092323

Riverside to Redlands, CA

Saturday September 23, 2023

 5:50am  I woke up about half an hour ago.  I found the prefect place to crash here.  In Riverside.  In front of the police station!  

I wandered around last night.  The security guard at the gas station was cool.  At first I assured him I wasn't asking for money, that I was just talking to people who reacted to my shirt and he was cool, always kept giving me the hang ten hand signal.  He eventually asked me if I could take off in fifteen minutes and I told him sure and set my stopwatch.  When fifteen minutes came I was sure to show him my stopwatch and bid him goodnight.  He smiled and gave me a final hang-ten.  Then I wandered around downtown scanning for a concealed spot somewhere.  No trespassing signs everywhere.  Then I stumbled onto this entrance where I spotted a black dude asleep with a big shopping cart full of stuff.  I kindly walked up and asked whispering, "Do you mind if I sleep here too?  My feet are sore."  He was cool and welcomed me.  Then I turn around and realize I am right in front of the main entrance to the police station!  No one is going to mess with my stuff here!  I am probably on camera!  Perfect!  I can totally sleep safe and sound here.  
        I made another friend.  His name is Lester.  He's been to prison.  He had sooo many stories to tell me.  It got to the point where I told him I needed to get to sleep.  He was happy to talk to me.  This morning I woke up and transferred all my stuff away so as not to wake Lester.  He woke up and asked if I was going back to sleep.  I told him no, that I was going to get out of town.  I took pictures.  Today is going to be a great day, just you watch.  Okay, I am going to start my day and see where I can take a piss and shit, later.

8:32am  I am sitting here at the bus stop.  I am going to go to San Bernardino, get on I10 and go to Texas.  

8:42am  I am still waiting for the bus here.  I had made my way over to the sign flying spot by the gas station I was at yesterday.  Berri.  The 711.  I first went in and asked the Mexican cashier, she had a big frown on her face because she thought I was homeless.  It was like five thirty, but it was packed inside.  I asked if I could use the restroom and was told it was for customers only.  I hmmphed and went straight to the sign flying spot, even though there was barely any traffic.  I still got enough for a coffee refill quick.  I went back to the gas station and bought a coffee so I could rightfully use the restroom.  I peed and was a bit constipated.  I didn't want to take too long because it was busy, so I saved my shit and left.  Then I got to thinking, "Man, what the fuck am I still doing here?  I10 is like half an hour away.  There HAS TO BE city transit that goes there.  San Bern.  Hopefully I will get a courtesy ride.  

11:08am  I am now waiting for the 15 bus to Redlands.  Hopefully I will get another courtesy ride.  It goes to the Redlands Mall Transfer Center, which is right off I10.  Hopefully there is a truckstop or something.  

11:25am  Scored another courtesy ride, awesome.  I will be sure to give the driver my blob when I get off the bus.  

12:39pm  I made my way to Redlands, in front of the Chevron here.

1:53pm  I found the perfect spot to fly my sign and spread the word.  Right next to Mr. Taco, at these train tracks where cars back up at the light. 

2:47pm  

 

3:57pm

The light sometimes turns red for no apparent reason and it stays red for a long time.  It's across the street from the Chevron where I chilled out in the grass in the shade earlier.  And I am right next to this Mexican restaurant that's packed with people who can plainly read my shirt(and my blog address).  So I am walking back and forth in front of all of these people who are sitting inside staring at me out of the window.  

6:00pm  My feet ache.  I wonder where I am going to sleep tonight.  Hmm, right behind the Chevron maybe.


10:27pm  I just made one of the biggest squatting mistakes ever!  With my feet aching I came to the back of the Chevron here, and behind the lit up concrete dumpster housing, in the bushes and landscaping I threw my rain poncho down and made my bed and crashed out.  Well, after only about four hours of sleep I got woken up by the sprinkler!  Oh shit!  I got soaked!  There was a little river forming where I had made my bed!  I quickly got to my feet and started throwing things out into the grass, only to realize it was still getting wet by the sprinklers.  I hurriedly moved all my stuff to in front of the dumpster, which was in the lit up back parking lot of the gas station.  I wasn't sure where my glasses were, so I grabbed my headlamp and with the sprinklers still gushing I jumped down in the bushes to feel around for my glasses.  Luckily I found them and I returned to my stuff to asssess my situation.  Shit, I am going to have to wait like twelve more hours for the sun to come up and I can start drying my stuff off.  I wasn't sure about anything.  I doubt I could hang out in this parking lot until then. I wonder what the police are going to tell me.  Any minute they should show up.  This might be it for Victor, hehe.  

         Before I knew it a security guard came back there to see what was going on.  I tried to calmly explain to him what had happened.  Even though all my stuff was wet he had convinced himself that I had snuck into the dumpster housing, that the gate to it had been locked.  I gave him a weird look and asked him, "If I had been in there, how did I get all wet?"  He ran inside to check the cameras.  I had my rain poncho hanging on the open door drip drying.  He insisted I had five minutes to get all of my stuff and leave.  Desperate, I gathered all my wet clothes and stuffed it in my bag.  I kind of remembered there being motels on the other side of the highway so I trudged over the bridge.  

         My phone was dead.  I went to the Super8 motel and asked if I could please charge my phone.  The nice guy let me charge it in their laundry room.  I called my mom, not really expecting help, just to talk to her.  She volunteered to help me out with some money.  I asked her if there was any way she could get me two night's stay so I could rest my feet and she said sure, no problem.  Unfortunately, they wouldn't accept CC info over the phone and it was after 12 anway, so for some reason I wouldn't be able to check in anyway.  Damn.  They let me charge my phone though.  I walked to all the other motels nearby and they had the same policy.  

        For some reason I had a calling to the 711.  

Next day..