San Antonio, TX
Day one: 36.3 miles
Monday September 1, 2008
3:35am I woke up at 3:10am. I don't know if I'm going to walk around the loop or not. I'm going to get ready just in case.
3:57am I'm all packed up and ready to go walk around the loop again. I don't care if it's hot. So here I go. I woke up early and took a shit. I shaved and everything. I am out the door. I'm not going to catch the bus to Bandera like last time. It's way too early. I'm going to walk to Braun Road and 1604. This time it'll be Braun Road to Braun Road.
I should take a picture of myself before I leave.
4:59am I am off. I have twenty bucks to walk around the loop with. Damn, my mom was still going to give me like fourteen more. I've got lots of food. I even brought me a Ziploc bag full of plain cooked pasta. I heated up some leftover pasta with meat sauce for breakfast. I couldn't find this new pack of batteries I had, but I have some money to buy batteries when I run out.
In my bag I only have my rain poncho, sleeping bag and rainbow pillow. That's all I need to sleep.
5:08am I have absolutely no weed for this walk. I have a little resin ball I'm taking.
5:11am I just popped out of the neighborhood on Braun Road.
5:15am Coming up the Shell station on 1604. I'm going to fill my CamelBak with ice.
5:22am I just left the gas station and realized I didn't have any more havethisbook.coms in my wallet. I guess I can always just tell it to people or write it down for them.
I took a piss-pause. I'm coming up on Shaenfield now.
5:48am Crossing Shaenfield Road. I'm walking South 1604.
6:06am Passing in front of the Walmart. I'm coming up on Culebra with all this Babylon that's invaded over here. Stores, stores and more stores.
6:14am Just crossed Culebra.
6:17am 151 in half a mile.
6:28am Passing 151. Oh yeah, I'm using the backpack I got in Pensacola earlier this year(2-14-08:3:44pm). The frontpack I used while I was traveling.
6:41am Passing NW Vista College. I'm going to wait until I walk two hours before I take my first rest.
6:43am Took a piss pause close to the second entrance to NW Vista.
6:48am Crossing Wiseman Road. I'm hungry. I can't wait until seven so I can stop and rest and eat.
And smoke, even though it's just resin.
6:55am Coming up on the Oak Creek neighborhood entrance. I'm almost to Potranco.
6:59am I'm going to stop at these rocks and step over the barbwire and sit down and take a break.
7:16am Leaving.
The sun is up. Let the peace signs commence! Everybody is going to be staring at me anyway. I might as well give them the peace sign and say hello.
I'm all resinated. I'm glad I had saved this resin. It's going to last me all the way around hopefully. That pasta was good too, even plain. Hehe, I'm going to walk around the loop with a big bag of pasta. I brought a plastic fork too.
7:20am Passing by that RIP DAD balloon and flowers that I took a picture of last time(8-21-08:9:41am). I'm giving everybody the peace sign.
Walking by the Shell station on Potranco. I wonder if that beautiful cashier Dorian is working right now. I don't need to stop there for anything though.
7:36am Hmm, I thought I already passed Potranco. Coming up on Potranco right now.
7:37am Passing Potranco now. Second Walmart on this walk so far and I've only been walking for a couple hours. I'm still a little hungry so I'm going to eat me a trailmix bar while I walk.
Coming up on Medio creek.
I hopped over to the side going with traffic so I could avoid this incline. Cool, it just so happens that right when I took that picture a cop drove by.
8:05am Walking in front of Laurel Mountain Ranch neighborhood.
8:08am Took a piss-pause.
Whoa, cool. I found a blue handkerchief. Hasn't even been used. It's brand new.
8:15am Coming up on Marbach Road. Right now some guy in a truck gave me the peace sign before I gave it to him. Recognized.
Okay, I am passed that hill. I'm going to jump on the other side of the highway and give the peace sign to more cars.
8:24am Walking by the Citgo again, the EZ Mart. Maybe this is where Dorian worked. I don't remember.
I had my hat in my pocket, but I just put it on. My walking hat I was blessed with last time around the loop(8-19-08,11:46am). I have to be sure to drink lots of water. Hydrate or die.
8:32am 1604 is now a two lane road. No more access road. Two lanes, that's it.
Cool, that's the second pen I found. I found me some good pens.
8:34am Coming up on the I90 intersection. That came up quick. I could've sworn it hadn't been that long since I saw the 4 miles to I90 sign.
8:39am Walking over I90.
