122802

 

Ontario, CA to Los Angeles, CA

Saturday December 28, 2002

                     Okay, the time is now 6:20am and I just woke up. I was over here by the Ontario Auto Center and my feet hurt, I needed to sleep some more. I went behind these bushes over close to some highway and crashed out. I slept about maybe 4 hours or so, I don't know. The sleep was off and on. I'd wake up, look at my watch and then lay back down because it was too early. Finally, around 5am it was cold, so I decided to build a small fire to keep me warm. I piled up a bunch of leaves and lit the pile. When it caught good I started blowing it.
                     So here I am walking West. I just passed Highway 15. I'm not sure what street I'm on, but I'm having fun. It's cold. That's why I got my layers.

                     I'm on Jerupa street. Jerupa and Wood(something), I couldn't understand the recording. I'm passing the Carl's Jr. restaurant. Oh cool, I think there's a gas station up here. Sweet. I don't know why. Oh, I can get some water. Cool.

                     Time is about 6:30am. Now I'm at the intersection of Jerupa and Milliken. I see a sign that says Welcome to the City of Ontario, so I guess that's where I am. I'm going to cross the street.

                     Cool, the bus passes through here. Should I wait for it? I'll try to get on for free.

                     Okay, I just walked up to the next bus stop and sat down. I just realized I lost my cigarettes. I probably left them behind the bushes. Damnit, I don't have that much weed left either. Oh well, I'll make it. I have $42 in my wallet and I don't want to spend any of it until I get a sack of weed. Anyway, I've been sitting here for about a ½ an hour. I don't think the bus is going to come. My feet ache, so I'm just going to sit here a little while longer.

                     Damnit, it's 7:50am. I was walking the bus route. I turned around and saw the bus coming. I waved it down, but the bastard wouldn't stop because I wasn't at a bus stop.

                     Time is about 7:58am. I'm at the corner of Haven and Jerupa.

                     Okay, the time is about 8:19am. I'm in the car with, what was your name again? George, my good friend George. I had walked all the way down Jerupa to a gas station. I went in there and got some water. I asked this guy if he was going West at all, or any closer to LA than I was. He asked me where I needed to go and I told him I didn't know. George gave me a ride and I started telling him about my mission. Before I know it, he pulls out his pipe and smokes me out. Shweet! What a good day. I love California.

                     Okay, George told me I should aim for Highway 5 North if I'm going to San Francisco. He suggested I try and get a ride with a trucker all the way.

                     That's so crazy. This George guy is cool as shit. He gave me a ride, smoked me out and when he dropped me off, I asked him if he could spare a buck or something for the cause and he willingly hooked me up with a five dollar bill. Dude, it doesn't get much better than that. Right now, I don't know where the hell I am. Valley View and Oglethorpe. Somewhere in Orange County. George told me to go North and head for Highway 5 to San Francisco. So, maybe I'm not stopping in Los Angeles. I gotta get to San Francisco already.

                     I was walking by with all my gear and walking stick and I asked this guy, "What city is this? Where am I?" Shit, I forgot the name of it already, but this cool dude was able to show me a map and everything. Badass, I got to see a map and I know where I'm going, I think. I'm just going to walk. Highway 5 is really close to here. San Francisco, here I come.

                     Okay, I feel a little better now that I have five more dollars, so I'm going to ride the bus. So I'm waiting for the 21 Northbound. Sweet, I'm going to go North. I'm going to hit #5.

                     Damn, since I've lost track of days and shit, I just realized today was Saturday and I looked on the bus stop and this route only runs Monday through Friday. Now, I see a Jack in the Box down there. I'm going to get something to eat and catch another bus that is running today, that I already saw twice.

                     Mmm, it's about 10:40am and I just walked to the Jack in the Box and bought me a double meat Jumbo Jack on sourdough bread. Man, that filled me up. Anyway, I went out to the bus stop and sat down and ate. While I was eating, these thug-looking guys in an SUV pulled up and asked me if I was hungry. They held out some Jack in the Box bags and I asked them didn't they buy it for them? They told me they wanted me to have it and I told them no thanks, I had just eaten and I was full. I told them thanks anyway. It's the thought that counts.

                     Well anyway, I went into Jack in the Box and ate. I got a double-meat Jumbo Jack on sourdough bread for $2.19. Oh yeah, those guys who pulled up in the truck asked me if I was hungry. I told them no, that I had just eaten and was full. They said, "Are you sure? It's fresh." They were going to give me the food they had just gotten through the drive through. I told them thanks anyway. I guess they thought I was homeless or something, hehe. Alright so, the time is now 10:15am and I'm waiting for the bus.

