April 29, 2014

Ive made it to Wickenburg AZ. In two days as a matter of fact.
As previously mentioned, I was expecting high winds and rain over the weekend, so I decided to set up camp at Centennial Park.
I was greeted to a warm welcome by Miss Dory, who told me to pick a spot preferably under the shade and meet her at the Pro Shop (There's a golf course here).
I set my things down and made my way over to the shop when she asked what I was walking for.
I handed her my debit card and said "I'm walking to raise awareness for veteran services that need a greater amount of support, particularly homelessness, health care, and suicide prevention".
She threw my card back at me, to which I thought I might have said something wrong or offended her.
"You're my guest for the weekend, do you have enough food for dinner" she asked.
I thanked her and said I was covered, but would like to borrow a book from the shelf over in the corner.
"My grandson was in the Army but was medically discharged due to a knee injury. They wouldnt fix it while he was in, and now that hes out they seem to be in even less of a rush to operate" she said.
"That's one of the reasons why I'm out here, walking. To many of us are getting left behind due to uncontrollable situations".
 She told me if i needed anything to come over to her RV and she would be more than happy to help me out. I told her thank you again and reatreated to my site.
After getting everything situated, I went to bed hoping to sleep through the "storm".
Around 5AM i woke up to what sounded like pages from a paperback book whipping back and forth through the wind. I soon realized, it wasn't pages, but flaps of my tent. I had unintentionally set up my tent perpendicularly to the wind. The tent was collapsing.
I laid there for a minute, weighing the options of leaving it or correcting my mistake.
Rain had started to fall during this quick interval of thought. I threw on my sweats and jumped outside to rearrange everything.
Being out of the flow of things, i fell back asleep. Around 10am Miss D came by to see how i was doing, and brought some fresh blueberry muffins and a starbucks mocha. After thanking her for providing me with breakfast i asked if itd be okay to stay another night and wait out this wind.
"Not a problem, come by around 5pm, ill have dinner for you".
One of the biggest parts of this walk has been getting past my pride and independence, and allowing others to help me, and taking people up on their offers. Its a very humbling experience.
Later that day, the weather cleared up so I knew I would be able to get back on track sunday morning.
That was exactly what i did.
Awaking at 6am, the sun was just beginning to rise and I was greeted to breakfast and goodbyes. I hope to return again soon to the area. Preferably with a vehicle of some sort. 
I finally left around 8am, and made my way towards Aguila. Walking along the 60 highway, you notice two types of drivers. There are the ones who know its a less traveled road, so they use it as a "Short Cut". The other group are those who understand the scenic value, and take their time cruising and enjoying the space they inhabit.
Unfortunately combining these two together on the same road proves to be quite alarming for the travelers on the side. Those in a rush use the open lane to pass up the car in front of them, regardless if some walker or cyclist happens to be close to the line or not. Trust me, id walk closer to the field if i wasnt afraid of the snakes waiting to absorb the warmth of the road.
By 5pm I had come to Augila, and was in desperate need of a shower. As luck would have it, a man named Bob ran a motel towards the end of town (Only a stretch of 2-3 miles), and being a veteran of the Army he gave me a room for $20. we sat and talked about how hed previously had a group of 3 kids stay there. They had walked from Connecticut, and arrived on day 200+.
"How cool it must be to be able to put something like that on your resume, Id hire you right away, just to figure out what makes you tick" he said.
I will admit, Im excited of that prospect.
Mondays walk was a bit shorter in distance, yet seemed to be twice as challenging.
Im sure it had to do with the semi-mountainous climbs the road took.
Again, lots of nothing but desert and incredible views the locals now have lost amazement over. About 6 miles out of town, a lady stopped her car on the side of the road, and handed me a bag of fruit and water. She told me she'd seen me on her way to work, and figured i could use the vitamin C. I ate them without hesitation and quickly felt a boost of energy.
During this time I also got service back to my phone. It had been unable to find a network for a week.
I recieved a text my dad had sent a couple days prior aletring me about the article in the Fontana Herald about the walk.
Im extremely excited to see this walk gain a great deal of coverage, and am thankful for the time and effort being put in by everyone involved.
By the time i ended my night, my legs/feet decided they'd had enough and more or less stopped working. I must have been quite a site to drivers passing by as I hobbled along the road.
Setting up my tent and getting into my sleeping bag has never been so difficult, but when i awoke this morning everything was in order. Im unsure how today is going to end, but i do know im going to check out the Museum before i leave town. Theres only 50 or so miles to Phoenix, which I had planned to reach by Friday. Things are looking very good on that front.
Id also like to give a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed at the donation page (www.crowdrise.com/natewalks). You don't know how much it means to me. You all are making this walk possible. I am truly blessed. Thank you again, so very much.

