121408

                                                                                                           Sylmar to Ventura, CA

Sunday December 14, 2008

     5:30am  I forgot to mention when I woke up today. I woke up around five thirty. I packed all my stuff up. They were giving people five dollars for helping, but I was too busy helping myself. That’s alright. I don’t need any money. Root of all evil, haven’t ya heard??

     5:34am  Charlie bummed me a cigarette in front of the armory. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     6:25am  I just got dropped off at Busway and Van Nuys Boulevard. Catch the Red Line to Topanga and Ventura Boulevard.

     6:47am  I got on the Orange Line at Ventura and Topanga.

     7:15am  I just got to the Warner Transfer Center. This nice black lady Angie got up and asked the driver directions for me, since my bags are so big.

     7:23am  The nice driver gave me a courtesy ride to Topanga.

     7:35am  I am here at Ventura and Topanga Drive waiting for the 161. It comes at 7:50am.

     7:43am  I just took a picture of myself at the bus stop.

     7:55am  I need to make an update. See, I went to the bus stop and exposed my shirt and walked around. When the bus came and I was in line to get on it this black dude walked by me and smiled at me and I offered him my website. I asked him if he had a cigarette, but he said no. When the bus came he walks up to me and says, “I wish I had a cigarette to give you.” I told him it was the thought that counts. Then I pulled out my one-hitter and told him, “I’ve got a special cigarette. Do you have anything to put in it?” I changed my mind about getting on the bus. I’ll catch the next one. I want to tell this dude my story. He wants to listen to it.

     7:57am  Maurice is the name of the guy I just told you about.

     8:22am  I forgot to tell you, I am already on the 161 bus. I got on the bus with Maurice. He gave me five bucks! Wait, he also paid five bucks for a daypass for me! He contributed ten bucks to the cause. I appreciate it, brother. I told him the Note From the Rich and everything. I am on my way to Ventura! Awesome! Everything happens for a reason. What a blessing.

     8:37am  I forgot to tell you it’s raining. It’s supposed to rain until Thursday. I hope that Turning Point Place let’s me crash there. I doubt it though. I am not with River Haven anymore.

                   ashesandsnow.org

     9:10am  I got off at the last stop of the route in Thousand Oaks. The end of line of the 161. I don’t think I can catch the Vista bus that goes to Ventura. I don’t think it runs on the weekend. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I want to bum a cigarette off of somebody.

     9:26am  I doubt anybody is going to give me a ride from this gas station. They are all snobby Babylonian rich people. On the bus ride over here we passed through Agoura Hills. I remember Agoura Hills with Carol years ago.

     9:40am  I walked to the 101 onramp.

     10:08am  I do believe I have been here before. I’m over by the Sharky’s Fresh Mexican Grill. I’ll look that up. I remember getting hooked up there years ago. Oh yeah, when I was on the onramp I saw a Vista bus pass. I thought it didn’t run on the weekend, but I will be so happy to be wrong. I need to ask where the Vista stops at. 

                     I walked to the Mobile station across the street from Sharky’s and Scott listened to me great. It got kind of busy so I’m going to stop. He just gave me three cigarettes. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     10:57am  I had an awesome presentation with Scott. It died down so I went inside and asked him if I could finish my story off. I told him the Note From the Rich and everything. He agreed with all my stuff entirely. Oh yeah, he told me to walk to Rancho Road, to the bus terminal. I’ve got a daypass, but it probably won’t work on a Vista bus.

     11:03am  Oh yeah, that road ended up being like a whole mile away. I walked by this shopping center and saw a bum flying a sign. He told me the Vista bus did run today. Then I thought for a little bit and asked him if there was another spot to fly a sign at right there. He said sure, the exit by the Trader Joe’s. That’s where I’m at right now. I’m going to fly my sign. Support the cause.

                    5lxt258, a Toyota, this old lady just gave me a ten dollar bill, nice! She wouldn’t accept my website though.

                    5uoam11, this girl gave me a five dollar bill, nice.

     1:10pm  I forgot to tell you, I had some technical difficulties. My batteries ran out. I got a total of like eighteen bucks standing there with my sign in front of Trader Joe’s. I bought some new batteries. The guy’s name was Scott at the Mobil. I walked around the promenade, the shopping mall here looking for the Vista bus stop. I almost ended up where I was earlier at the other gas station. I changed my mind. I was told the transit terminal is like a mile and a half down the road. I came to the bus stop here at Packers Circle and Thousand Oaks Boulevard. I’m going to wait for the bus. I have money now.

