111508

                                                                       Las Cruces to Truth or Consequences, NM

Saturday November 15, 2008
                   
     6:28am  Ah, I've had good morning in the dunes. See, since it's all hilly and stuff I didn't think cars would see my fire. I've had a fire going all morning. I was just stumbling around in the dark looking for wood with my little LED light. It's really easy to get lost in these dunes. I found an old pallet that I was able to break up and use for firewood last night. There's plenty of twigs everywhere to start it with.

                   I had three slices of pizza for breakfast this morning. I don't know what I'm going to do about food today, but I'll get it somehow. The Santa Fe Grill at the Pic Quick, I haven't hit them up yet. Maybe I'll do that today.

     6:48am  Uh-oh. The fire department just showed up. Somebody obviously called in about my smoke. Like three or four fireman walked over with shovels. They walked up and I immediately went to get my ID, but their chief told me not to worry about it. "I'm not a cop," he said. He said I was okay. He turned around and they walked away and I heard him say into his walkie-talkie, "It's okay. It was a controlled burn."

     7:25am  I am taking my time this morning. I had a really relaxing morning. I took a picture.

     9:08am  I am up and at 'em. Finally. I had a restful, relaxing morning. That's the only kind I've been having lately. The sun is up and I'm going to walk back to the gas station and see what kind of alternate walking route I can take North.

                   I'm going to go back to where I camped. I left my empty pouch of Buglers there. I can still use the papers attached to it. I'm going to go back and get it.

                   Oh shit, I left my CamelBak too!

                   Sweet, I was meant to come back. Not only did I also leave my marijuana necklace hanging from a branch, I thought I had smoked all my cigarettes, but I just found half of one right now.

                   That's right, I've had some scriptage evolution also. Instead of telling people I am writing a book, I'll tell them I am "conducting a study." That's what I'm doing. See, that anthropologist girl I talked to the other day on campus, after I talked to her I looked anthropology up on the internet. It defines it as the study of humanity. That's exactly what I'm doing!" Studying humanity. She listened to so many of my stories. Beautiful flower-child looking girl with long blonde hair and sunglasses. I took her picture. Anyway, she was totally willing to listen to me. Even in Spanish when I hit up the taquerias I'll tell them, "Estoy conductando un estudio.."

     9:25am  Oh yeah, this morning I also did a sewing project on my green tights while I was wearing them. I closed off all the small holes that had formed in the knees. I still have these tights that Troy in Albert Lea Minnesota gave me. They have and still are serving me great.

     9:44am  Mike, here at the gas station hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

     9:53am  Julio at the Santa Fe Grill at the Quick Pick he's hooking me up with some food.

     9:55am  Hell yeah, I'm going to get hooked up. They're going to surprise me. Right before that I was standing in front of the Quick Pick and this homeless dude came up to me and said what's up. I offered him my website and he invited me over to their camp. I said okay, and went inside to see if I could score another burrito. I sure did.

     10:00am  I got hooked up with a burrito at the Santa Fe Grill. Right now this Deli Express guy was inside stocking the shelf and overheard what I was doing. He up and volunteered me a dollar and some change. Thanks a lot.
                    
     10:10am  Jersey showed me his camp and I met all his roadkids. One of them actually recognized me from Ocala. What was your name? "Dave Virus." Did I talk to you in Ocala? Dave: "Yeah, I was with fuckin' Aggro-Dave and Shortstop." I'll look it up.

                     I am a Freegan. Instead of Vegan. Submitted by Virus from Philadelphia.

     10:54am  Ugh, that sucks. I walked to that drunk guys camp. I should never have gone. I tried telling them my story but they were drinking. See, and the Deli Express guy gave me some change and told me to meet him outside, that he was going to hook me up with some food. Then I ran into that alcoholic dude and got distracted.

     11:05am  With that dollar and change and about 32 pennies from the gutter punks I went back to the Quick Pick and bought a pouch of Buglers. Jersey told me that if I bought cigarettes would I please come back and give him one. I told him sure. I went back to the gas station and I bought some cigarettes.

     11:08am  Damnit! I left my burrito with the punks! I have to go back now.

     11:35am  I walked back to the alcoholics and sat down and ate my burrito. They had taken a couple bites of it already. It was the best burrito I have ever tasted. I appreciate it, Julio. I am fueled up for my three mile walk to Doña Ana. I got directions from the Deli Express guy. Anyway, I am going to keep walking north parallel to the highway. They told me there were gas stations at Doña Ana.

     12:00pm  I am walking parallel to 25, but I see the sign on the highway which tells you how far upcoming town are. I zoomed in with my camera and took a picture. It's 2 miles to Doña Ana, 71 miles to Truth or Consequences. 223 to Albuquerque.

     12:22pm  I walked down Delrey and it dog-legged a couple of times. I'm going to stop and rest over here by where Delrey turns into Weaver.

     12:32pm  Leaving from my rest.

     12:39pm  Walking by the Leaving Las Cruces City Limits sign.

     12:50pm  I got to a street called Delrey Boulevard. Then I realized I am on Delrey Boulevard. I'm confused. Which is the right Delrey Blvd?

                     I have been giving the peace sign to every single car on this walk.

     12:57pm  I am now on Lareyna Boulevard. Just crossed Westmoreland Avenue.

                     The A on the mountain by NMSU probably stand for Aggies. It's an agricultural college.

                     Right now this black dog came up to me and started playing with me and letting me pet him. He was all wagging his tail.
                  
     1:04pm  Lareyna turned into a dirt road. I couldn't see the highway from where I was. There was a big hill in front of it. I'm going to go up it. I'm walking through all this sand. I just took a picture of the big hill. I'm going to climb and see if I have a better look at things.

                   This dog is still following me. He's my friend.