April 25, 2014

I just want to start this off by thanking everyone who has helped me get this far in my walk. These past couple days have been challenging; mostly due to the new terrain and weather. It seems that every person I encounter on the road wants to help out in any way possible, which is great and helps further my every step. The VFW in Quartzsite, 3dreamers RV resort, and Shefflers Motel have housed, cooked, and helped further plan my trip. Highway 60 also plays host to quite a few cyclists going cross country, all vying to accomplish the goals they've set. It truly is an amazing place to be. On top of that the scenery is incredible. I feel as if I'm backpacking through time, watching the sun move across rock formations, cactus, and old railroads. I have been taking pictures along the way and hope to soon share them with you. Today I am in Salome AZ, but will probably only walk briefly due to high winds and approaching rainfall. This will only last until late tonight, and give me an opportunity to start early Saturday. 

On another rather serious note, I need to discuss what has come to light regarding the Phoenix VA hospital. At a time when the suicide rate among veterans is only growing, I find it deplorable that so many men and women are being lied to in regards to appointment booking and doctor availability. Not only are these unfair business practices illegal, a huge majority of these patients were retired military personal who earned the coverage that should have been provided. I hope this matter is corrected before it becomes an even larger problem. 

Over 250 miles as of April 22nd, 2014.

April 21, 2014

I hope you all had fun yesterday, celebrating whatever holiday you observed.
For me, yesterday was a huge point in my walk, due to my exit of California, and entrance into Arizona. I had taken a couple days off in Blythe to relax and refocus for the next route i would be taking. My parents and my sister drove out to see me before i crossed the "border". We ate lunch, talked, and looked over the new information cards that had just came in the mail. When it was all said in done, they put me in a Motel 6 for the evening. First time I've slept on a bed in 3 weeks. It felt fantastic. Greatly appreciated.
I ventured out later for some food, and happened to run into a man pushing a shopping cart full of cans, wearing an old style army boonie cover. We spoke for a couple minutes, and I found out he was indeed homeless, and had served 8 years in the Army.
Things just haven't worked out for me, he said.
I told him about my walk and the reasoning behind it. He looked down at my feet noticing i was wearing sandals.
I hope you have a better pair of shoes, cause those aren't gonna get you out of Blythe.
I assured him my shoes were at the room, and I was just giving my feet a break.
After a couple more minutes of back and forth, I started to feel a bit uneasy. I don't attribute this to his head shaking idea of what needed to be done once i got to D.C. It was the fact that everything that seemed beneficial to this man in terms of help or care, was extremely shortsighted. I don't mean that as an attack at all. While he had requests for change, they were quick solutions that don't necessarily help fix anything. By that point we both seemed kind of done with the exchange, and said best of luck to each other.
I ended the night pretty early after some taco bell, and woke up Sunday ready to start walking. It took a while to get back into the groove of things (Since I had 3 days off), but once I found it, I was flying.
Today I come to you from Quartzsite. The morning was awesome, primarily because i stumbled up Dome Rock, just as Vampire Weekend mentioned it on a song of theirs. I figure ill keep walking a bit tonight, and pick back up tomorrow morning. Gotta check what town ill hit next. Talk again soon.

April 16 - 18, 2014

Scanning google maps prior to my departure, I came across a desert plain labeled "hell". I laughed and quickly dismissed it as sensationalism. Let me clarify something for you readers. Though it might not have been the hottest, I would still classify that desert as indeed Godless. From the dried remnants of trees reaching up to the sky with their empty branches, begging for a drink; to the black asphalt roads determined to have my shoes leave a print for every step I took. Down to my last half gallon of water and temperatures steadily rising, I followed my animal instinct and sought shade under a nearby tree. I know better than to fight the sun. Especially this low in supplies. I'll have to wait until dusk to start moving again. 

