Mondo Bungle

The time is now. Today marks the beginning of a sabbatical from all the nothing I'm doing. It's true that I've barely tried to make anything of this life thus far, and for some odd reason I never see it happening at all. I am beginning an adventure of undetermined length and destination. There's a lot that this continent offers and all my life I've wanted to see every inch of it. I will post here about it, as frequently as possible.

Day 1

I walked to the library with my gear to post this. I've gone mad I think.

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Machine

Good luck man!!! Check in when ya can!

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boost my ego

listen to me stroke my delay pedal

ever wanted to hear death grips songs... but they're acoustic? me neither.

Trollheart

Best of luck! Hope things work out for you!

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

The Batlord

Are you becoming a hitchhiker?

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Frownland

Just noticed this. If you make it down to San Marcos I have a couch you can crash on.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Mondo Bungle

I'm pretty much going East.

Well I stopped in Reno to tell everyone the plan and have been here the last week, but the quest is on the real tomorrow. I can still hook it up with my entry for the time I've been here.

June 27

I left around eleven. I've made an executive decision that I just wanna do this for a little bit. I was about to be evicted, but everything's been brewing for a long time, I really couldn't handle it too much more. After leaving the trailer I walked to the library and spent about two hours there. After that, I walked out to see if I could get picked up. It was hot, brutal. I ripped the straps of the bag I had by hoisting it over my shoulders so much. My fault for carrying so much, not even three hours and I'm already breaking rule number one: travel light. While in Reno I'd be getting a genuine pack to carry around, so I'm not worried about the bag, just was using it to hold stuff until I got there. I'd also get some other stuff, sleeping bag, etc.

I'd been walking for a good while before stopping for a moment. I was still holding out my sign, and a young looking dude stopped and asked where I was going, and wished me luck. He went into the liquor store nearby and walked past again with a case of beer and a bottle of whiskey. He offered me a beer and stayed for a second asking why I was going to Reno (that's all the sign says). Then he offered some whiskey before leaving, I took a deep chug and thanked him. I still kind of hate drinking and wanted to stop but I guess I still will when it's around. This guy was nice, he had a really genuine sounding voice. So I walked more and more. I'd been sauntering around for six hours before getting picked up at seven. These guys were real neat too. They were going all the way from here to reno so that was convenient. They had offered me some beer too, sharing is caring they said. I got dropped off at a friend's apartment complex, although we spend most of the time in their storage garage.

I'd been quiet most of the time hanging out today. It's getting dark, I'm sitting on the pavement looking at the bright moon. Two of my friends are out buying drugs and the other is passed out on the hard concrete floor. Next time I get on a computer, I definitely need to shoot my mom an email. They would be worried for sure, and that's all that really gets to me. If they want me to come back, then I just would say no, but I definitely don't want to think that they're worried. I've done this kind of thing before but I'm much more driven this time around, so we'll see what happens.

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The Batlord

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Mondo Bungle

Haven't wrote anything down for the rest of that week but I'll go for a synopsis.

June 28 - July 8

Pretty much more general chillin. Drank my weight in hard cider most of the time up until the fourth. I hung out with some other friends and stayed there during this time, different from the pals I met up with first. Two of them, a couple, were having a lot of problems at the time, dealing with finding new places to live as well as some serious quarreling between the two. I witnessed completely unrestrained emotional outbreaks from both of them. They would be moving, each to a different place nearby, both in California. Even more squabbling ensued from others, all brought about by similar means. Moving out, moving in. The couple left on Monday morning.

Friends and family came together for the Fourth of July. Drank a semi-heavy amount and enjoyed some fantastic dinner. Some music that usually tickles my emotions came on, made me think about what I was doing here, and in general. I can never seem to know. I left the area we were hanging out to be alone for a minute, and began crying, just a tad. That passed soon enough.

No one seems to be functioning right right now. Everyone is fighting with everyone else. A very conflict filled week. I stayed at another friends house these last two nights, and he and his roommate had more loud arguments, to be followed by more screaming and crying. Still, it all passes. I think I'm leaving soon, well, tomorrow most definitely, but had also considered going later today. It's Four o'clock and heavy rain though. I'd already told the people I was with today I'd be leaving on the bus and they dropped me off there. It's not too interesting to hear about me hanging out, but I guarantee the real experience will start within twent-four hours.

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Mondo Bungle

Currently have 27 more minutes remaining for computer use and I don't think I can type out entries for the last two days, but here is this.

July 8

I left the library after it closed at five. I would be walking East through Sparks. I had one huge backpack on my back and a smaller one I was carrying. Don't even tell me I've got too much, believe me, I know. I walked all the way to the very end of Sparks, where countless truckers passed by. It was late now. I was at the entrance to interstate 80 looking for a ride, nothing doing. I was right beside the railroad tracks, and behind the ledge was an extension of concrete. I chose here to sleep. I figured that I'd want to go to sleep early as I'd be getting up early. I rolled out my sleeping bag and lied there, contemplating for a second. I had an "emergency" reserve of weed with me, and I packed some into a wooden pipe that my friend gave me before I left. I was stoked on it actually, could drop it and not break it. So I got stoned, and watched and listened as trains passed, many did. I felt really at ease at this moment for some reason. Not even out of town, but having an enjoyable time where I was. I felt like this would be a fun experience.

You ever have those nights where you're lying there for a long time, seemingly awake, though you can't tell whether or not you've been asleep at all? I felt like this all night. Maybe the hours passed quickly, maybe I nodded in and out, I can't be certain.