                     Well, I got on the 30 bus and I noticed that Interstate 5 was coming up. Hey, that's the highway George told me to get on to go to San Francisco. I'm going to go walk along this highway and hopefully somebody will pick me up.

                     I'm over here by Park Village Apartments. I see a sign that says Fullerton.

                     Okay, time is now 11:40pm. I'm walking past like a mile of car dealerships. That's like all there is out here. Cars, cars, cars. The Toyota headquarters are here. Everything car-related is out here. My feet were a little sore, so I decided to stop and rest my feet. I'm sitting here at some picnic table with some people. The people sitting down asked me how I was doing. I told them I was the happiest man in the world and I gave them a couple scripts. I told them how I had left San Antonio, Texas two days ago. They seemed impressed and asked me, "Wow, you came walking all the way?" I told them I was more than willing to and I wasn't hitch hiking. That some guy stopped and gave me a ride from West Texas to Los Angeles. I'm going to smoke a cigarette now and keep walking. This guy I asked for directions told me to walk like a mile and a half and I'll see signs for it. Cool.

                     It's 11:45am and I finished smoking my cigarette. Hehe, all the people from that car dealership were outside standing around and not doing shit. They're just sitting there waiting to prey on innocent people. I asked them if I would hit 5 North if I kept walking this way. They told me yes and I thanked them and wished them a good day.

                     I'm walking down Manchester right now. Time is now 11:50am.

                     Alright, it's 12:10pm now. I stopped at a bus bench and smoked a cigarette. Now, I'm about to go where the road turns left and it says 5 North. I gotta find a restroom, shit and clean up and stuff.

                     Okay, I can see if I can go in the restroom at Auto Repair Service right here where you turn on to go to 5. Ooh, but a little bit down the road I see a Taco Bell. I'll go use their bathroom. It's bigger, I'm sure.

                     Well, it looked like a Taco Bell, but it's a costume shop. Maybe I won't go there.

                     Shit, everything's closed. It's Saturday, duh.

                     Hmm, Rose Royce Full Service Salon. It says "open" on it. I'm going to go see if they'll be nice and let me use the restroom.

                     That place is cool. They let me use their restroom. I took one healthy shit and now I'm walking towards Interstate 5.

                     I see all these streets named Beach and Malibu whatever. I have yet to see water though. I have yet to see the Pacific Ocean, ever. Maybe I'll see it going up Interstate 5. I'll check my map when I stop.

                     Man, I thought traffic in San Antonio was bad. It's about 12:29pm and I'm walking along Interstate 5. Hey, since traffic is so backed up, people have time to think if they wanna pick me up or not, hehe.

                     Hehe, I feel so Californiaish. I got my badass blue and white Weezer shirt that says "Rock Music" on the back and Weezer on the front. I'm wearing my thermal top and bottom too. 

                     Time is now 1:03pm. I just walked over the Los Angeles county line. La Miranda city limits. Population 45,000. Elevation 115. Emergency call 911, hehe.

                     Time is now 1:25pm. I walked up Highway 5 until there was no more room to walk. I sat down, smoked a cigarette and rested. Luckily, there is a fence there that's low enough that I can step over, because I'm so tall. I'm going to walk along the access road until I can get back on 5. There's no cars on the access road, so no one will pick me up. Signing off.

                     Okay, I got this idea brewing. I just passed a Holiday Inn select. I'm thinking about going in there and talking to a manager. I'll tell them, "Hey listen, I just left walking from San Antonio, Texas two days ago. I am not a hitch hiker. I never stuck my thumb out. People just picked me up. One took me all the way from West Texas to Los Angeles. I am writing a book as I go along(and show them my tape recorder). I just wanted to ask you if you could let me crash here for the night so I could rest my feet. If it's a big problem, don't worry about it. I'm sure the next hotel I pass by will be generous and help me out."

                     So here goes. I'm at the corner of Firestone and Gateway. The time is now 1:47pm.

                     Okay, strike one at this place, Holiday Inn select. The guy said he was sorry, that he had too many occupants. I told him, "Thanks anyway, it doesn't hurt to ask, right?" He smiled big, agreed and wished me luck. I told him bye.

                     Okay, I had to hike up this ditch to get on the I5 access road. The time is now 2:01pm.

                     Damn, my shoulders hurt.

                     Okay, where I cut through the ditch to get to the access road, that was Freeway Drive. I'm at Freeway and Alonza Boulevard right now. Time is now 2:12pm.

                     Wow, this is pretty. I'm on the entrance ramp where you get on 5 North. There are all these pretty trees and nice foliage. It's all pretty. Badass.