After what couldn't have been more than 20 minutes, a CHP officer drive by, passing me at first, but quickly turned around to inquire about my situation. I told him all was fine except my lack of water. Luckily he carried a water jug with him while patrolling the area and let me fill all my containers. He than warned me about a murder that had happened on that old highway a couple says prior. "He was burned alive". 

Well that's great, I thought. You don't want me traversing on the interstate, instead you'd have me out here literally walking through Hell. 

He then told me he'd have another patrol car bring me extra water later tonight. I thanked him as he departed, and decided I'd better carry on with my walking. 

With each step I took, I released more and more negative energy. Methodic as it was, I felt overtaken by how easily I could convince myself that every scenario brought up, I was again playing the role of the victim, the martyr. For every "woe is me" anecdote that played out in my mind, I quickly noticed how foolish each was. I was grasping at strings trying to reason my unhappiness based on responses to my own decisions. Perhaps this self imposed "exile" through the desert was in fact needed. The squad car showed up a half hour before sundown, and reiterated the importance of calling them if I feel unsafe. Sleep was restless, waking up every hour only to see the moons position had changed. I think a young coyote was crying out for care throughout the night and into the morning, but I did not investigate. I'm sorry. 

Waking up that morning, I felt slightly uneasy about the heat. When I hit the end of the chuckwalla road, the only option was to walk on the highway again. So I tried. 

Sure enough, not even 3 miles into the hump, CHP pulls up behind me giving the three same options as before " desert", "ticket", "drive u to nearest exit". I hate to admit, but I took the 10 mile ride to Mesa. As unfortunate as that was, riding in the car and peering out the window allowed me to see exactly how foolish my stubbornness would have been had I refused a ride. There was absolutely nothing. No roads, no water, nothing. Once I got to Mesa, I thanked them for the ride and ordered a sandwich from a Valero sub shop. Sitting there, I realized 10 miles is not worth dying over. I feel I made the right decision. On top of that, a woman gave me 20 dollars for locating her misplaced car keys ( they were on top of the garbage can by her vehicle). After briefly talking about my walk she told me to use the 20 wisely. After another days walk, I ended my day at Mayflower Camp Grounds in Blythe by the Colorado River. I stayed that night, and will stay here again tonight (Friday). My tent is right next to the Colorado river. After that walk through hell, it's nice to be so close to water. 

If you'd like to support me through my travels here's a link where you can donate. Money goes towards my water, food, and footwear.   Http://crowdrise.com/natewalks 

Thank you too all those who have donated already, and hope you all have a Good Friday. 

April 15, 2014

Nights like this make it all worthwhile. Laying under the stars, watching the moon slowly rise into the sky, how blessed I am. Tonight is a full moon; prior to her arrival, I spent a good portion of the evening searching the sky for her. Every time my eyes peered above the mountain ridge, I grew more and more impatient. This wasn't like her, standing me up. Had I been duped into believing she would even show? She had to... right? It wasn't until 8:10pm that I noticed the outline of a hilltop. Light was cascading from every direction. 

I smiled and readied myself for her grand entrance. No longer hidden, I felt a sense of bewilderment. What should I do? Am I allowed to marvel at such beauty? Photos and words can not describe how elegant her ascension was. I lay here in awe, hoping she won't pass to quickly. 

April 14, 2014

Currently at Chiriaco summit. Arrived yesterday night and to my surprise there was free dry camping grounds located behind the General Patton museum. Pitched my tent, and basically slept the entire day. Tomorrow will be here sooner than I know, so I must keep this brief. 40 miles until I hit desert center, from there another 25 to Blythe. I have enough food and water to ensure a successful trek, though I must admit I am a bit nervous. It is reassuring to know that drivers will call CHP on you. Funny story, I was taking a quick break while on the I-10 freeway. Apparently I appeared to be dehydrated or sick, so a few concerned citizens called 911 for help. Unbeknownst to me, I continued walking, full of life and carrying plenty of water. I started getting way to into my music and was putting on quite a performance for the cars. As I happened to look over my shoulder, I saw a fire truck and ambulance trailing behind me. I'm sure people passing by thought I was filming a music video or something. I assured the emergency responders that I in fact was alright, had plenty of water and was not ill (at least physically) haha. CHP came soon after and advised me to seek refuge under a bridge instead of in plain site. I assured him I would and thanked him for being so understanding. 