8:42am Seven miles to I35.
8:48am Sweet, I was wondering where I was going to put my dirty socks on this walk. I just found me a gallon size Ziploc bag! It's not completely clean, but neither will my dirty socks be that go in it.
8:56am Coming up on JCT 143 Farm Road. There's a fireworks stand here. I think I see some prison or detention center down there.
Six miles to 35. I'm thinking about taking a break early.
9:05am Stopped in the shade.
9:20am Up and at 'em. Fifteen minute break. Next rest at 11:20am.
9:48am About to walk over the Medina River. This is where I walked the wrong way and had to double-back that one night.
Whoa, that means I've walked like twenty miles already! That means I only have ten more miles until I've already walked a third of the loop! Maybe I can get to I37 today, the halfway-mark. That'd be awesome. Maybe I can finish this walk in two days. Now, that would be mind-blowing.
9:50am Now walking over the river.
9:58am Walked over the Macdona/LaCoste Road.
10:05am I just took a picture of this graffiti on some building. I can't understand what it says. I frankly don't see why people make these big elaborate taggings and you can't even read them.
10:10am Walking in front of the Ingram Readymix Cement plant. Picture came out dark.
Passing by Cubita's Raspas again where I stopped last time. I took a picture.
10:17am I stopped to take a piss-pause next to this tree and switch out a tennis ball.
10:19am Walking.
10:25am Walking in front of Southwest High School where my mom works. She hates her job. I want to help my mom so much. I want to sit her down and figure out her expenses and try to get her to stop doing so much shit she doesn't need to be doing. She's wasting her life away, as well as her gas tank. This is the commute my mom makes every single day and back.
10:20am I am walking in front of a taqueria. I am really tempted to stop and ask for food, but I don't want to take the time it takes them to make the tacos. I just ate a trailmix bar. I'm going to rest an hour later from now, my break-mark. I want to get to 37 today. I'm not going to stop.
10:32am Passing Farm Road 2536. I am only two miles away from I35.
10:38am Passing another taqueria. Aguascalientes. I'm not going to stop, even though I am really hungry. I have pasta left too. I'll try and take my next rest at I35.
10:53am I35 is up ahead. There's a Burger King there. I'm going to cheat and go buy a burger.
10:59am Walked underneath I35.
At the gas station next to the Burger King there's some military guys gassing up. I gave them the peace sign. They're probably wondering what I'm doing with my camo gear and walking stick.
After I ate I took a smokebreak outside in the grass. I took a picture of my resin stash.
11:30am I ate a huge Whopper and I have a double cheeseburger in my pocket for later. I went next door to the Exxon and bought a lighter.
Next break at one thirty.
11:34am Four miles to Somerset.
At the EZ Mart the cashier was cool.
11:46am Crossing over Elm Creek.
11:57am Coming up on Benton City Road.
12:03pm Passing in front of Garcia's Tree Sales.
12:13pm Passing Rockport Road.
12:19pm Entering the town of Somerset. Just crossed the city limits.
The sun is coming down hard. Rain or shine, like I said.
12:24pm I just found a cinco pesos coin. It's worthless.
12:27pm Coming up on the Farm Road 2790 Junction. I see a sign that says East Loop 1604! East already, sweet. No more South.
12:29pm Four miles to Highway 16.
12:33pm Walking in front of Somerset High School.
12:40pm Walking in front of Constantino's Pizza. Remember this place from last time(8-20-08:4:11pm)? Greedy ass wouldn't hook me up.
12:43pm Passing the Dairy Queen.
12:46pm Walking out of Somerset. Bye-bye Somerset.
12:55pm Took a piss-pause.
1:06pm Walking in front of La Jalisco, another taqueria. I'm not going to stop. I'm going to keep going. I'm going for speed today.
1:23pm Passing by the cows hanging out under the trees again. I took pictures.
1:27pm Curran to the left and Morin Road to the right.
It's past time for my break, but I see Highway 16 about a half a mile ahead. I'll walk to there. I'm so hungry. I can't wait to eat this double cheeseburger I have in my pocket.
1:33pm Actually, I'm not going to walk to the Shell station at Hwy 16. I'm going to sit down right here in the shade. I'm about a quarter mile away from 16. I'm going to sit down and have my break here. There's no guarantee there'll be shade at the Shell station. Ha, what an excuse. I'm going to sit down right here and eat and smoke.
1:34pm Stopping.
1:50pm I am up from my rest. I'm going to walk to the Shell station and get some water now.
