091404

 

Tumalo to Sisters to Springfield to Eugene, OR

Tuesday September 14, 2004

     3:55am  I just woke up all freezing around 3:30 or so. I tried to start a fire, but I couldn't get these twigs lit.

     4:20am  I am leaving the church. It's like the middle of the night, but I got some sleep. I'm leaving. Hopefully somebody will pick me up. I want the sun to come out so it will get warm. It's freezing out here. I need some more layers, bad.

                    I crashed out behind some church last night and Pam at the Tumalo County Store gave me a cigarette. I appreciate it, sister. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                    I came back to that store I bummed a cigarette at earlier. I did my Tai-Chi stretches and stuff. I changed out my socks. I'm going to go tell my story to somebody now, hehe.

     6:15am  Oh yeah, the gas station is on 5th and Cook Avenue.

     6:57am  Dave just hooked me up with two cigarettes! I appreciate it, brother.

     7:07am  I gotta be sure to write down Tumalo for the next town in my little journey. I didn't get to tell my story at the gas station. It was too busy. And nobody was going 20 West. I'm just going to walk up to the highway and stick my thumb out. Oh yeah, my tennis ball wore out. Earlier, at the church I found last night I had found a tennis ball by the highway. At the church I put it on my stick. Just right now it wore out when I got to this gas station. I leave these worn-out tennis balls everywhere. It's weird to come across a tennis ball with two big hole in it. I wonder what people think when they pick them up. I'm walking to the highway now.

     7:32am  I walked back to the store. Nobody picked me up on the highway. Aaron is going to give me a good five mile jump. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     8:10am  I loaded up all my gears and I'm up walking. There's a Viewpoint up a half mile ahead. I'm sure I'll get a ride there. Oh yeah, I'm so proud of myself I've figured out how my scarf works better. Since I've gotten it, I have just wrapped it around my neck and let it hang down. See, if you were to stretch my scarf out, you would get a big thirty foot in diameter loop. It's like the border to a big quilt. How I've usually worn it, I usually just fold the loop in half and loop it around my neck, so as to leave two strands dangling on each side. Well, I just realized that if I wrapped it around my whole neck, like without folding it and leaving anything hanging down, that it worked a lot better.

                   I know that explanation made no sense whatsoever. But, this new way I wear my scarf, it covers my ears and keeps them warm too.

     8:25am  I got to the View Area. It's not worth a picture. I'm going to go stand on the highway with my thumb out. It sucks. I'm out of weed.

     8:36am  Please Love, grant me a ride.

                   This is a cheesy Vista View. It has a good view of the mountains on the other side.

     8:40am  Oh shit! This van just pulled over. Steve is hooking me up with a ride. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit.

     9:10am  It was badass, these guys just picked me up at that bullshit View Area. He was going in the other direction and I had thrown him the peace sign. I've been throwing it to every car that's passed me. Remember, I'm trying to make my presence known. In every town I go in, whenever I'm walking anywhere, every car that passes me gets a peace sign from me. Don't you see how I am utilizing everybody's laziness. Because a lot of people get to see me because they're going so fast and I'm going so slow.

                   I have to go find out what town I am in.

     9:21am  The town is Sisters. Cool, there's a Subway. I'm going to see if I can get some free food.

     9:25am  I told him, "I was just testing you. You failed." He told me that was against company policy. I told him, "Well, that policy didn't stop all the other generous Subways that hooked me up. You greedy ass."

     9:58am  I am walking down East Cascade Street in Sisters. I just took a picture.

     10:12am  Richard hooked me up with two bananas at the fruit stand. Some gasoline for my stomach. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     10:14am  Sean hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

     10:48am  I need to make my prayer to Love. It worked last time. Please Love, grant me another ride. That's all I ask.

     12:20pm  I just woke up from my nap on the side of the street. The sun's out now and I can take my layers off.

     1:52pm  Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I just got dropped off 126/22. I've got forty seven miles to Sweethome, 76 to Albany and 81 to Eugene.

     2:05pm  Ok Love, how about granting me another ride? Please? I'm almost there.

     2:20pm  Passing sign that says, "Little Nest Sno-Park" to the left.      

     3:00pm  I stopped and I had a couple shots of Muscleblast. It sucks. I'm walking on this 

                   Oregon highway. There's nothing nowhere. Hopefully I'll get picked up.

                   Please Love answer my prayers. Please grant me a ride.

     3:32pm  I've been walking a little over a mile. I'm about to pass the sign that says Springfield/Eugene Junction, ½ mile. 126.

     3:44pm  I am now at the I20 and 126 juncture. If I walk West I'll go to Sweethome in forty four miles. Lebanon 15 miles and Albany 71 miles. If I turn left I'll go to Springfield in 73 miles, Eugene 78.

     3:47pm  Badass, there's a town four miles away from here. Clearlake. Perfect.

     4:09pm  I'm just now passing mile marker 1. I'm dragging ass because my feet are sore as hell. I'm not walking that fast, but I'm still walking.

     4:15pm  I'm almost to the sign that says Fish Lake Campgrounds ¼ mile. There's like this sea of volcanic rocks. I'm going to take a picture of it. It's cool.

     4:29pm  Before you know it, Jerry pulls over for me. I gave him a smile and a peace sign and he pulled over. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     5:32pm  Jerry and I are driving past the Sehaile Falls. 

     5:55pm  I just got dropped off almost to Eugene. At this Dairy Queen here in Springfield.

     5:57pm  The greedy asses at the Dairy Queen told me, "Dairy Queen doesn't give free food." I told them, "No, you don't give free food. Take responsibility."

     6:05pm  Badass, I walked in the Kona Cafe Hawaiin Barbeque and Caleb in here is hooking me up! 

     6:07pm  James said, "I'll hook you up." James and Caleb at the Kona Cafe. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     6:15pm  Man, I got hooked up good at that Kona place.

     6:28pm  I'm still a little hungry, so I'm going to try and score at the Arby's. They got a Subway right there too.

     6:30pm  They told me no at the Arby's.

     6:38pm  No-go at the gas station here. Oh well, there's Taco Bell.

     6:40pm  This bus driver didn't give me a courtesy ride. Oh well. Thanks anyway, greedy ass.

     6:44pm  Ensaladas me esta dando gasolina para el estomago para poder caminar mas. Te lo agradezco mucho, gracias. Todo el mundo recibe crédito.

     7:03pm  Ray hooked me up with a cigarette in front of some market.

     7:19pm  I'm over here at the Springfield bus station.

     7:35pm  The 11 bus driver is giving me a ride to Eugene. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     7:55pm  The bus driver gave me a daypass, awesome! Everybody gets credit, like I said. You know what I'm doing.

     8:07pm  I am here at the Eugene Station telling this girl my story. All of a sudden, this other girl and dude walk by and she said, "You were here last year and you got my email address and I got all these people to listen to you on the stage."

                   How's that for confirmation of my presence?

Next day..