                     Okay, time now is about 2:57pm. Damn, that was a bitch. I got on the entrance ramp to I5 and I ran out of room to walk right after that cool place with the trees I found earlier. I hope there's a way I can get off the highway. There's a fence though. I'm going to have to jump that fence. So, I hooked all my gear hanging to the other side of the fence and hopped it. Then I got really thirsty, but couldn't find my water bottle. I left it back at the pretty place when I stopped and smoked a cigarette. I had to jump over the fence again and walked back to the place. Whew, close call. My water bottle was there. I was scared. I thought I had lost it. I don't know what I would do without that bottle.

                     Now entering Norwalk City Limits, population 107,802, elevation 99, for emergency call 911. The time is about 3:18pm and I see a Motel 6 up there. I'm going to see if I can score there. Oh cool, there's a Jack in the Box on the corner too. I'm going to see if I can score there too.

                     Cool, got the free food at Jack in the Box.

                     No go at the Motel 6. I talked to some manager on the phone and he said, "Sorry, this is all corporate run. If it was a franchise maybe I would have some leeway." I told him thanks anyway. I'm going to keep walking down Carmenita which runs kind of parallel to 5 North.

                     Okay, I'm at the bus stop. I was like 20 feet away from the bus stop. The bus came and didn't stop. He just kept going. Prick bastard. Bus drivers in San Antonio are nicer.

                     So, I'm going to wait a whole other hour, I'm guessing. It's like 4:07pm right now. The bus said "Downtown LA." That's where I wanna go.

                     Now I'm on the 460. Time is now about 4:40pm. I asked the bus driver if he knew where there were any homeless shelters. He's going to take me downtown and tell me where. So I'm going to crash for the night and check out the city tomorrow.

                     I'm really enjoying this bus ride. The time now is 5:15pm. I'm on the 460 on the way to downtown LA. California is just so full of stuff. ::yawn::

                     I can't wait to go to sleep and rest my feet. I'm so tired. I hope there's no problem with letting me stay at the homeless shelter. It's not that I'm homeless, I'm traveling, without money.

                     We just passed Paramount Boulevard and we are on our way to Los Angeles. We are on 5 North, the bus is. Express route.

                     Wow, everything's so different and unique. Damn, Los Angeles is huge.

                     Singing Red Hot Chili Peppers: "It's the city I live in. The city of angels. Lonely as I am. Together we cry. I don't ever want to feel like I did that day. Take me to the place I love. Take me all the way."

                     I don't know what street we are on, but were going over this bridge. You can see the whole downtown skyline. This town is awesome. Whoa, there's a spotlight on the top of that tower shining around.

     5:36pm  6th street and Alameda.

                   Okay, at the first homeless place I went to, they told me they weren't letting people crash there. They told me to walk two blocks to a different one, so that's where I'm going right now. Los Angeles. Never been here before.

                   Whoa, what a stereotypical Los Angeles. I was walking down the street and some homeless guy offered me some drugs. I told him I didn't do drugs, that I just smoked weed.

                   Okay, the time is now 6:20pm. I'm looking for the Union Rescue Mission. I gotta turn on this street right here. Hell, I don't know. I'll find it.

                   Okay, time is now 6:55pm. I went to Union Rescue Mission and they wouldn't let me take my stick in. I told them it was a harmless walking stick. They told me it could be used as a weapon and I said, "So can my fist." They got all bitchy and gave me an ultimatum. They told me I could either leave the stick with them or not come in at all. So, I let them know how important the stick was to me and reluctantly let them hold it. They told me to sit down and listen to some guy preach. I said screw that, I had seen some motels nearby. I'm going to go see how much they cost. I got forty bucks.

                   I went to the first hotel and it was $35/night, but there weren't any vacancies. Someone told me about this drop-in they had somewhere. I asked them what it was and they said, "You get a bed and they let you keep your possessions." I said, "Cool, where is it?"
                   So that's where I am now. I already signed up and got me a bed and I'm sitting down inside. I'm all paranoid about my stick here too. They made me check it in at the possesion thing. I should go out there and make sure it's going to be there when I get out tomorrow morning. Man, this place seems a little shiesty. I don't trust it with my stick. I wish they would've just let me keep it. Alright well, I'm going to see what I can do about taking a shower and I'll be back for an update. Man, this ain't so bad. It's a place to sleep, you now. I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm not going to stick around. Fuck LA. Alright, later on.

                   What was the name of this place? The Volunteers of America drop-in center. Thanks, I'm writing a book. CIA.

Next day..