2:08pm Leaving from the gas station. I filled up my ice. Next rest at four 'o clock. Ahh, maybe three fifty. That was just a little pause, an ice-pause.
2:09pm I'm about to walk under Highway 16. Damnit, I forgot to ask how far until 37.
I only ate like half of my double cheeseburger. I'll eat the other half when I'm hungry again. I won't even stop to eat it.
Eighteen miles to Elmendorf.
I'm passing by Teen Challenge again.
2:26pm I just stopped and took some pictures of this big spider that lives in the railing here. I even walked around to the other side and took a picture of the other side of it. It's yellow and black. Anybody want to tell me what kind of spider that is?
Oh shit, there's lots of these spiders along these railings.
2:37pm Passing Devilbiss Road.
2:46pm Passing Oak Island Ice House. I'm not going to stop. I'll take a picture though.
2:48pm My tennis ball has been coming off a lot on this walk. I've had to pause and put it back on a couple times now. I should switch out to a new one already.
2:52pm Walking in front of Quinney Electric Incorporated General Contractors.
I want to stop and give thanks to Laura from Morgantown for giving me this CamelBak(5-28-08:11:53am), my water bag. It has become an integral part of me. I haven't left home without it since she gave it to me. Me and my water bag are one. It's more of a best friend than my walking stick. This is exactly what I need to walk around Loop 1604. Thank you, Laura. I adore you.
2:59pm Walking in front of Cannon Field. This airstrip.
3:01pm Passing Applewhite Road.
I have seen so many dead reptiles on the road today. Turtles, snakes, frogs, lizards,
3:13pm Loop 1604 is four lanes again.
3:37pm Passing Trumbo Road.
3:41pm I'm walking by the Animal's Buyer Market where I took a picture of the goat baaing last time(8-20-08:12:27pm).
3:44pm Walking by the Dodge City Bar.
3:48pm Coming up on Pleasanton Road. It's about time for a break. As soon as I find some shade.
3:50pm Still coming up on Pleasanton Road. I'm in the town of Thelma now. I don't see any shade anywhere. That sucks. Hmm, I see a chair in somebody's backyard. Maybe I can go use it.
3:51pm I came and sat down on the ground in this shade in front of these people's fence.
4:09pm Up from my break. 409, puts grease on the run, hehe.
Next break at 6:10pm.
4:20pm Passing by Alondra de Jalisco Mexican Restaurant where I got hooked up last time(8-20-08:11:31am). I don't need anything right now.
4:25pm Passing Rockport Road. I could've sworn I had already passed a Rockport Road today. I hope 37 is nearby. That's my halfway mark right there. If I could walk the loop in two days that would blow my mind. I should've totally loaded up on pasta when I left this morning. I should've taken all of it. This stuff is perfect walking fuel.
Holy shit! I found me a tennis ball! Badass! I didn't bring enough for the walk.
4:32pm Sweet, coming up on 281 already. If my memory serves me right I think it's like eight more miles to 37.
4:42pm George volunteered to get me a burger at the McDonald's! Hell yeah!
4:46pm Man, that was just beautiful. I came inside the McDonald's on 281 and was filling up my bag with ice. Just then this older guy sees me and asks me if I wanted a burger! I appreciate it, George. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.
See, I could eat the burger and smoke a cigarette, but I'm going to keep going until six. It's cool how I just got hooked up. Perfect timing. I only went in there to get water and ice. I came out with a double cheeseburger too.
I'm going to take a break at 37 no matter what time it is. That's my halfway mark.
It's going to be awesome if I can walk back to the neighborhood tomorrow night and go to the Perry house and tell Humplick I am back already. I'll tell him, "Look how much time I cut off. I cut off a whole day and a half and I'm back home." Practice makes perfect.
Practice makes better.
At my last break the pasta was good. It was all warmed up from being in my bag, hehe. I ate a lot of it.
5:01pm Coming up on Farm Road 3499.
5:07pm Passing Spanish Branch Road.
5:10pm I am a measly three miles from JCT 37, my halfway mark . Badass, I'll try to get there around 6:10pm. Let's see if I can do three miles in an hour. I had a little blister on my left heel but it's feeling better now. I just have to step down differently on my foot so I won't feel it.
Coming up on JCT Farm Road 1937. I can see I37 in the distance. I am almost halfway there. I have to be sure to call my mom at the next gas station.
5:23pm Passing in front of the Soutside Cardinals Practice Field.
