111408

                                                                                                             Las Cruces, NM

Friday November 14, 2008

     6:30am  I just woke up. I didn't get that much sleep. Like six hours. That's enough.
                  
     7:18am  I've had a delightful morning. The sun came up and it's not that cold. I slept alright. I slept enough. I really need to invest in some earplugs. That's the key to sleeping next to the highway. I found a perfect little spot. I walked over the highway last night, because I couldn't find a suitable spot on the side that the gas station was on. The terrain is really different out here in New Mexico. There are all these spiny things that stick to the bottom of my boots. I forgot the term they user for them that that girl I met in Socorro told me. I forget her name. I forget what they were, but I'll look it up. Anyway, I searched for a while last night and I couldn't find anywhere. It's more like shrub covered terrain than woods. I finally found this tree on the other side of the fence. I can see the campus from here. I'm going to pack and pretty soon. Oh, I believe the fence is short enough to hop over it easy. Perfect. I took pictures this morning. Like three of them. Oh yeah, I was able to clean my weed I bought yesterday. Pick out the seeds and stems and pulverize it with scissors and put in my Scripture Mints tin. I had a very productive and relaxed morning. All the weed is ready to be smoked now. I filled up my tin. Since I have weed on me I don't wear my necklace as much. I stuff it in my pocket and wait for the next chance I get to iron it. I had a good morning. I'm stoned off my ass. I'm going to smoke some more too.

                   Last night was awesome at the gas station. I walked inside with three dollars and I was hungry. The Honeybuns there were expensive, like a dollar fifty. I usually get a couple of those, and I wanted to get something for later on too. They have like three different mini-restaurants there. I went up to the Mexican one, Santa Fe Grill and I saw they had these real long burritos out there. I went, "Cool, I hope those are less than three dollars." They ended up being three fifty, but the cool Mexican dude told me not to worry about it. I logged his generosity and he gave me another burrito! He took money out of the tip jar to pay for it. That was super awesome. Welcome to Las Cruces, Victor. I ate a whole one last night and then stood out there and told my story and passed out my website to all the college kids. I had an awesome presentation inside. Anyway, I am having a pretty good time in Las Cruces. I am totally caught up on my typing so I don't know what I'm going to do today. I guess I could always type up this morning.

                   My military rain poncho isn't a portable bed like I call it. It's a portable floor.

                   Gretchen was her name from Socorro.

                   Look at all the weed I got.

                   Did you ever realize how similar the words sane and same are? I am not the same. I'm not part of the fucking machine. I'll jeopardize the American dream!

     8:38am  I am up and at 'em. All packed up and ready to go. It's not that cold, so I've layered down. I'm going to shoot for the gaps and walk across the highway and go back to the gas station and fill my bag up with ice and get water.

                   Goatheads is what Gretchen called them.

     8:52am  Chase at the FINA gas station, the Pic Quick, he let me fill my CamelBak up with ice. I appreciate it. Everybody gets credit.

                   They have a mountain with an A on it. I wonder what it stands for. I went to the Pic Quick and got hooked up with some ice. When I first went in I asked the guy if I could fill up my water bag with ice. He told me would have to charge me twenty seven cents. I said whatever and reached in my pockets and found nothing. I told him, "I don't seem to have twenty seven cents." He let me slide. They have good ice there. I filled up my bag and logged his generosity and gave him my website. He told me good luck.

     9:12am  I forgot to tell you, I walked all the way over to campus. I'm going to walk to the Branson Library.

                   I'm walking among all the students and some guy just walked by and said, "Victor Antonio from San Antonio!" I got recognized already!

     9:40am  Coming into the library. I had a good smokebreak. I ate the last of my burrito. I'm pretty full. I'm going to get to typing.

     11:09am  Leaving the library. I am caught up.

     11:14am  I spent a lot of time putting little havethisbook.coms on a bulletin board here. I need to find a Mexican restaurant. I'm hungry.

     11:30am  I gave this restaurant my line and they told me, "You came at a bad time. It's too early in the morning." The Taste of India is what that place is called.

                     Hmm, let's see what this Greek place tells me.

     11:38am  The nice people at Santorini is hooking me up. Greek food, right? I appreciate it, guys. Everybody gets credit.

     11:44am  I just got hooked up with a big gyro! I took a picture of it.