April 12, 2014

I arrived at the Coachella feastival grounds at around 7:30pm, and to my displeasure, not a single song or musical note could be heard. So much for hanging out and enjoying for free. I did have an awesome conversation with a woman named Trish. She was one of the security guards for the event and a frequent attendee of Burning man. We discussed what I was doing, what she was doing, yet I couldn't find the nerve to ask her how I could sneak inside. I felt our discussion was worth more than another lonely stroll through the fields. I said goodbye, but not before she handed me a couple water bottles and an idea where I could fill up my empty ones. To my surprise, It was a Brita water filter built into the wall. With no luck in finding tickets, I headed to The grocery store, and got an awesome sandwich (these happen to be the staple of my trip, also received an amazing sand which earlier that day from a the lovely ladies at the palm desert Albertsons). Set up my tent in the bushes by the wash, and had a pretty good sleep. When I woke up this morning, the realization of my dwindling EBT balance hit me. I decided I'd buy a Gatorade and two doughnuts. On my way to the register, a woman named Linda asked me if I really was on a walk across America (as indicated by the sign on my pack). I smiled and said yes. She than told me she was going to pay for my breakfast. I thanked her and said sure. After she had paid, she turned around and handed me 40 dollars. I accepted, but couldn't believe it. We hugged and I thanked her again before I left. I took a final stop by Coachella in a last attempt effort to be recognized and handed a wristband. Haha, delusional maybe, but I needed to say my goodbye. Sad, considering Saturdays line-up is so amazingly stacked. Sitting here now in the Indio library, watching Outkast's performance from last night is a bit bittersweet, but the lakes, rivers, and streams of America particularly in Colorado have me excited to continue. Just need to make it out if this desert. Figure I'll start doing a majority of my travels at night until I get past Arizona. Just too damn hot. Haha. 

April 11, 2014

"What am I gonna do for the next 8 hours"? The thought plagued my mind as I pushed a shopping cart full of possessions through the warm Palm Spring night. For some reason, none of the street lights were on, or any lights inside of houses. Must have been a power outage. Still, not a visible star in the sky. I looked behind me and saw Martina slowly pushing forward, obviously tired from the long walk. When I met her outside of Ralph's she was eating her dinner, which consisted of hot dog buns and ranch dressing. She was an elderly hispanic woman, about 65 and claimed to be disabled, suffering from bio polar episodes, depression, anxiety and a slew of other mental health issues. While she did have possession of her medication, the rate at which she would forget and repeat questions, stories, and gain or loose interest reminded me of how unfair these diseases are. We were making out way to AM-PM with a guy named Jason, who said it was the best place to wait out the night since they were opened 24 hours. He had just been released from jail on 250,000 bail. Even had the paperwork to show. While commonly I would not had involved myself with the affairs of these people I felt a familiar connection. I equate it to the human connection. It's a screwed up system we live it. When president Nixon had all institutions that house mentally unstable people closed, the exchange was disability checks and social security. Many ended up homeless after a while. Martina was one of these people who not only had family in California, but from what she repeated frequently throughout the night, one of them who was in the hospital and had her debit card and was using the money from her account. While these may be the rants of someone on the cusp of mental collapse, explain to me how the streets of America serves as a better residency than a hospital under the care of a physician????
While I wish I could say all was taken care of, I had to leave them upon arrival at AM-PM to continue my walk. Since the shelters stop taking people after 5:30pm, and with Coachella attendees arriving in Palm Springs the police were told not to allow any tents in the residential area, I walked until I hit Palm Desert. 

mad tired

I'm a bit tired, please forgive.

literally dozing off, and re-typing this over and over.

YOU CAN DONATE TO MY TRIP AT http://www.crowdrise.com/natewalks/fundraiser/natepetrovick

April 10th, 2014

In less than a week, I made it to Palm Springs. Today I sit in the public library, trying to cool off while the town finishes last minute preparations for Coachella. Since my last post, I have encountered many people along the way who taken a great deal of interest in the walk. Tuesday night, after talking with a couple members of the American Legion in Banning (Wish you guys well), I made my way to a campsite below the 10 freeway called KOA. Beautiful campground, and the first shower id taken since i started the whole trip. I had the great fortune of camping next to two ladies from Canada, who had the most Patriotic van (American patriotism) I had ever seen. We joked about it, but i sensed deep down they were jealous of my American roots, envious of how close they were to it, yet so far away. Ha ha. They were on their way to Coachella, which would have been prime opportunity to further decorate the van in order to win the Carpoolchella lifetime passes. To bad the rules state only Americans could win due to prize rules/laws. We ended the night after a pretty heavy conversation about what i was doing, and than said goodnight/goodbye. Its always interesting to get an outside perspective in terms of Americas troop welfare. 

