From Orcas Island WA to Georgetown TX
I left my home town of Orcas Island on october 12th and headed down the west coast towards Riverside Clifornia before continuing on eastward to Texas.
Along the way I stopped in at my Dads hous. After camping on his front lawn in the rain, because he was on his way back from Alaska, he and I went rock climbing at Vantage. It was a great last outing for us (last outing for a while that is; due to my trip and all).
I also visited my friend Jesse Anderson and others from my graduating class in Seattle where they were throwing a party.
I then took a Greyhound bus down to Portland and visited Madeleine Tuson-Turner. Learner Limbach happened to show up o nthe same day I did so we all got to hang out for a couple days before parting ways. It was really nice to hang out with a couple of my best friends for a couple days since I knew I wouldnt be seeing them for quite a while.
Now is where the trip gets interesting. I decided I would hitch-hike from Portland down to Medford Oregon. It took me 13 hours and over half a dozen rides to get there. The first few rides were on;y for a couple freeway exits each. Then I got a ride with a limo driver who took me like 30 miles further than he was going and dropped me off at a rest stop. When I got out and and was saying bye to Jeff (the Limo driver) a tall sketchy guy came outa nowhere and started twitchly asking about the limo and making random chit chat. I had an overwhelming feeling to get as far away from this guy as possible. But I didn't......I said bye to Jeff and sketchy (DJ) says "Oh your getting out here huh, where you headed??" so I told him and he said he would take me to Salem where he was meeting up with his band members (at this sketchy house in the middle of a industrial district, which he failed to mention). So I didnt want to be rude and I took his offer. He then was on empty and I had to give hi mn10 bucks for gas. He said he would take me all they way to medford if I paid him for gas, but I wanted away from him ASAP. Then he pulls up to this house and tells me to come in but lock the car doors cause its a bad neighborhood and all. My bag was inside the car as well. So he goes up to this house and hes about 10 yards in front of me and he locks the door behind him so i cant come in. I knowck, no one answers and i decide to take this oppotunity to take my leave. I run back to the truck and pry open the cab window and unlock the door and get my bag. then I noticed that across the street was a policeman filling up his car with gas. I run over to him and say I am really freaked out and need a ride to the next freeway onramp and he tells me that the police are not a taxi service and he cant help me. So I turn to leave and DJ is standing outside the hosue with his friends, watching em talk to this cop. SO I have no choice but to calmly walk over annd talk to hi mand explain that I was trying to get to Medford ASAP. He tells me he'll just be with this "chick" for 20 or 30 minutes and then he could give me a ride. I told him I would be at the freeway onramp and if I was there when he had finished with the "chick" to pickl me up, and if not, dont worry bout it. I said bye and calmly walked to the freeway onramp. As soon as I was out of sight of DJ I ran as fast as I could with my 50 pound pack up the freeway and got a ride from the first car. I was dropped off at the next onramp and then got a ride after a couple hours to a rest stop where i got a ride with a real nice welder guy who took me all the way to my exit outside medford. I slept by a horse field for the night and was harrassed by curious horses for the duration of my stay.
I stayed with my brother Isaac for about 4 days in Medford (actually in Merlin 30 miles north of Medford). I had a great time, we rode some dirt bikes, shot a handgun, and partook in various other outdoor activities such as 4x4ing up a mountain. I got to hang out with his significant other Sarah and my nephew Jaylen and get to know them better.
Then I got a ride from there to San Fransisco via www.craigslist.com and spent a few days with Zack Parkerson for Halloween and had a great time. In the nights preceeding Halloween we went to various college and rugby parties. We spent halloween in the "Castro" or gay district where many thousands of people crouded the streets. Zac was a very good host and refused to let my buy my own food while I was staying with him. Thanks Zac :)
After leaving San Fran via the Greyhound, I headed over to Sacramento to visit my Uncle Mike and my cousins. It wasnt the most ideal time since it was in the middle of thye week but we had a good time and watched a bnit of "Ultimate Fighting Championship" before I had to leave and catch another ride from craigslist to Riverside.
So I was supposed to meet these people from craigslist at a dennys right off the freeway. I figured I would have to wait there for a couple hourse but i wound up waiting there for over 7 hours and my Uncle and cousins even came down and had lunch with me before they showed up. I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE DENNYS!! The people were very nice and allowed me to stay there since I didnt make a fuss even though there were lots of bums and degenerates loitering around outside. But nonew the less, the food sucks and I feel dirty just being around the place.