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Mondo Bungle

July 9


The sun and I rose simultaneously. I lied there on the concrete for a moment, smoked more, then packed up everything and got right back up on the same spot, doing the same thing. It was barely six, I’d guess. I remained for two hours, watching what little traffic there was pass me by. I didn’t notice that I’d been there so long, stoned and indifferent. Not too many people getting on the interstate here in the morning, more than last night however. After this, I’d go pass the time for as long as I see fit. Got some beef jerky, energy drink, Snickers, and brushed my teeth in a Target bathroom. I sat on the curb outside the store for a minute, drinking my drinking and listening to music on my mp3 player. I walked back to my spot, got there at probably nine-thirty or ten, tried some more to get picked up, and made the executive decision that it wasn’t happening here, so I began to walk. I walked along the highway beside the tracks. Soon emerged a muddy river, and I walked through the wood between it and the highway. I have way too much stuff and no plans to ditch any of it. The small backpack gets in the way. A little bit ago, I walked beneath an overpass littered with graffiti, trash, and some items probably still in use. Two people were bundled up in sleeping bags on each side.


“Reno is so close to Hell, you can see Sparks.” Someone wrote. A lot of travel milestones and chat made up the graffiti, though. I spotted a pack of four wild horses across the river as I neared a bridge that lead trains across the water. I stopped here and smoked some more. This is where the thirst came into play, a thirst unmatched. I was so determined that I’d catch a thirty mile ride to Fernley that it didn’t even cross my mind to pack any water for the space in between.


Offroad now, extremely rocky, steep, and crumbly. It would be a hellish trek the majority of the way, and I stopped rather frequently. Grey storm clouds gathered above and let about a light shower. Soon after the rain began, I came across what I could only assume was an old and rundown city block, I suspect I might be way off base though. At the bottom of the hill beside the interstate a road started. Further along came a sidewalk with weeds growing from the cracks. I stepped on to it. Portions of sidewalk were separated by building sized plots of dirt, which made me think of a block. The cement itself seemed fresh, undamaged. I walked every inch of it under dark and cloudy skies, then left this dead block. After some more strained hiking, the “path” I was on started flattening out again. I was nearing Lockwood, NV. I was excited as I might find a store here. Off the interstate is a road that circles around and leads into this small community. Storrey county begins here. I was still along the railroad tracks and came in the hard way. The town was across a bridge over the river, a waterside walking trail also began there. No more than fifty feet away was a market, the only establishment of Lockwood I think. First time around, I bought a bottle of gatorade and started guzzling. I sat outside the store drinking it and eating some of my jerky. I was leaning against my bag with my legs outstretched across the empty walkway. After a minute, I went back in. While I was out, a man pulled up to the store and asked how I was. I bought two bottles of water and a bag of almonds and as I walked out, the same man gave me some more items. “You can have these too.” He said. Two granola bars and some generic brand Hostess cupcake knockoffs. I thanked him.


I packed everything away and started back toward the highway. I walked up the exit that lead to Lockwood, and back down to the interstate. I managed to cross to the middle section where you could pull off if needed. This is where I’d stick out my thumb again. Cars flew by like I was at a Nascar race, right by the track. Looking back, it was a very foolish place to look for a ride. Not too long before highway patrol rolled up to question me.


“What are you doing out here, son?”


“Just trying to get around.”


“You know we can’t have you hanging around in the median here, don’t wanna get hurt do ya?” I shrugged. “You got any ID?” I did, and I showed it to him. “So you’re from California? What are you doing out here?”


“Just heading East.”


“What for?”


“I don’t know, never been there.”


“You got any drugs or weapons, knives or anything on ya? All these kids like you usually have a knife or something.”


“Yeah, it’s just in my bag.” I pointed to the pocket.


“But it’s all packed up and everything?” I agreed. “Well alright. I’m gonna have to search your person though.” So he searched me. Nothing on me at that moment at all, some change in my pocket. “Where are you going right now, son?”


“Just trying to get to Fernley.”


“Well I can give you a ride there if that’s where you’re headed.” I said sure, whatever, or something apathetic. “Just toss your stuff in the back there.”


He drove me to the truckstop in outer Fernley, about twenty minutes from where I was. It was silent the whole way, and his truck was excruciatingly hot. He pulled up to a Wendy’s and let me out.


“Hitchhiking is illegal in the state of Nevada, so wherever you’re going, you’re gonna have to walk. Try to stay on the side of the highway if you’re following it.” He and I both knew I wasn’t gonna stop hitching. I thanked him for the ride and he drove away.


So I was at a truckstop outside Fernley, not actually in town just yet. I hung out here for a while, inquired about a shower. It’d be twelve dollars, and I definitely wasn’t going to pay for that. I was here for an hour or so. Didn’t know what time it was but the sun was still going strong. I started following the highway now, to get into town. The clouds gathered again and more rain began to fall. I was a bit further out from the highway, following an old dirt road alongside some farm land. I stopped for a minute in a ditch and smoked some more. I would be walking a half hour before reaching the downtown area of Fernley. It was still light, but I could tell it was getting late. Right as you enter town everything was right there. Fast food, Walmart, shopping center, Lowe’s, general city stuff. After some wandering, generally in the same spot, and getting some things to eat, I was getting tired. I had a spot in mind in this cluster of trees behind a Raley’s. I’d be unseen.

Two nights outside and I’d barely made it thirty miles. I need to get going. Fernley really blows.

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