082008

 

San Antonio, TX

Day three: 23.2 miles

Wednesday August 20, 2008

     6:46am  I just got up after getting lots more sleep. That's good. It's brightening up outside. I'm going to take a shit and wipe my ass with a dirty sock. Oh yeah, time to wake and bake.

     7:17am  I am all woken and baked. I rolled a joint and smoked it all to myself. Well, there wasn't anyone else to share it with. I had such a badass little camp last night. I should take pictures.

     7:35am  I am all loaded up and up and at 'em. Left no trace. I have a trashbag in a cargo pocket. I'll take pictures of the way I got down here.
                  
     7:42am  Okay, I climbed up the ditch. I took pictures. It was tough because I knew the inclined ditch would be wet and my boots would slip, so I had to carefully trod over the mud, stepping on vegetation when I could, so as not to collect so much mud to where I wouldn't have any traction stepping up the ditch. I did it successfully.

                   I'm still amazed this tape recorder is still going. This is the same one I bought last January and got wet in the creek in Morgantown.

     7:43am  Up and at 'em. On 1604 now. I had a good morning session. I packed up all my shit. I'm all organized.

                   I took pictures of the San Antonio river and the constant flow of trash in it.

     7:45am  Man, that's just disgusting. All this trash is permanently in the river. It's such a shame. Last night I had even been playing around with the idea of jumping in the river to clean myself off. I've got soap and towel. Now that I see all that trash I can't believe I even considered it.

     7:47am  Man, I think I lost my one-hitter, that sucks!

                   Whew, I still got it. It was in a cargo pocket.

                   Those night-life sounds last night put me straight to sleep. The frogs and stuff and the noise of the polluted river.

     7:33am  Cool, I am only eight miles away from 281. 37 is closer than that.

     8:03am  Passing Labus Road.

                   My feet feel great. I got plenty of sleep. I am feeling great on day three. I ate breakfast at three this morning. I didn't eat anything after I woke up again. I haven't brushed my teeth either. I should do that at the next stop.

     8:21am  I think I see a highway in the distance. It might be 37, my halfway mark.

     8:43am  Highway intersection 1000 feet. Coming up on 37.

     9:21am  Taking off from a long rest at 37. I filled up my bag with ice at the gas station.  I was also able to hold my shit until now. I got some tacos in my pocket for later. I used that change I found yesterday to buy a pouch of Buglers. That was an awesome blessing I got.

                   Five miles away from 281. Next rest.

     9:50am  Crossing Campbellton Road.

     9:55am  Passing by the SAISD Operations Plant.

                   I totally spaced on calling my mom.

     10:04am  Two more miles to 281. I see a gas station about a mile down the road.

     10:20am  Passing Spanish Grant Road.

     10:23am  One mile left to 281.

     10:33am  Coming up on Junction 281.

     10:40am  Walking up to the Shell station.

     11:13am  I had a big long break in the shady spot behind the McDonald's drive through. I'm going to keep walking now. I shouldn't have taken so long a break. I'm all fuckin' stoned. It's hot as hell now too. I am so grateful for this hat.

     11:18am  Back on West Loop 1604. Twelve miles to Somerset.

     11:31am  Sweet, Mexican restaurant. I'm going to take a picture of it. I'm going to eat too, watch. Alondra de Jalisco.

     11:35am  Alondra de Jalisco me estan dando comida. Se los agradezco mucho. Todo el mundo recibe credito, gracias.

     11:37am  Sweet, I scored me a badass breakfast taco. I took a picture of it.

     12:02pm  Leaving from the taqueria. I'm going to keep walking west.

     12:16pm  Passing Pleasanton Road.

     12:20pm  Passing by the Wagon Wheel store and motel. I'm not going to stop. I don't need anything.

     12:22pm  Walking by the Dodge City Bar.

     12:27pm  I stopped at the Tri-County Tradin Post. The animal buyer's market. All the goats were baaing at me. I zoomed in and took a picture of one with it's mouth open. Baaaaaa. A cop keeps driving by. I wonder if he'll stop.

     12:29pm  Crossing Trumbo Road.

     12:44pm  Stopped for a piss break.

     12:45pm  Walking.

     1:09pm  My hour break was at 1:02. I'm going to find some shade and stop and rest. I feel great. I've been hauling ass. At the taqueria they gave me a big white styrofoam cup with ice tea, which I normally don't usually drink. I went outside and smoked to it and then I dumped the leftover ice in my CamelBak.