The people I got a ride with were heading down to mexico in a small motorhome and they took me right to my Aunt Kathy's front door. I spent two weeks there hanging out with my cousins and my aunt and uncle. I really wanted to get to know them more which is why I made sure to stop by before heading of to Texas. my cousins and I went rock climbing a few times at their gym, which was AWESOME! We also went out and climbed at a place whose name eludes me at the moment, but I had alot of fun which is the part that counts. While there in riverside, my cousin Ryan and his friends got me addicted to a "massive multiplayer online role playing game" (or MMORPG) which when I got to texas I played ALOT for about a month and a half before prying myself loose. They were also great hosts and I really enjoyed my stay with them. Thanjs guys.
When I left I decided to hitch hike again since I couldnt get a ride through craigslist. When Ryan dropped me off at the rest stop, I was there for no more than 10 minutes before I got a Ride with a guy name John who was an AA speaker and on his way to deliver a speech in Touson Arizona where he also lived. We had alot of interesting conversations along the way and he had a very positive and unique outlook on life.
When he dropped me off, I tried to get a ride for quite a while at a truckers stop in Benson but I had no luck. I wound up spending the night on the side of the onramp in almost freezing temperatures and it was incredibly miserable. I nthe morning I walked a couple miles to the Greyhound station where it took me about 22 hours to get to Austin Texas.
WhenI got to Austin, my brother-in-law Chris picked me up and took me to the "Whole Foods" Flagship store where we had lunch before heading out to see my sister at the Bistro she was working at (and where I wound up working for a bit).
I spent the next 3 and a half months there in Georgetown texas, playing video games, renovating areas of the house and working on a new hip roof boat garage for Chris's Dad. I also worked at the Bistro that Chris and Camille worked at. The Bistro was just getting started and there was a verbally abusive chef as well as extreme disorder due to having no manager. So after a little while, I quit. I made enough money to recoup what I had spent in getting to Texas and then some. I also built a very nice professional grade, floor to ceiling, moveable bookshelf, computer and stereo cabinet that I stained a dark cherry. I didnt get a chance to make the doors before I had to leave for Panama though :(
*Pictures will be added soon.
Along the way I stopped in at my Dads hous. After camping on his front lawn in the rain, because he was on his way back from Alaska, he and I went rock climbing at Vantage. It was a great last outing for us (last outing for a while that is; due to my trip and all).
I also visited my friend Jesse Anderson and others from my graduating class in Seattle where they were throwing a party.
I then took a Greyhound bus down to Portland and visited Madeleine Tuson-Turner. Learner Limbach happened to show up o nthe same day I did so we all got to hang out for a couple days before parting ways. It was really nice to hang out with a couple of my best friends for a couple days since I knew I wouldnt be seeing them for quite a while.
Now is where the trip gets interesting. I decided I would hitch-hike from Portland down to Medford Oregon. It took me 13 hours and over half a dozen rides to get there. The first few rides were on;y for a couple freeway exits each. Then I got a ride with a limo driver who took me like 30 miles further than he was going and dropped me off at a rest stop. When I got out and and was saying bye to Jeff (the Limo driver) a tall sketchy guy came outa nowhere and started twitchly asking about the limo and making random chit chat. I had an overwhelming feeling to get as far away from this guy as possible. But I didn't......I said bye to Jeff and sketchy (DJ) says "Oh your getting out here huh, where you headed??" so I told him and he said he would take me to Salem where he was meeting up with his band members (at this sketchy house in the middle of a industrial district, which he failed to mention). So I didnt want to be rude and I took his offer. He then was on empty and I had to give hi mn10 bucks for gas. He said he would take me all they way to medford if I paid him for gas, but I wanted away from him ASAP. Then he pulls up to this house and tells me to come in but lock the car doors cause its a bad neighborhood and all. My bag was inside the car as well. So he goes up to this house and hes about 10 yards in front of me and he locks the door behind him so i cant come in. I knowck, no one answers and i decide to take this oppotunity to take my leave. I run back to the truck and pry open the cab window and unlock the door and get my bag. then I noticed that across the street was a policeman filling up his car with gas. I run over to him and say I am really freaked out and need a ride to the next freeway onramp and he tells me that the police are not a taxi service and he cant help me. So I turn to leave and DJ is standing outside the hosue with his friends, watching em talk to this cop. SO I have no choice but to calmly walk over annd talk to hi mand explain that I was trying to get to Medford ASAP. He tells me he'll just be with this "chick" for 20 or 30 minutes and then he could give me a ride. I told him I would be at the freeway onramp and if I was there when he had finished with the "chick" to pickl me up, and if not, dont worry bout it. I said bye and calmly walked to the freeway onramp. As soon as I was out of sight of DJ I ran as fast as I could with my 50 pound pack up the freeway and got a ride from the first car. I was dropped off at the next onramp and then got a ride after a couple hours to a rest stop where i got a ride with a real nice welder guy who took me all the way to my exit outside medford. I slept by a horse field for the night and was harrassed by curious horses for the duration of my stay.