     1:29pm  I finally decided I’m going to hike all the way to the transit terminal. I finally noticed the bus stop sign say Monday through Friday. I walked to the next one and saw some dude sitting down waiting. I told him the bus didn’t run today. He turned out trying to get to the transit terminal too to catch the Vista bus to Ventura, just like me. So, we’re going to hike it.

     1:39pm  Mark just hooked me up with like six Camel Wides. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     1:48pm  We walked all the way to Conejos School Road. Mark told me, “Put your stuff down. I’ll get us there,” and pulled out his cellphone. He’s calling a cab, sweet. That’s awesome. Courtesy ride.

     2:04pm  We just got to the transfer center. We rode in the cab. Thanks, Mark.

     2:26pm  We are on the Vista bus already on the way to Ventura.

     3:14pm  Victor just got back to Ventura! It’s all coming back.

     4:06pm  Victor Antonio is back in Ventura! With the help of my good friend Mark. I made a great friend today. He listened to a lot of my stories. This other dude who was on the bus told me about some place called IV. Isla Vista or something. Which I’ll go check out eventually. I’m going to go to the library and check my email right now.

     4:16pm  I just hit Main Street. Welcome back, Victor.

     4:37pm  I went to the library. I had a shitload of visits to my website. Like 290 something. I doubt that’s true. It says I have over 800 visits 0-30 seconds or less. I can have ten sheets of havethisbook.coms printed out. I’m going to go hang out on Main Street. Hopefully I’ll get recognized soon.

                     City Hall

     5:22pm  I went to the park. There was only one dude there and he sold me some weed! Hell yeah. Ten dollar’s worth. I’m all stoned. Welcome back to Ventura, Victor Antonio. I’m going to walk to the beach now. To the pier. I want to find some kids. Hmm, maybe I’ll walk to the Turning Point place and see if I can take a shower and do my laundry.

     5:25pm  I went over to the Turning Point place and they wouldn’t open the door for me. I saw a flyer on the window that said Winter Shelter. Peking and Main Street. They pick up there for the shelter at six. It says something about needing proof of having a TB test. I don’t have that shit.

     6:30pm  That was awesome. I was walking down the street aiming back to Main Street. I asked this guy and girl if they knew where Peking Street was. They didn’t know where and I asked them if they wanted to smoke some weed. They said sure and we went to their car in some parking garage and smoked and I told them my story. I asked him if they could give me a ride out to the harbor. I thought maybe I’d go say hi to people at River Haven. I’ll go see if anybody is still there that remembers me.

     6:53pm  I went to River Haven. It’s all dark right now, the sun is down. The lady Cynthia I talked to told me that I wasn’t supposed to be there without someone escorting me. Whatever. I was going to smoke them out. I guess I’ll walk back to town. All the way back. It’s a long walk. I remember the harbor shuttle bus runs out here. Sure enough, it came and I am on it. Maybe I’ll go to the Seaward Chevron. I’m not sure.

     7:21pm  I’m back on Main Street already. I rode the bus. I used my last dollar thirty five I had. I told the bus driver my story all the way back. After I told her I was a long distance walker and a journalist she said, “I bet you’ve got lots of good stories.” I’m downtown. I’m just going to stand somewhere and pass out my website. The SCAT buses changed their name. Gold Coast Transit or something.

                   Saturday night Main Street Ventura, California.

     7:45pm  I just had an awesome presentation with this one guy. He’s a photographer and he took my picture. He said he’s going to email me tomorrow. Sweet, as the mission evolves.

http://www.Ipeace.com

     8:36pm  I forgot to mention, I ran into Lorenzo. This guy who recognized me from the last time I was here. I asked him where he crashed and he’s going to show me a rooftop to crash on! Hell yeah! He said he’d be back in half an hour to get me so we could go crash.

     9:36pm  I had an awesome presentation with this one older lady. She was beautiful. I even told her the Note From the Rich and everything. I think she’s a highclass rich lady. It seemed like she couldn’t believe the Note From the Rich, like she was almost getting offended a couple times. It’s an eye opener.

     11:45pm  Olivia, Kristin and Sierra, I was walking by the Ben and Jerry’s and they asked if they could interview me. They had a laptop with a camera. You know me, “Sure, document me.” They recorded me while I told my story. For the parts you didn’t understand just look at my website to cross-reference. Oh, and Kristin just volunteered me a five dollar bill! I appreciate it, Kristin. Nobody is paying me to do this. Every little bit helps.

     12:50am  Me and those three girls went for a ride and we smoked a fat bowl. I smoked them out. We had been playing with the idea of going on a night-hike and I could crash in the woods somewhere. But I changed my mind and they brought me back downtown so I could crash with Lorenzo on the rooftop. It’s such a perfect spot. I’ll take pictures in the morning. I leant Lorenzo my sleeping bag liner.

 

Next day..