     1:12pm  Crossing Applewhite Road. At the next shade I'm resting.

     1:23pm  Passing by Quinney Electrical Incorporated General Contractors.

                   Surprise, there's a gas station up here, sweet. I can rest.

     1:27pm  Walked up to the Oak Island Ice House.

     1:29pm  I just got to this ice house and I just realized my backpack is ripping and coming undone. I should take a picture of it, but I need to conserve batteries. I'm going to sit down and smoke. I went for a long time past my breaktime. Alright.

     1:56pm  Leaving from the ice house. I got ice at the ice house. I was standing outside smoking and I could hear them talking inside. I hear the cashier tell someone, "World peace through marijuana. How cool is that?" That was my cue to walk inside and say, "They didn't call them peace pipes for nothing!" The cashier said, "That's right." I gave her my website and everything. She told me it's like five miles to Somerset.

     2:05pm  Walking in front of some old cemetery. There's a sign pointing to a historical marker and if it's not too far I'm going to walk to it.

                   The cemetery is in front of this church. Ha, the marquee says, "This church is prayer-conditioned."

                   Devilbiss Lane.

     2:07pm  Man, the sun is coming down hard. Without this hat I would've given up.

     2:15pm  Just passed Jett Road.

     2:23pm  Coming up on Highway 16 which is eventually Bandera Road.

     2:27pm  Walking in front of Teen Challenge San Antonio. Carol used to go there, I think. Well, not the one in San Antonio.

                   I'm going to hang out at the Shell station and have a smoke.

     2:29pm  Maybe I won't stop at the Shell and smoke. I'm going to keep going. I've got water and food.

     2:34pm  Passing sign that says Somerset five miles. The lady at the ice house told me it was five miles from there. What gives?

     2:46pm  I'm going to take a smokebreak in the shade of a tree in front of 4590 1604. I'm going to eat. I'm hungry. I've got a burrito to eat.

     3:03pm  Taking off from my rest.

     3:06pm  Andrew was his name, I think. Some dude outside at 4738. I walked up and he smiled at me and asked me what's going on. I told him I was walking around the loop, that I had already walked 410 twice, both directions, Bandera to Bandera. He willingly took my website.

                   I found out a trick with this camera I have. See, a lot of the pictures were coming out blurry which made me miss my old camera. But I figured out if you don't press the button all the way it will focus for you and the shots are coming out much clearer. Duh.

     3:12pm  Morin Road to the left and Curran Drive to the right.

     3:13pm  I just took a picture of all these cows chilling in the shade underneath a tree. There's a couple of them out in the open. Mooooooo! They all turned their heads and looked at me.

                   Damnit, I walked further and I could've gotten a lot better picture of the cows.

                   I've still been giving the peace sign to almost every single car.

     3:33pm  Great, a Mexican restaurant!

     3:35pm  I'm going to go hit up La Jalisco and see what they tell me.

     3:36pm  They gave me the 'ol manager's not here bullshit. That they closed at three thirty. Oh well, I'm going to keep walking.

     3:38pm  Passing Prairie Road.

     4:00pm  I just walked into Somerset. Population 1550. I'm going to go hit up the Diary Queen.

     4:06pm  The greedy asses at Dairy Queen won't give me food. Man, nobody wants world peace! I was just testing you!

                   Haha, they got all scared and called the manager on the phone. I saw the dude go to the back and talk to this girl and they looked at me. Greedy asses. Good little slaves.

     4:11pm  Let's go see what Constantino's Pizza tells me.

                   Constantino told me no too. Everybody is greedy in Somerset. Screw this town. I've got a taco in my pocket anyway. From the nice Mexicans who know the rules.

                   Damn, my recorder messed up a lot here. I lost some history.

     5:03pm  Haha, this bible thumper dude just pulled over to talk to me. He pulled over and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was walking around the loop. He asked me for what and I told him, "World peace through marijuana." I gave him my website and then he jumped in with shit like, "I just stopped to tell you that Jesus loves you." Oh great, that old story, I told him. I told him I didn't have time for it. I had heard it all before already. That I had a world to save. I just
walked off. I yell back, "I'm walking around Loop 1604 for world peace. What are you doing?" He yelled back, "I'm preaching gospel." I yell, "Talk is cheap! Actions speak louder! Do something already!"

     5:15pm  I'm going to stop and take a break in the shade. I don't think it's been that long, but oh well. I want the sun to come down and then I'll walk some more.

