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 *Okay, I have a confession to make. I know when I tell my story in real life I tell everyone that I walked two days, thirty five miles, but it was more like one day and only about twenty miles. Well, it felt like two days and thirty five miles. I've just always said that when I told my story and it stuck. Please forgive meeh. I have eventually walked more than thirty five miles straight. Really.*

San Antonio, TX to Las Cruces, NM

Thursday December 26, 2002

                   Time is about 2:50am. December 26th, 2002. What a crazy night I've had. Let's see, where did it start? Umm, my mom left to Houston earlier. She was crying all day because I was walking to California. I'm ready to leave. First, I'm going to walk over to Carlos and Bob's. Just to say hi or maybe crash there because they live closer to I10 than my mom does. So I walked all the way to Bob's house with all my gear on my back(about 50lbs). Bob was there and he saw me carrying my big backpack and that one leather bag with the handle I took from my mom's house, on my shoulder. Bob told me, "Hey, you want me to consolidate that for you so you'll only have one bag?" He has a badass army bag. He used to be in the army. It's a awesome backpack. It's like huge. I was able to fit everything of mine into one bag. Now I'm walking to California with all my stuff in one bag. It's like I can live in luxury and not need a house. I have all my stuff on my back. I am independently-mobile. I got my badass boots(that are made for walking) and I'm going to walk to California. All the way to California. Hopefully, when the sun comes up, I can find a place to crash and recharge. Okay, now I'm wasting tape. I have to conserve tape on my trip.

                   Okay, I didn't record this, but I need to tell you what happened next. I called my friend Andrea from Bob's house to say goodbye to her. She came over and her and Bob started talking about giving me like a fifty mile jump West. I loaded up all my gear into Andrea's car and they drove me about forty miles West to Comfort, Texas. I got all my stuff on, grabbed my walking stick, said goodbye and started walking. I got a little ways and I turned around and Bob and Andrea were just sitting in the car, I didn't know what for. I hadn't walked far, so I turned around and went back to the car. I asked them what they were waiting for and Bob said, "Victor, are you sure you want to go through with this? This is your last chance to turn back." I told them hell yes and Bob said, "Okay, man. You know I'm proud of you for doing this." I shook Bob's hand and said, "Wish me luck, man." Okay, so let me continue with my saga.

                   Wow, not that much time has passed and I've already had a run-in with the police. It's about 3am and this officer drove by and stopped. He wasn't rude at all.

                   Whoa, that was totally weird. About fifteen minutes after Andrea and Bob dropped me off, this cop drove past me. He turned around, got out of his car and came up to me. He asked me how I was doing and I told him, "Excellent, how are you?" I already had my ID out and I gave it to him. He asked me where I was going and I told him, "I am a long-distance walker and I'm just traveling. I have been training for two years in San Antonio and I'm ready for my walk West." He went back in his car and another policeman drove up. They walked to a police car and talked with each other for like ten minutes. I smoked a cigarette. Hehe, my eyes were all bloodshot from smoking weed too. They both came up to me and asked me, "So where are you going?" My reply was, "Wherever the wind takes me. I'm just traveling." They told me it was illegal to be walking on the road at this time of night. I asked them if I could get a ride to the county line or a gas station. One cop said, "Sure, I'll give you a ride."
                   I couldn't help but get a little paranoid. I thought, "Damn, they've been watching me in San Antonio and they already sent someone out to pick me up." Boy, I sure am stupid sometimes.
                   So badass, I got a ride up the road to this gas station. Bob had goofed on a turn on the way up here and took me a little East. The ride the cop gave me saved me the trouble of backtracking to where Bob had turned East. Awesome, this trip is starting great. The cops hooked me up. I'm already having a blast and I just left.

                   Okay, they dropped me off at the Chevron at the intersection of Highway 87 and I10. The cop that drove me here told me, "You can hang out at the gas station until they tell you to leave and run you off and then you gotta keep walking." I told him, "Alright, that's what I'm ready to do." I went inside and used the restroom. I asked the guy behind the counter, "Hey man, the cop that dropped me off here said I could hang out here until you run me out. When will that be?" He apologized and told me, "We cannot allow people to stay here." "Shit, I guess I'll start walking then," I said. Alright well, I'm off.

                   Okay, time is about 3:40am. I am passing the Kerr County Line, exit 522. Mile marker 521.

                   I stopped for a break. The time now is 3:55am. I'm stopping for a quick break. I found a tree. I'm going to sit down, chill out and smoke a cigarette. I'll eat some of my Muscle Blast 2000 and keep going. Argh, my back doesn't feel too good. Oh well, it'll get better. I just have to rest it.