The morning came a bit to quickly (as it has a tendency to do), and once again I was off on my path. Going off the knowledge and helpful tips from some residents of Banning I traveled below the 10 freeway, through Morongo, past Cabazon, and onto the 111 shoulder. 

Primarily due to boredom and my reluctance in having an uneven tan, this part of the hump was done in a pair of green silkies (military PT shorts that are ridiculously short), my jungle Boonie cover, and knee high black socks with my green running shoes. I'm sure i was a sight to see, due to the many varied reactions i saw on peoples faces as I was walking on the side of the road. I probably looked like a reject go go dancer who had fallen on hard times. I regret nothing. ha ha.

Once I hit Windy Point, I was beat. As fate would have it, I was approached my a couple Matt and Kim, who after a brief discussion offered me a place to stay. They happened to be very experienced hikers themselves, and also very involved in the Couch Surfing community. I knew well enough not to pass on this opportunity, so I accepted. Laundry was done, I showered, and ate some delicious cookies. Later that evening, two more couch surfers arrived who also were on their way to Coachella. We discussed a vast array of topics, but again the conversation quickly turned to the purpose behind the walk. By now you'd think I'd have some sort of go to response, primarily because of how flustered i get when this topic comes up. I cant bring myself to though. I don't mean flustered in a sense of agitation, but more so the emotion that is evoked involuntarily. I give my best response, but with each day, I come into contact with someone who has a great sense of empathy for what I'm doing. Even now I cant fully comprehend how many people are affected by the lack of Veteran aid. In that house alone, was the sibling of a marine who committed suicide in 2006 and a Son of a homeless Veteran . What are the chances? Why is this so prevalent? 

Once again the morning came to early. We ended the night after watching the first half of "The Keep" and all of "Road Warrior". Matt gave me some great parting words, and reminded me of the Pacific Coast Trail starting in 2 weeks. I will definitley be looking into that. I thanked the "trail angel" for everything, and once again departed to the road. 

The road, where I can act out to the music on my Ipod, while giving drivers something to smile about. If a video exists in cyberspace of me dancing on the side of the road I would not be surprised. Im sure something to that extent exists, because when i got to the Palm Spprings visitor center, one of the women there said she had heard about me or something similar on facebook. She took a picture of me to put online to help raise awareness. Very cool. Anything to get the word out. Even if it involves me dancing like a lunatic (Which I quite enjoy). Well, I have to sign off again. 

Thank You to Krystle from Food Not Bombs Palm Springs for giving me some info about the Veterans For Peace in Palm Springs. I'm gonna look into them today. 

For everyone else, have an awesome day. Thanks for reading.

April 8th 2014.

Before recounting my previous days trek I want to let you know about a couple things.

A major factor of this walk was to shine light on how many Veterans are suffering, and how little is being done to help them.

An estimated 22 Veterans were committing suicide daily. 

1,892 since the beginning of this year.

Yes, January 1st, 2014.

Today, I became aware of the Suicide Prevention of Americas Veterans Act, a new bill that will combat suicide in a huge way. 

1. Reviews potentially improper discharges that may have been due to a mental health injury so that vets can get full access to the care they earned.
2. Reviews suicide prevention programs in DoD and VA to see what is working and what is not.
3. Mandates that DoD and VA finally develop fully interoperable records so that no vet gets lost in transition.
4. Mandates that vets must be able to download their electronic health record so that they can get seamless care anywhere.
5. Recruits more mental health care professionals into DoD and VA to improve availability of care. (Pilot program in place to pay back Student Loans to eligible Psychiatrists). 
6. Mandates that DoD and VA buy the same prescription drugs so that care between systems is more seamless.

Heres The Bill 

If you were to do anything, please call your member of congress and voice your opinion about how important this act is. 

