110808

                                                                        San Antonio to Bandera to Medina, TX

Saturday November 8, 2008

     8:00am  I woke up like ten minutes ago with only 6.43 hours of sleep. I don't know if that's enough but I can take a nap. I'm going to wake and bake. Oh yeah, yesterday when I was walking back and forth from Brigadoon searching for roaches, I had walked over to the Perry house. Humplick's car was there and his window was open so I thought he was there. I had taken a resin hit at the park and was pretty bored. I undertook the daunting project of picking up every single cigarette butt I could find in front of their house on the driveway and stuff. Humplick just chunks them out the room window. Humplick never looked outside. I figured he was downstairs. His dogs had come to the window, Pinky and Foxy. Then, all of a sudden I see the window shut. I felt a bit ignored and walked off. Then, later on I walked by and the window was open again and I could see Joey inside playing videogames. I said hello and asked if Humplick was there. He told me he had gone to Dallas. Oh yeahhh, Humplick had told me something about going to Dallas because some college wants to give him a scholarship. That's a good little slave-in-training, hehe.

                   I am leaving today.

     2:08pm  I just updated my site and I'm going to leave today. My beloved mother gave me fifty dollars. For food, she insisted, hehe. I got a couple good signatures on my guestbook not too long ago. One from Alex, this kid I talked to in the neighborhood last night.

                    I'm going to leave today. I was thinking about heading North on Bandera(Highway 16) all the way to Kerrville and hit I10 there. It's like fifty miles. I might walk it. Right now I'm going to walk up to the Brigadoon Park and maybe I can get a ride from one of the kids there.

     2:31pm  I forgot to mention the perfection that just happened. See, I did a final pack this morning and took a shower. My stuff's ready to go. My mom gave me fifty bucks for "food," hehe. I went to the Brigadoon park to say goodbye to my friends there. I walked back to my neighborhood and went over to Paul's house. This dude I hung out with yesterday and told my story to him and his friends. He's got a hot girlfriend. Anyway, he had signed my guestbook with his phone number and said if I ever wanted to smoke to come by. So I went over there to say goodbye and see if they had any weed. He didn't, but then all of a sudden Alex and Rachel drive up. Their friend was driving. They had seen me and drove back around the block. They pulled up and said, "Hey, Victor! Do you still need a ride??" I yelled back, "That's exactly what I need!" We drove over to my mom's house to get my bags. I told you I was taking off today.

     3:07pm  Billy is Alex and Rachel's friend. He's agreed to give me a ride all the way to Bandera! Like thirty miles North.

     3:12pm  I just got dropped off in Bandera! What perfect synchronicity, man. I walked over to the park to say goodbye to my friends. I was supposed to have brought them a spraypaint can so they could tag the fence again for me, but I didn't. I walked back to the neighborhood and checked at Paul's, then all of a sudden these two kids I had talked to yesterday drove by and I got a ride to Bandera! They didn't have any weed, boohoo.

                   They dropped me off at the Exxon in Bandera. Rachel took a picture of me and said she'd post it on my MySpace. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my weed necklace. I'm going to have to wear it all the time. I can't stash it my bag because it will get all wrinkled and get ruined. I'm just going to wear it, screw it. I already got warned about the cops in this town, but I'm not scared. I'm going to go in the Exxon here and fill up my bag with ice.

                   This guy at the gas station told me to take 173 to Kerrville and I'd come up on Shriner's City Park and I can camp there if I want. He told me to turn right on 534 and that will loop around to I10.

     3:25pm  I am leaving the gas station, the Exxon. The cashier told me some directions, but I don't know if I'm going to follow them. Hwy 16 goes all the way to I10.

                   I am turning right on 14th Street. I'm going to walk through this neighborhood like the guy told me. I had gone in there and asked the guy if I could fill up my bag with ice. He told me they charged forty two cents. I said whatever. But then he took me to the back where they have an ice machine. He wouldn't let me get my own ice. He even bitched about the opening on my bag being too small. He was all, "I know you're just trying to help, but I could get a health code violation, blah, blah. That's a good little slave. He was all scared.

                   Stopped on Pecan at the stop sign.

                   Just walked to the Main Street and turning right. Everybody look at me and my marijuana necklace. I had popped out in front of the Bandera Justice Center. There's sherrif cars everywhere. I'm not going to hide my necklace. I don't have any weed. I'm exercising my freedoms, damnit.