I stayed with my brother Isaac for about 4 days in Medford (actually in Merlin 30 miles north of Medford). I had a great time, we rode some dirt bikes, shot a handgun, and partook in various other outdoor activities such as 4x4ing up a mountain. I got to hang out with his significant other Sarah and my nephew Jaylen and get to know them better.
Then I got a ride from there to San Fransisco via www.craigslist.com and spent a few days with Zack Parkerson for Halloween and had a great time. In the nights preceeding Halloween we went to various college and rugby parties. We spent halloween in the "Castro" or gay district where many thousands of people crouded the streets. Zac was a very good host and refused to let my buy my own food while I was staying with him. Thanks Zac :)
After leaving San Fran via the Greyhound, I headed over to Sacramento to visit my Uncle Mike and my cousins. It wasnt the most ideal time since it was in the middle of thye week but we had a good time and watched a bnit of "Ultimate Fighting Championship" before I had to leave and catch another ride from craigslist to Riverside.
So I was supposed to meet these people from craigslist at a dennys right off the freeway. I figured I would have to wait there for a couple hourse but i wound up waiting there for over 7 hours and my Uncle and cousins even came down and had lunch with me before they showed up. I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE DENNYS!! The people were very nice and allowed me to stay there since I didnt make a fuss even though there were lots of bums and degenerates loitering around outside. But nonew the less, the food sucks and I feel dirty just being around the place.
The people I got a ride with were heading down to mexico in a small motorhome and they took me right to my Aunt Kathy's front door. I spent two weeks there hanging out with my cousins and my aunt and uncle. I really wanted to get to know them more which is why I made sure to stop by before heading of to Texas. my cousins and I went rock climbing a few times at their gym, which was AWESOME! We also went out and climbed at a place whose name eludes me at the moment, but I had alot of fun which is the part that counts. While there in riverside, my cousin Ryan and his friends got me addicted to a "massive multiplayer online role playing game" (or MMORPG) which when I got to texas I played ALOT for about a month and a half before prying myself loose. They were also great hosts and I really enjoyed my stay with them. Thanjs guys.
When I left I decided to hitch hike again since I couldnt get a ride through craigslist. When Ryan dropped me off at the rest stop, I was there for no more than 10 minutes before I got a Ride with a guy name John who was an AA speaker and on his way to deliver a speech in Touson Arizona where he also lived. We had alot of interesting conversations along the way and he had a very positive and unique outlook on life.
When he dropped me off, I tried to get a ride for quite a while at a truckers stop in Benson but I had no luck. I wound up spending the night on the side of the onramp in almost freezing temperatures and it was incredibly miserable. I nthe morning I walked a couple miles to the Greyhound station where it took me about 22 hours to get to Austin Texas.
WhenI got to Austin, my brother-in-law Chris picked me up and took me to the "Whole Foods" Flagship store where we had lunch before heading out to see my sister at the Bistro she was working at (and where I wound up working for a bit).
I spent the next 3 and a half months there in Georgetown texas, playing video games, renovating areas of the house and working on a new hip roof boat garage for Chris's Dad. I also worked at the Bistro that Chris and Camille worked at. The Bistro was just getting started and there was a verbally abusive chef as well as extreme disorder due to having no manager. So after a little while, I quit. I made enough money to recoup what I had spent in getting to Texas and then some. I also built a very nice professional grade, floor to ceiling, moveable bookshelf, computer and stereo cabinet that I stained a dark cherry. I didnt get a chance to make the doors before I had to leave for Panama though :(
*Pictures will be added soon.
posted by Unknown at 4:04 PM
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