It feels good knowing there are others out there raising attention for this cause. 
Things continue to get better and better. 
Just like last night sleeping at an RV park in Beaumont. 
Waking up to that desert sun cooking me in my tent was a feeling i thought id saved for the Polo Fields in Indio. I had better get used to them. That, or wake up a bit earlier than 9am.... Dilemas. 
I liked the solidarity of todays walk. With every passing day i become so much more acccoustomed to my own thoughst and perception of reality. Irts a strange experience, but i find it rather intruiging. 
I do enjoy how the further into the desert I get, the friendlier people have become. While on my way to the Library of Banning, I was stopped by a group of teenagers curious as the where I was walking. When I said Washington DC, they all made noises in shock and threw an array of questions my way, ranging from Why don't I fly? What if a bear attacks me? What am I doing for food? Can they walk with me?
While these quetsions were so simple i felt a bit overwhelmed. The enthusiasum and curiosity in their voices was awesome. They also gave me advice on how to get through the reservation and taking the road south of the 10 into Palm Springs. 
I handed my card so they could check my blog and after a couple more questions, headed on my way.
The library was know diffrent. I was given a bit of info on taking the Oregon Trail from here, and I might do that. There are houses along the path for people to reload on water, shower and shave. That sounds a bit more appealing than my original plan. Im gonna do a bit more research into it, and make a decision when im a bit more informed. 
As for now, I gotta go figure out about my sleeping arrangements. I haven't showered since Friday, and I smell a bit funky. :-(

April 7th, 2014

Sorry for the delay on updates, but im back for this next hour or so.
After the most recent post, I headed from Colton library (where the librarians were nothing but helpful) down La Cadena. Passing under the 10fwy, I felt as if entering another world. Everyone seemed not so in a rush. It was nice. Reminded me that I need to relax and remember that this trip allows me to re-discover the simplicity of life. Passing an abandoned factory, I decided to do some urban exploration. Scouting the place out, I'm pretty sure two guys were loading a body into their car. Maybe a large laundered suit? Regardless, I turned around and walked to the other side for conformation. The car was speeding off, but slowed a little when my body appeared in their dust. With no signs of dead body disposal, and a dried river to cross through, I spent know more time wondering about what I'd seen. Down Cadena, left on Burton, and, I'm lost. It was getting dark, I was supposed to be almost at the VA hospital, so I asked for directions. Grand Terrace..... Im never going back, thats all im gonna say. Finally got correct route from my dad after 3 residents couldnt.
Walked
Walked
Walked.
Finnally , at 1am I got to the VA hospital.
HUGE Thank You to the staff at Loma Linda, matter fact, the whole city. You guys treated me like an actual human being, invested in my story and well being. It may not seem like anything, but letting me sleep in the waiting room was a huge boost for my next day of travel. Honestly, such a beautiful city.
Sunday brought the first long stretch I'd have to pass. San Timoteo Canyon, all 10 miles of you, you were an excellent experience. Orange groves provided shade and scenery, while people waived, nodded and moved to allow me room. During the last stretch of distance, A sign advertising "free camping" spoke words to me. If only they had been true. :( Company policy requires a RV, no tents). The park clerk was so kind though, making sure I wasn't hungry, filled up my water, provided Intel on stealth showering and abandoned housing I could seek shelter at. :) Thank You. Thank You.
I visited the housing projects, which seemed to have been victim to all elemental and biblical plagues imaginable. While it was remote, It felt a bit to sheltered and removed. So I kept walking.
FYI, Beaumont is a lot bigger than I thought. I assumed Tukwet Canyon (another place I will not visit), was all that was there.
Excuse me for ranting, but all that was needed for them to call the cops, was me standing at a stop sign looking at my map at 8pm. Granted, "this is a PGA community" and blah blah blah.. Stratification at its finest.
I needed water as all my bottles were empty.
"3 miles isnt that bad of a walk".
Asshole.
I pitched my tent by the golf course.
Its a funny thing how life works, most of the time were to bust to see alot of the nonsense for what it really is. But the beauty also gets looked over at times as well. 
Waking up this morning, I didn't mind the heat. It just reminded me that with some perserverance I might hit Indio by Friday. Now I just need to figure out how to get inside Coachella. Haha.
Currently at the Beaumont library after receiving directions from the helpful community center. Done for now.

April 5th

Left Fontana yesterday, way past schedule. I wanted to be out of the house by 11am, but with every minute i realized something else that needed to be packed or finished up. I ended up leaving around 3pm. As i was heading down Citrus ave, a car pulled over and both doors opened. My sister jumps out and runs to give me a hug. My dad had just picked her up from school, went to del taco, and drove around looking for me to say a final goodbye for this trip. Thank you for the burrito. I didnt know how much i actually wanted it. I continued down the road, picking up some sunglasses from the gas station, and headed to the library. 