     1:05pm  I went up the hill and took a picture.

     1:08pm  Cool, I'm on top and in the not too far distance I see the highway. There's a junkyard back here too. I can see the gas stations. I'm going to walk. The dog is still following me. She's a girl dog. She squatted to pee. She didn't lift her leg.

     1:20pm  I popped out on Thorpe Road and Delrey Boulevard.
    
     1:48pm  Dude, there's an Alejandro's Mexican Food right across the street from the Circle K. I'm going to go there, score some food and then come back to the onramp.

     1:51pm  The nice people at Alejandro's are hooking me up.

     2:18pm  Whoa, right when I walked up to the onramp Darrel pulled over for me! The first car that passed. He gave me a ride to Hatch. How perfect.

     2:55pm  I should make an update. I just got picked up and rescued. I asked him if he smoked weed, that I had some. He told me had some too, but we would have to wait until after we got past the inspection station. He had two joints rolled and he gave me one all to myself! I was trying to tell him my story and stuff. He's an ex-marine. He even let me keep this long-ass roach.

                   I got dropped off at this other Quick Pick gas station. I still have that burrito from Alejandro's. Thank you. I got a ride out of there quick. I should've walked there. On the way over here we passed by that one rest stop I have been to before[6-23-03 : 9:55pm, 6-27-05 : 7:59pm]. The Journey of the Dead Man rest area. I should've remembered that Las Cruces is where I had walked from to find it before.  Me in the reflection.

     3:16pm  This lady walked out and immediately noticed my shirt. I offered her my website. "It's free," I told her. She tells me, "I'm definitely not interested." I yelled out, "Man, nobody wants world peace.!" Ignorance is bliss. That's right, be afraid.

     3:37pm  Whoa, right now some guy just came out of the gas station and asked me if I was going to Albuquerque. I smiled and told him, "T or C?" He's going to give me a lift!

     3:38pm  It was Bryan Chasko's generous soul which mobilized me right now.

                   This guy and girl.

     4:12pm  Wow, just like that I am in Truth or Consequences already! I got dropped off at the Fast Stop at the edge of town. I'm going to go layer up because it's chilly here. I'm going to walk into town. I wish I had a walking stick.

     4:22pm  I just got out of the Shell station. I went in the bathroom and layered up. I've got my green tights on. I've been here before. I see all the Dukatt 71 signs again.

     4:33pm  It still amazes me how intense the sky is in New Mexico. They're majestic. The sun is shining beautifully right now.

     4:49pm  Walking in front of La Piñata Restaurant. I got hooked up there last time I was in T or C.

                    I'm walking down Broadway giving every car the peace sign.

     4:51pm  Hugo en el laundromat me dio un cambio para hacer mi laundry. Te lo agradezco, senor. Todo el mundo recibe credito.

     4:58pm  Sweet, somebody just pulled over for me.

                   Becky is the name of the generous soul that just pulled over for me. She's giving me a ride into town. Welcome back to T or C, Victor.

     5:03pm  I just got dropped off at Turtleback Oasis, some deli or something. Becky told me I should talk to these people, but they seem busy right now.

                   At first when Becky pulled over for me I thought I got recognized from last year. She ended up not knowing me at all. Total stranger.

                   I'm going to walk to that gas station with the Dominos. I wish I could remember that guys name. I should look it up.

                   Main Street.

     6:25pm  808 whatever street this is. This guy Dale walked up to me at the Fast Stop and asked me if I had any weed. I told him I would smoke him out and he invited me over to his house a block away from the Fast Stop. Cool, I already have a place to stash my bags so I can walk around. The electricity and water is off at his house because he couldn't pay the bills. The house is pretty trashed too. There's doghair everywhere and he's an alcoholic. He wouldn't listen to my story. Anyway, I'm going to go to the gas station and hang out, smoke a cigarette and tell my story. He only took one small hit of weed too. I'm going to go back and get my hoodie. My weed is in the pocket.

     6:42pm  Hell yeah, I had a badass presentation with Officer Johnson at the Fast Stop, the gas station. The Dominos has been dead all day. It was closed at six when I got here. I think it may be out of business. Lorie still works at the Fast Stop. She worked here last time. It was cool, I offered to smoke some dude out and he invited me over to his house. His house was all broken down. The electricity was turned off and we had to light a candle. Then I went over to the gas station and this cop started talking to me and I was able to tell him my story. He agreed with all of it, like when I told him marijuana was the key. I got to the part where I say, "It's simple evolution. What bigger sign do we need?" He agreed with it but then got a call on his radio and had to go. To be continued, I told him.

     7:04pm  Oh yeah, right when I got into town I went over to the Ralph Edwards park and met this crazy dude. I walked by and he called me over. "Do you remember me?" I asked him. He looked at me with this weird look in his eyes and yelled, "I'm Rick James, bitch!" He's cramping my style at the Fast Stop right now. There are lots of wingnuts in T or C. I gave him a hit of weed, but just one. I want to walk around town and find somebody to tell my story to. It's awesome that I have a house to crash at and it won't be that cold.

     8:02pm  Screw this town, man.  That guy Dale who was going to let me crash at his house, he was going to have talk radio on all night. He told me it put him to sleep. He's a crazy drunk dude. Ignorant as hell. I'm never going to get to sleep in his messy house with the radio on all night. He only lives in the front room of his house. He sleeps on the couch. Screw this town. I am getting out of here tomorrow. I'm going to go back down South again to I10 level. It's getting really cold. Maybe I'll check out Silver City again. Anyway, I packed up my stuff and told him I would find a place to camp.

     8:52pm  I didn't tell you, I already found a campspot in empty lot behind some shrubs. I'm going to smoke some weed and go to sleep. I want to start a fire, but there's a lot of grass and it'll get out of control.

Next day..