     3:42pm  I went in some gas station and asked the lady what was the best way to get to I10 and she told me 173 too. Turning left on 173 towards Kerrville. 30 miles I think the lady said.

     3:43pm  I was waiting for the light to change to start walking 173 then this guy yells at me from the gas station. He says, "Hey man, you want a better walk? Stay on 16. That goes to Kerrville too and it's a better walk. Sweet, I forgot to give him my website though.

                   Hmm, I just realized I did forget something. I left the USB cable for my camera. That sucks. I'm not going to go back. At some libraries they have the slot where I can put the memory card in.

                   36 miles to Kerrville. I wonder if I'll get picked up. Hmm, I see a sheriff up ahead. I wonder if he's going to talk to me.

     3:52pm  I'm about to pass the Bandera City Limit sign.

     4:08pm  I just left from my break. I was actually able to scrape a resin hit. It makes a big difference walking.

     4:18pm  Walking by the Skyline Ranch RV Park. It looks familiar, like I've been here before.

     4:28pm  Walking in front of Mansfield Park.

                   I just realized I forgot my T-Gel shampoo and my camera cord.

                   Picnic area in a mile. That's where I'll rest.

     4:35pm  About to pass Farm Road 470.

     4:40pm  About to pass the sign that says Medina 11 miles and Kerrville 35.

     4:47pm  About to pass over the Medina River, Ranger Crossing. I see the rest area up ahead. I'll see if anyone there has any weed, hehe.

                   I took a couple pictures of the Medina River.

                   Random highway shot.

     4:57pm  I am leaving from the picnic area.

                   As I was walking away this guy called out to me, "Excuse me! Do you want a tuna sandwich?" Awesome. Thanks for feeding the peace machine.

     5:28pm  I'm going to sit down and rest and eat my sandwich. I'm tired. I'm over by Peaceful Valley Road. Let's see if I get a ride.

     5:38pm  Leaving from my rest.

     5:52pm  About to pass over Winan Creek. I'm going to walk to Medina tonight and try to get a ride to Kerrville.

     6:29pm  It's dark now. Maybe I'll camp soon.

     7:03pm  I'm going to stop. I don't know exactly where. It's all dark. It got chilly so I'm going to put on my thermals. I switched out the batteries on my recorder too. I hope I get somewhere soon.

                   I researched and I walked almost two hours. From 5:38 to now.

     7:15pm  Leaving. Brr, it's cold now since I had stopped walking.

     7:30pm  About to cross Medina River, Three Mile Bridge. Is this bridge really three miles long? That sounds about right. I walked almost two hours. That should be eight miles.

                    I see a sign that says Highway Intersection ahead. Hopefully there's a gas station.

                    Junction FM 173 coming up. No gas station anywhere. Just a blinking yellow light. I put some gloves on. It's cold.

     7:47pm  I see the sign that says how far everything is up ahead.

                   2 miles to Medina, 26 miles to Kerrville.

     8:17pm  Entering the town of Medina. I hope there's a gas station soon. I don't see one anywhere. I am really grateful for that guy that gave me that tuna sandwich earlier. All I have for food is a bag of peanuts. I forgot to grab some treats my mom got for me. Some Poptarts and stuff. As soon as I get a comfortable stationary place I have to get my mom to mail me some stuff.

     8:25pm  Walking by some place called Lathrippa. It says Google it. http://www.medinariversoapco.com/index_files/Page310.htm

                    Passing the Medina Masonic Lodge.

                    Keese's Cafe and BBQ. I wish they were open.

     8:30pm  I walked by Keese's and saw somebody in the back. I went around to the back entrance and got their attention. When this lady and guy came out I asked them where the nearest gas station was. The guy told me the only store in town closed at nine. I asked them, "You guys don't have any food you can sell me?" The guy went inside and gave me two long sausage links.

     8:32pm  It was Keith at Keese's BBQ in Medina, he gave me some food. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     8:45pm  Nice, I got hooked up with two big sausage links. I ate one. The other one is breakfast. Keith also told me where there was a good place to camp by the river. I'm beat, man. I can't wait to find a campspot and make my bed.

     9:13pm  I double-backed a little from the BBQ place and turned right. I found the Medina River and secured a spot and made my bed. For a minute there I thought I left my tape recorder at Keese's. I had put my boots back on and everything when I found it. I'm at my campsite. I'll take pictures in the morning.

Next day..