Its interesting how people look at me when i pass by. Most dont want to make eye contact with me, while others look at me with confusion. Its probably because I'm "Standing Tall, and Leaning Back" like we did in boot camp when going on humps, or doing drill. I nod to however maintains eye contact, but again, I'm some unknown transient so I guess.

Side Note: Being the type of person I am, I like to create interactions with people just to see how they will respond to my presence. An example of this "I saw a guy collecting money for homeless veterans outside of the post office in Fontana. I started to walk over to him, with full intention of giving him my info card and talking to him about my walk. Right when he looked up and saw me approaching, he immediately busted out his phone and started a conversation. Real or not, no attention was given to which i assume he thought i was gonna ask for money. and i should have. youre collecting money for homeless vets, as far as you know im a homeless vet (I had my jungle boonie cover on, feeling awesome), why is this not adding up. SCAM.

The library was pointless. I just wanted a map, but they wouldnt let me (have one) haha. I did happen to stop by the Rec center for a Bathroom, and like a creep, left a card on top of the vacant computer the cute receptionist was using. I know, my game is flawless.

Figured id head to the Veterans Park, seemed logical. When I got there, a BBQ was going down. I sat there, watching dudes fighting each other wondering what the dad pushing his daughter on the swing must be thinking about it. Probably nothing. I dont give a shit, they were just boxing, but doing that at 5pm on a friday in front of kids is stupid.

Figured id be able to walk some more before calling it a night, and with an American Legion close, I dipped out. Wish I knew AL was a bar, because they didnt give a fuck about what I was "doing". Sure they had places I could of stayed, the cook even told me to hold up real quick hed ask. No one ever came back. 

not even trying to be negative, i just assumed the best. Luckily I prepared for the worst and camped at a park up the street from the AL. Started this morning at 4am trying to avoid detection at the park. When i got out of my tent, there were people already exercising. lol.

Im in Colton now. Times running out on this computer. 

Until next time. 

Peace out.

April 3rd 2014

Its been a week since I've started. Heres a re-cap.
Walked Thursday night from Chino, CA to Fontana CA. 18 miles, took about 7 hours.
I had my pack which weighed about 50 lbs. This was the first time in almost 6 years I had walked walked a significant distance with that amount of gear. Needless to say, I was not prepared. At about the 5 mile mark, it became apparent that wearing combat boots might have been a wrong decision. The wear and tear from Afghanistan had taken its toll on the boots, and now my left ankle was paying the price. Yet I pushed on, stubbornly showing myself that a break for rest was rarely needed (I was wrong). Once I got to my destination for the night, I collapsed on the floor of the room. Overexertion has the tendency to do more harm than good. Awkwardly crawling on hand and knee, I managed to change out of the sweat drenched clothing into a t-shirt and gym shorts. I slept 11 hours.
Realizing how unprepared you are brings the mind to a myriad of places. There are pleas for abandonment, orders for continuance and tales of failure. Ironic enough, what needed to happen was acceptance of help. Here I am trying to shed light on injustices that effect countless others, yet foolishly reject help that has been offered. This walk is more important than foolish pride, so I took my parents up on their offer to stay there and plan this out some more.
During this week I have been in contact with people genuinely concerned for my safety but excited of what the walk has in store for me. Ive received nothing but support from my family and friends, which saddens me for my initial despondence. The walls I put up after my discharge were an involuntary response to the feelings of abandonment, confusion, and distrust brought on by the militaries decision. Im excited this walk has been so therapeutic already, and I look forward to the upcoming steps I take tomorrow, and the others that follow.


On a sad, but necessary note:
I am extremely saddened but the events at Ft. Hood.
Upon hearing the news and subsequent shooter information, everything sounded all to familiar.
Let Me Be Clear, this was an extremely unfortunate event that should not have happened. My empathy stems from how similar our situations seem in regards to mental health care and the stigma that surrounds it. I keep hearing about how he "Only" spent 4 months in Iraq, as if to somehow negate the deployment of having any psychological effect. This sentiment is exactly why events like this keep happening. Its time people wake up from this perception of military machismo and realize the full price of war.