job. I don't care if I die.

                   If what distances people have told me are true, if I10 was only six miles away, and 87 was ten miles away, I should only have four miles to 87.

                   Walking South Loop 1604 now.

     9:55am  Green Road.

     9:56am  I was thinking that maybe yesterday when Jade picked me up that was on purpose. That was right after I got run off from in front of the dentist's office. I'm sure the old dude called the cops after that. Maybe that's why Jade stopped for me.

     10:05am  I picked up a Walmart Gift Card that was on the ground. Let's see if I get a surprise.

                     I just took a picture of this long sight-distance I have to walk.

     10:13am  Passing Schuwirth Road.

     10:27am  I have been blessed with yet another overcast cloudy day. It's not hot at all. Knock on wood. Knock on my walking stick.

     10:29am  It has started to drizzle.

     10:31am  I have donned my rain poncho.

     10:44am  It's already past my breaktime so I'll stop at the next gas station. I don't know where it is. There's a crossroads coming up.

     10:51am  Coming up on the 1346 junction. Yellow flashing light.

     10:55am  Passing St. Hedwig's City Limit. Hopefully there's a gas station nearby I can rest at.

     11:00am  Since I am overdue for my break and no gas stations seem to be forthcoming, I'm going to stop in the shade in front of the Junction US 87 4 miles sign and rest and smoke and eat. I probably won't eat.

     11:12am  Ha, some guy just turned around and pulled over and asked me, "Hey man, do you need a ride?" I told him, "Nah man, I'm walking the loop. Check out my website. I'm a journalist. It's about world peace through marijuana."

     11:20am  Taking off. I took a twenty minute break.

     11:46am  Next break at twelve twenty. I see a gas station coming up like a mile ahead. I don't know if I'll stop there or not. Actually, I will to buy some food.

                     Dude, I just found me a hat! I'll take a picture of it. It's covered in dust and gravel, but it'll work.

                     This is such a perfect groundscore! I really needed a hat! I've been hatless for a while now.

                     I shook off the hat and it's as if it was brand new now. It's a total walking hat. One hundred percent lightweight nylon and it has flaps that go over your ears and covers your neck too. I can't have a better hat on this walk. I am truly blessed. I needed a hat so bad.

                     Sinclair antique gas station.

                     Me with my new hat.

     12:05pm  US 87 two miles ahead.

                     At 87 I think I'll be halfway around.

     12:07pm  Walking in front of Buck's Saloon.

     12:30pm  Coming up on Junction 87.

     12:35pm  I think I'm going to hit up the Bill Miller's.

                     Maybe not. That place is packed. I'm going to walk to the Shell station across the street and buy some snacks.

     12:50pm  I went in the Shell and bought me some snacks. I'm going to find some shade to sit down and rest.

     1:21pm  I filled up my bag with ice at the Shell station here. I'm taking off walking. Hopefully I'll make it home by tomorrow. I took a longass break right now.

                   Oh man, the sun's out hard now. It's so perfect I was blessed with this hat. I love it. It's got wings on it and covers my whole neck.

     1:29pm  Back on 1604. Junction US 181 eight miles, Elmendorf ten miles.

     1:35pm  Passing Farm Road 3465.

     1:40pm  Passing Dubose Lane. Like Michelle Dubose when I was younger.

     1:43pm  Passing Haven Estates.

     1:48pm  Man, the sun is beating down hard now. I am so damn lucky to have found this hat.

     1:49pm  Crossing Cooksey Road.

     2:17pm  Coming up to the 3432 Farm Road Junction. I could stop at the gas station, but I'm not going to. I'm going to keep going.

     2:25pm  I don't see any shade anywhere, so I'm going to stop here under these trees here.

                   Maybe I won't. It's all muddy. I'll find somewhere else.

     2:28pm  That's like the fourth of fifth oversize load I see hauling, it looks like a jet wing. Or a huge propeller. I don't know what it is. I took pictures of a couple of them going by.

     2:35pm  I am going to rest in that shade. I took a picture.

     2:59pm  Leaving. I took a long-ass twenty minute break. I'm all rested up.

                   I'm stoned off my ass. I took four hits on that last break.

     3:07pm  Walking by the Colonial Cottage.

     3:22pm  Passing Jim Terrill Road.

     3:32pm  Passing Adkins/Elmendorf Road. To the left.

     4:01pm  About to pass Sarita Creek. I'm going to rest in the shade right here. I'm going to take a nineteen minute break, hehe.

     4:20pm  I celebrated proper and I'm walking now. Next rest at five twenty. What a wondrous blessing this hat was.