     11:50am  Nice, the Greeks fed the peace machine!

     12:40pm  I walked all the way to, I'm stupid. I walked all the way to where I got dropped off on I10. I want 25, which is over by where I camp. I want to get up to Truth or Consequences today. Before I started walking back I stopped underneath these trees by The Greenhouse. I took a smokebreak. I'm all stoned. Right now I'm going to walk all the way to I25.

     12:45pm  I can't believe that all the times I have been to Las Cruces that I had never hung out on the campus and spread the word there. That's where all the kids are.

     1:20pm  I didn't tell you. I walked all the way to the Fina Station, the Pic Quick to use the restroom and try to get a ride to Truth or Consequences, hopefully.

     1:35pm  I hiked all the way to the onramp, the highway. There's a curb on the onramp so cars can't pull over for me, so I have to walk to the highway.

     2:25pm  I am getting bored on the onramp. I'm going to walk back to the gas station.

     2:38pm  Back at the Pic Quick. I thumbed it for like an hour, it felt like. I got bored and started walking back and realized I left my weed. I had stashed it in case a cop pulled over. I'm paranoid because I'm letting my marijuana necklace hang down from my thumb.

     2:43pm  Marco at the Santa Fe Grill inside the gas station is hooking me up. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks. Got be a burrito for the walk, cool.

     2:53pm  I just landed at Lohman Road, to the next gas station. I tried telling the cool dude who gave me a ride my story, but I didn't have time.

     3:25pm  Well, I have to wait for a ride. I see a pedestrian's prohibited sign on the I25 onramp. I am here flying my thumb on the onramp. On Lohman and I25. I've got my marijuana necklace hanging from my thumbing hand. I stashed my weed again. Don't forget the weed, Victor.

     3:35pm  I got a little bored on the onramp. I'm going to go back to the gas station. I am not forgetting my weed this time.

     3:38pm  I got bored on the onramp, so I'm just going to walk the street parallel to the highway. Telshor Boulevard. People have told me that it's three miles to the next gas station.

     3:53pm  Sweet, I am only one and a half mile away from US 70. There will be gas stations, I'm sure.

     3:58pm  I took a picture of the big water tower.

     3:59pm  Walking down Telshor Blvd passing Hammerand CT.

     4:02pm  I am taking a breather at the bus stop. Actually, I am taking a smoker. Not a breather.

     4:18pm  Here's the bus. Right when I got up from my rest and started loading up I see it coming.

     4:20pm  The nice driver gave me a courtesy ride. I appreciate it.

     4:45pm  Sweet, I just got dropped off at the Peter Piper Pizza a little bit more North on 25. I'm going to go hit them up for mistakes. Then I'm going to walk to 25 and thumb it.

     4:52pm  I had an awesome presentation with the kids in front of Peter Piper. These kids from Las Cruces.

     4:57pm  I am now at the Pic Quick/Santa Fe Grill at Delrey Boulevard and I25.

     5:00pm  I came across the street by the stoplight at the highway. I'm going to thumb it here. With my marijuana necklace dangling, hell yeah. The cops are going to come, watch. I've got my weed stashed.

     5:28pm  I got bored thumbing it. I'm going to walk back to the gas station. Oh damn, I forgot my weed again. I'm going back to where I stashed it.

     6:40pm  I forgot to tell you, I gave up on the onramp. The sun came down and I thought it was later than it is. I want to go find a place to crash, to camp. I noticed there was a big field behind the Ashley Furniture place here. Right now I'm standing next to the Blockbuster/Papa John's Pizza. I'm standing outside just hanging out smoking waiting for a driver to come out. I already asked one and he told me he would check. He might come out with a surprise, I don't know.

                   One driver came outside and told me there might be some mistakes in a little while.

     7:20pm  Gabe just hooked me up with a pizza at the Papa John's. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit.

     7:40pm  About fifteen minutes ago I scored at the Papa John's and I brought it over to the Pic Quick across the street and ate it. Sweet, I got food. I have like four or five slices for later too.

     8:42pm  About half an hour ago I came back to the field and made my camp. There are lots of places to choose from in this field of dunes and bushes. I even got a fire going. I'm all nice and toasty. I scouted around when I first got there and collected some wood. I came back to my pack and lay my military rain poncho down and camped out.

Next day..