5:30pm Walking in front of Soutshide Heritage Elementary School.
5:36pm Campbellton Road.
5:55pm Walking in front of Freedom Elementary School. Shit, more like Slavery Elementary School.
5:59pm Almost to I37. Less than a quarter of a mile. I'm going to go hang out at the EZ Mart, for like an hour or something. I'll take a well-deserved long break. I've been walking since five in the morning. Nonstop basically. The longest break I've taken has been like twenty five minutes. I can't wait to type this all up. Tomorrow, or the next day, hehe.
6:03pm Walking up to the EZ Mart on I37.
6:27pm Javier me ofrecio dinero al frente del EZ Mart. Le dije a el y su amigo que estaba caminando el loop y me dio dinero. Muchisimas gracias. Todo el mundo recibe credito.
6:28pm Cool, these two Mexican guys just pulled up in their truck and went in the EZ Mart. When they came out I told them in Spanish that I was walking around the loop, 94 miles. Javier up and hooked me up with a dollar and some change. I was just telling them to tell them. I want everybody to know what I'm doing. No ulterior motives, but he hooked me up.
6:34pm Haha, BVS-207 Texas, a Mitsubishi sport utility vehicle, he walked by and I told him, "I'm walking around the loop, ninety four miles. Check out my website. It's all about this," and I showed him my shirt. He told me, "I used to smoke too, but it's stupid..." I cut in and said, "No, alcohol is stupid." I think he had just bought a beer. Hehe, he's watching me record myself right now.
6:37pm Man, I am having such a great day.
6:39pm Sweet, that guy Brandon came back and talked to me. I got to give him my intro and mission objectives. He said he would definitely check my website.
7:00pm I am up from my hour break. I'm not that far from the San Antonio river, I think. I don't know if I'm going to crash there tonight. I'm just going to walk until it gets dark.
7:05pm Before I leave I'm going to go to the Burger King. I am really tempted to get a milkshake. Hopefully the river isn't too far away. Even after my big break I'm still hungry. I'm going to go in the Burger King and get me some food for before I go to sleep.
7:07pm Adam at the Burger King is going to hook me up. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.
7:14pm Sweet, I got hooked up with a combo at the Burger King! I went in there to buy a burger or something. There were no other customers there and all the kids working there were just hanging out. I walked in there and told them, "I'm walking around Loop 1604 for the second time for world peace through marijuana. All the way around. 94 miles. Will you guys hook me up with anything?" Adam asked me, "What do you want?" I told him to surprise me. He said, "What? Fries?" They hooked me up with a burger and fries. Adam said it was his first day as a manager. Now I have a burger and fries in my pocket for my camp when I get there later. Hopefully it's nearby.
Oh yeah, and at the EZ Mart I bought some Zigzag tobacco instead of Bugler. They didn't have any Buglers left.
6 miles to Elmendorf. 8 miles to 181.
I should really go back and call my mom. Hopefully there's another gas station.
7:37pm Passing Labus Road.
7:56pm Passing Priest Road.
8:02pm Coming up on Labus Road again. That makes me feel a little weird, like as if I was walking in the wrong direction.
8:17pm Farm Road 1303 junction. Elmendorf 3 miles, 181 5 miles.
Hmm, I see a distinct tree-line coming up. Treelines are formed at rivers, hmm,
8:24pm I just started walking over this really big bridge. I hope it's the San Antonio River. Crossing fingers. I don't see a sign labeling it before the bridge starts. Maybe it's only on the other side going in the opposite direction. Sorry, mom. If this is it I can't call you.
I do believe this is it.
I was thinking about walking until ten, but screw it. I am more than halfway around the loop already. I'm going to camp. I'll eat my dinner and smoke then crash out. I'll wake up tomorrow morning and walk the other half of the loop, hehe. Yeah right. I am pretty beat.
8:29pm I am about to descend down the ditch to under the highway.
9:23pm I came under the highway made camp. I ate and smoked. I'm crashing out. I couldn't locate my toothbrush and paste, so I'll just use mouthwash. I ate and I drank a lot of water so my body has a lot to repair itself with tonight from all the walking today. I was sure to take a piss right before I lay down too. I walked like fifty miles today, I think. I can't wait to check on mapquest.
1:24am I woke up after only like three hours of sleep for no reason. Maybe the noise of a truck driving over woke me up. I don't know. I'm going to smoke a cigarette and go back to sleep.
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