                   Okay, time right now is about 4:30am. I'm stopping again to rest my back. It seems like that's all I needed. Just a cigarettes-length time and my back is alright for another half-hour. I'll get there eventually.

                   Okay, the time is now about 5:10am. I walked a little further and I got to a bridge. I figured out a way I could position myself to where no one in the oncoming traffic could see me and I could just lay down and duck underneath the bridge and rest my feet and shoulders. And, now I'm up again, just walking. I drank one of those Two-Cal's and I'm ready to go. Until the next bridge I stop and rest at.

                   Okay, now passing mile marker 519.

                   The time is now about 5:50am and I've stopped for another rest. I don't know exactly where I am, but I'm closer to California than I was an hour ago. Umm, I was searching for a place to stop, but all the grass was real high on this side of the road. I noticed it was a bit more clear on the other side. Maybe I'll try my luck and cross the street. I found a little patch of clearness in this little hill. So, I put my military bag down and I'm sitting on it, smoking a cigarette and watching cars drive by.

                   Okay, there was a huge gap between recording entries. The time is now 8:25am. I walked to a rest stop finally. I forget the number. I'm resting. That's what this place is for. I'll take the advantage to go take a shit in the restroom, because I don't want to take a shit in the woods. I'm sitting here on the shitter recording myself. I'm going to see if I can get a ride. Maybe I'll just start walking some more. Okay, later on.

                   Okay, it's about 8:50am right now. I've sat at this rest stop enough. I've rested enough. I put a band-aid on my foot and nobody will give me a ride, so I'm just going to keep walking to this next gas station. Somebody told me that the next rest stop was like 50 miles away.

                   Okay, mile marker 513. I'm going to sit and smoke a cigarette and rest. If any 18-wheelers come by, I'll give them da thumb.

                   9:44am. Mile marker 512.

                   Okay, it's 9:50am. I'm leaving my rest at marker 512.

                   Whoa, I was just walking along and this truck pulled over, I wasn't even sticking my thumb out. The coolest shit happened. This nice lady just pulled over. I walked up to her truck and she asked me, "Do you need a ride or are you just walking for fun?" My face lit up. I told her, "A ride would be excellent!" So, I'm in the back of her pickup right now. She asked me if I was hungry and I said sure. She gave me two bean burritos she had bought. She apologized for taking a bite out of one. I told her not to even worry about it.

                   So here I am cruising along at a nice 70mph. I'm enjoying the scenery and loving life.

                   It's about 10:14am and the lady pulled over at a gas station in Junction, Texas.

     Me: What was your name again?
     Pattie: Patty
     Me: Patty with a..
     Pattie: i-e
     Me: Okay, and you're driving a Grey Chevy Sonoma is it?
     Pattie: I think it's a Silverado.
     Me: Thank you so much Pattie. Peace be with you and please drive carefully.

                   Okay, the time is now 1pm. I just walked my ass off. I went like 2 or 3 miles and didn't stop to rest once to rest my shoulders. I'm so fucking tired. I'm all the way at I10 and Cleo Road, wherever the hell that is. I'm laying down under a bridge. I'm tired. I walked my ass off. I'm damn proud of myself. I can't believe I didn't stop. That was one bitch of a walk. I might rest for like half an hour. My shoulders hurt. My feet are ok though.

                   Okay, time is about 2:34pm right now. I stopped at another bridge. Man, I'm tired. I don't know where exactly I am though.

                   Okay, its 2:52pm and I'm going to keep walking.

                   3:11pm. Mile marker 449.

                   3:34pm. Mile marker 448. I'm going to stop and rest.

                   3:51pm. Now passing North Creek.

                   4:20pm. Just passed marker 447.

                   Whoa, someone else just stopped without me asking. White Ford. It has a big Jesus is Lord sticker on the back, hmm. License plate M24-PS.

                   What an interesting turn of events. I was just about ready to go find a place to sleep because I was tired. I was just standing there resting when umm, what was your name again, man? Rusty, cool. I won't forget it now. Well, Rusty drove by. I wasn't hitch-hiking. He just stopped and thought I needed a ride. Second time today. So, I got a ride and he told me, "I'm going to California. Where are you going?" Badass, I told him I was too!
                   At first, I had thought to take only hundred mile jumps in cars. I would look at the odometer when I got in and at a hundred miles I would ask to be let out so I could keep walking and find a place to sleep for the night. But, Rusty is too perfect to pass up. He's going there and I'll get there like tomorrow, instead of three months from now. I think I'm going to take this opportunity. I asked Rusty, "How far do you mind me tagging along with you?" He told me I was welcome to go all the way, and he's going to Los Angeles. Oh yeah, the time is about 5:57pm.

                   11:20pm. I'm in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Damn, I'm already out of Texas. I fell asleep.

Next day..