     4:40pm  Crossing Stuart Road.

     4:42pm  I stopped at the Exxon and I'm going to eat something and smoke again. Even though it's only been twenty minutes but screw it. I'm kind of tired.

                   I looked at map inside. I took a picture of it. I'm almost halfway around. I've got eight miles to go, I think to 37. 281 is after that. 37 is the halfway mark.

     4:53pm  Taking off from the gas station. I ate and smoked. I'm taking off.

     4:54pm  The lady inside told me it was nine miles.

     5:06pm  Crossing over Calaveras Creek.

     5:12pm  Coming up on Junction 181.

     5:19pm  Walking over US 181.

     5:27pm  Elemendorf two miles, Somerset seventeen.

                   Random shot.

     5:35pm  Coming up on Junction 327. Holy shit, there's a city bus stop. Hmm, should I take the bus home, sleep and then ride the bus back here and keep going? Shyea, right. Psyche.  Monkey's always look. :P

                   The 36 bus comes out here.

     5:53pm  I'm leaving from another short break. I'm going to walk all the way to 37, I'm going to try.

     5:58pm  Passing Old Corpus Christi Road.

                   I just took a picture of that big sight-distance I've got.

     6:07pm  Almost to Shlitz Street. Oh, I mean Shultz Road.

     6:08pm  Rebecca just gave me some food! Just pulled over and volunteered it!

     6:09pm  Hell yeah, she handed me a plastic bag with a trail mix bar and a five dollar bill! I was sure to log her generosity and give her my website about marijuana, hehe. I should've taken her picture.

                   What a blessed day! I'm still in awe over this hat I found.

                   Walking into the town of Elmendorf.

                   Nice, I am no longer walking South 1604, I'm going West 1604 now. I took a picture of the sign.

     6:28pm  Today's been kind of hot. I took a picture of the pretty sky off in the distance. I hope I can secure a safe and dry spot to sleep and get a full-night sleep for tomorrow's walking, day three. The forecast did say it would rain all week long.

                   Whoa, crossing Shultz Road again. I hope I'm not walking in the wrong direction. Shultz, like Deanna Shultz. I see the highway down the road. There's probably a store on the other side.

     6:45pm  I'm going to sit down and rest.

     7:04pm  Up and at 'em from my break. I'm all stoned. Every single break I've taken I've gotten baked at. I am having a blast on this walk. I'm really going to do this. All the way. Bandera to Bandera.

     7:07pm  I was walking in front of the E & G Masonry Stone 210-455-4845. These two dogs started barking at me as I was walking. I crossed the street and started cooing them, "Aww, come here. I'll give you some lovin'." One of them actually came over and let me pet him. I took his picture. He was adorable. His friend didn't want any of my lovin'.

     7:16pm  That's the sun. It's not the moon in the picture. It's behind the clouds.

     7:20pm  The rain finally started. It started drizzling so I put on my rain poncho. I'm ready for it. I'm going to keep walking.

     7:26pm  Whoa, I'm coming up on the San Antonio River. Hopefully there's a bridge I can crash under. If there is I'm going to crash right now. I only got five hours last night and there's no guarantee there will be a dry place to sleep if I keep walking.

     7:31pm  I have secured my camp for tonight, even though it's only seven thirty and it's still light outside. I've got my poncho hung up and drying.  I don't want to put it down wet because of the sandy dirt and it will get all dirty.  I hung it up and dried it the best I could with a handkerchief.  It's raining lots harder now. It's so cool that I get to sleep next to the San Antonio River tonight. What a magical, natural camp I've got. It's like a magic forest down here. I need to switch out the batteries in my camera so I can take pictures.  Ahh, then I won't be able to take pictures tomorrow. Hmm, you guys can just imagine this.

     8:14pm  I feel like a dumbass. I quit way early today. It stopped raining and the sky is all clear now. I'm still going to crash here. I'm tired.

     2:30am  I just woke up. I didn't set my chronometer, but I went to bed around eight. Six and a half hours, that's alright, I guess. It's raining hardcore right now. That's probably what woke me up. I am so lucky I ended up under this bridge yesterday. I even considered taking off because it was too early. I've gotta take a shit and I don't know how I'm going to do it. I'm thinking about just using one of my dirty socks.

     3:15am  It's awesome how I ended up here last night and decided to stay here. I was going to pack up and keep going because the rain had stopped. Then I get woken up at two thirty in the morning and it was pouring down hard. Lightning and thunder. When the lightning flashed it looked like it was daytime. Anyway, I smoked some weed and I'm going to try and go back to sleep. I think I've got a couple trail mix bars left.

Next day..