     5:18pm  Ismael, the brother I talked to a minute ago. He drove back and walked up to me while I was on break and offered me a bottle of water. I had just run out. I had to wait for the ice to melt to drink, but he solved that. He's volunteering me some money too. I appreciate it, brother. Nobody is paying me to do this. Every little bit helps. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.

     5:50pm  I had a great presentation with Ismael. I know I'm in a hurry to walk around the loop, but he seemed truly interested and willing to listen. I was right. I gave him my standard story. Not the whole Odyssey, just the spirit's part and the two favors. I even told him the Note From the Rich and sung him the lizard's song. I want to memorize that George Carlin bit about God. I would love to say that to Christians.

                   "But he loves you. He loves you and he needs money!" Hahaha.

     6:01pm  Passing Benton City Road.

     6:15pm  Found a quarter.

     6:17pm  Crossing Elm Creek.

     6:28pm  Coming up on the 35 Junction.

     6:34pm  Stopping at the Exxon.

     7:10pm  I finally remembered to call my mom. I am really happy right now. I love my mom so much. I told her I should be home tomorrow. She told me first thing I had to do was take a shower, hehe. I told her I should be home tomorrow night.

                   I am now walking North Loop 1604, hell yeah. Rounding the third quarter.

                   When I called my mom she told me, "Oh, you're over there close to Southwest, right?" She saw the phone number on the Caller ID. I suppose I am on that side of town already, crazy.

                   With those three dollars Ismael gave me I bought me two AA batteries. I know the ones in there are going to run out. Either today or tomorrow. Also, I had two dollars left from that change I found on the ground.

                   Did I tell you I scored some fries at the McDonald's. I just picked them up off the table. It didn't look like they were anybody's and nobody minded me taking them.

     7:23pm  Random shot because I just bought batteries for my camera.

     7:38pm  Passing Old Pearsall Road. There's a Tink-a-Taco. I'm going to eat.

     7:43pm  Yvonne en Tink-a-Taco me esta dando comida. Te lo agradezco, señora. Todo el mundo recibe credito, gracias.

     7:54pm  Hell yeah, I scored three fat tacos. I'm not going to eat them now. I had bought me two burritos at the last gas station. I ate one, but I just got hooked up with three more! I'm going to keep walking 1604 North! I got treated like royalty at the Tink-a-Taco. The Tink-a-Taco on Fredericksburg are greedy asses there. They never hook me up.

     7:59pm  Junction US 90 five miles.

     8:00pm  Passing Dragon Lane. Southwest High School, where my mom works.

                   376-gxp, this cool dude just turned around and pulled up to me and asked, "Do you need a ride?" I told him no, that I was walking the loop. I gave him my website and told him it was the thought that counted. He said, "I'll check you out."

                   Pretty sky.

     8:19pm  Coming up on Cubita's Raspas. They have a bench out there. I'm going to sit down and eat.

     8:37pm  I chilled out for a while at the table outside. My mom probably knows this place. It's real close to her school. I ate a taco and smoked some weed. I am only four miles from I90, so I'm going to try and walk that at least tonight. Maybe I'll just walk and find a campsite. It's getting dark already. Let's see if I can make it home tomorrow. Four days, I had planned it.

     9:09pm  I'm about to cross over the Medina River. I wonder if there's anywhere to crash underneath the bridge. It's going to be a balancing act finding out. I hopped over to the fence to check under the bridge, but it's at a dangerous angle and slippery and I'll fall down. So forget it. I'm going to keep walking.

     9:40pm  I'm already at my camp for the night. I just picked a random tree close to the highway and stamped down the grass underneath it and put my poncho down. Please Love, protect me from the bugs tonight. I'll be alright though. I'll take pictures in the morning.

     10:06pm Crashing out.

     3:12am  I woke up like an hour ago. I've been busy getting stoned. I thought I had gotten lots of sleep, but it was only two in the morning. I feel alright, so I'm going to take off walking this early.

     3:21am  I'm taking off walking. I am leaving at dark thirty in the morning, but I'm awake. I'm baked. I'm all stoned.

                   I hope the bugs left me alone last night. I hope I don't have any chiggers. Please Love, protect me from the bugs.

     3:35am  Umm, I'm about to pass Medina Creek. I could've sworn I passed it last night. I am really hoping I haven't been walking the wrong direction in the dark.

     3:48am  At long-last I came to a sign and it turns out I was walking in the wrong direction. I was walking South. Fuckin' A. I'm going to make my way back to the camp I just left and put my poncho down and try to go back to sleep.

Next day..