Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty

College of the Sequoias
Tulare, CA

Monday, June 26th
Visalia, CA

Walked into a Costco with my yellow bags, yellow shell jacket. One employee joked I was there to fight fires. The other one thought his joke was serious and thanked me for coming all the way over from Virginia. ^-^

Steady 100F highs this week. Been waking up near hotels for breakfast, traveling 8 am to 10ish to a library, then 1 pm to 3ish to a buffet. After the late lunch, I sit somewhere air conditioned trying to keep my eyes open and sleep at the same time.

The evenings are tough. Many air conditioned hangouts close their doors around 5pm when the day is near its hottest. The temperature stays above 90F for hours after 8:30 pm sundown and doesn't really cool off until 1 am.

I sit on the shady side of a Lowe's building, feeling my cooked brain run out my nose. I can't travel far in the dark, so I wait for the night to get cool and quiet to search a nearby empty lot to make camp. I often don't sleep until 2 am.

Taking credit

Some young adults think their future is entirely in their hands, and all their success is their own accomplishment. No, it's not.

On the left is a smooth road, on the right is not. Ride on the left and you might feel proud of your speed and physical capabilities. You may think yourself superior to your exact duplicate riding on the right.

I got off the cracked farm road and onto the smooth freeway. I glanced at my former self and looked down my nose at him, who I concluded had not been working as hard and determined as I now was.

It's hard to understand for someone who's only ever traveled one side of the road.

Valkommen to Kingsburg, CA

A town for some reason attired in a Swedish theme. Swedish flags, architecture, accordion music. Blue and yellow banners say 'Valkommen'. Librarian said participation for all buildings downtown was mandatory.

Solicitations

Homeless are always coming up looking to get something. It's getting worse as I travel south.

Monday, June 27th
Visalia, CA

This morning while I'm sleeping, I feel someone close by and sit up when I see a homeless kid walking to me.

"Can I have your bike?"

I answered him: "WAT..."

He repeated his question like it's a totally natural thing to ask a stranger.

"... No."

How much was it?

"Three fifty."

It was his turn to say what.

I didn't repeat myself. It was 7 in the morning, and this guy didn't look like he had a gun. Or the wherewithal to mug me. I turned onto my side and closed my eyes.

"Got any spare change?"

"... (are you fucking kidding me?) NO!"

Saturday, June 25th
Selma, CA


Homeless lady walks toward me while I'm sleeping in the morning.

I sit up and say hi.

She answers, "I wanted to see if you were dead."

Not 'see if you were alive', not 'see if you are okay'; 'dead'.

"Naw I'm not."

She repeats her dead body finding explanation then asks me for a cigarette.

Are you kidding me? You wanted to see if I was dead so you could get a smoke.

Yeah sure. I'd be great if I was dead and left you my will wouldn't it? Unto the first person who finds me dead, I bequeath a pack of cigarettes and this bicycle.

Sunday, June 12th
Sacramento, CA

I'm sitting outside at a community college. A guy rides by on his bike, sees me, then stops, thinks wait that homeless guy doesn't look right ... guy has money, and turns back.

"Give me some change. I need two dollars for the light rail."

Wtf? Am I your mother? You're biking to the train without bringing money for the fare? And so now it's my problem? And you think I'm stupid enough to believe your story?

"Got no cash on me."

Scrub makes a tsk and shakes his head at me, like man this town's full of deadbeats.

Look who's the one asking for money?