So Long, Farewell.

So long farewell.  It was an early rise as usual with today being the day of selling the van.  I decided to take charge and phone the company up and have words.  They were quite pleasant and arranged to come right away.  Easy peasey.  And this was the people who were paying 400. Sweet!  They arrived promptly and as expected they tried to take me down on the price.  But they went to 200.  I got pretty angry and after some bartering we got it back up to 300.  A reasonable price indeed.

 The lady who came to pick it up was actually quite nice and she was pretty complimentary about the drawings and the whole vibe of my adventure.  It was nice to have one last compliment on the van before I waved good bye.  Sad times indeed watching it get loaded onto the tow truck.  I watched it go and then wasted no time. 

I had unloaded my life from the van and packed it as small and as few pieces as is physically possible.  I did very well but even so it was a massive pain in the arse to carry it all.  Gina and Delbert the couple who owed the mechanics I had been parked at for the last 3 days were so lovely.  Gina was fantastic.  She had printed off this little map of where I needed to go to get started on the right way.  She was so sweet.  She told me about things to look out for and things to be aware of.  Keep safe and stuff like that.  They had both been so amazing and so friendly.  The kind of couple that really restores your faith in humanity.  I was actually quite sad to leave them. 

It had been so nice having them help me during this pickle I had got myself into.  If ever you are in Hillsboro Oregon and your car brakes down, make sure you go to Z's car care!  You will not receive a more honest and lovely service anywhere else on the planet.  And then as I waved off Delbert said he would give me a lift up to the train station.  A short cheap train ride that took me up to Portland and on my way in the right direction.  Bless them both.  So that was it done and dusted. 

Van sold for 300 big ones and I was on my way home having had an awesome time and met some awesome people.  Job done.  See you all as  soon as I can make it back up the country and home. Peace and love.  It has been a privilege to have so many of you giving me so much support through all of this and following my blog.  I'm sorry i couldn't keep it going for all of you.  Maybe I will do another on my next adventure because I am sure there are many to come.   Much love one and all.  Over and out. 

The Begining of the End!

The beginning of the end.  I am feeling like hope is beginning to fade this morning.  I can find nothing anywhere, no sign on web nor land of an auto mobile that runs for sale in my price range.  The game seems to be up.  I have asked everyone I can ask and searched every where.  I have had some amazing experiences on this trip and done a lot of self discovery.  How ever short it has been cut it has still been amazing and I am quite ready to call it a day.  I will get 400 for the van and that is enough to get my feet firmly on U.K soil.  It will be a nice feeling to be able to get me safely home by my own means and not having to borrow money or call up mummy and get her to sort it out.  I think if this really is the end I will begin hitch hiking up north again.  Get back to Calgary where the flights are very cheap and fly back from there.  I have made one last desperate out reach to anyone I might know in the area who might know of a car/van that I can have for 500 but no such luck.  I will wait till the end of the day and see what the emails bring.  Then Its time to start off home.  Although it's not what I want I am still very excited to go home to friends and family and the Mrs.  It has been nearly 7 months since I was at home for longer than a few days!  I am ready for a few home comforts. 

Having had a day spent mainly on Skype and seeing some friendly faces and speaking to some very loved people I am even more excited about the prospect of going home.  Don't get me wrong if I find a car I am straight on that and off to the coast for a swim but if I don't  the alternative is pretty awesome.

Having spent the rest of the day relentlessly searching for anything with wheels that runs and having no luck I decided it was time to cut the cord for sure!  I had asked local car dealers, the owner of Z's (where the van was parked), locals, the petrol station.  Nothing!  So tomorrow I organized the van to be picked up.  A little cleverly in fact.  I arranged one guy to come and collect the van at 12pm.  he was the unreliable guy I had been emailing.  He was offering me 400 but not emailing me back very promptly and was a bit sketchy.  I arranged the other guy, the one who was more reliable to come and collect the van at 1pm he was offering only 300 though.  So if the unreliable guy turns up he has an hour to give me 400 bucks and get out of there and the later guy turns up to nothing and me already out of there!  If the unreliable guys fails to show then I sell it to the reliable guy for 300 and then I'm outer there.  A genius plan.  So being quite satisfied with my level of searching for a car I was ready to retire.  I had tried everything I would have done anything to get some wheels that worked! "Where did you get that?" "Some kid back in town.  Traded it straight up for the van!  I can get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog."  Quite an appropriate quote I feel for how far I was willing to go.  Still never the less it seemed it was not to be.  Unless someone dropped a car in my lap by 1pm tomorrow I was off out of here and hitching back to Calgary!  I retired back to the van for one last time with a movie and some cookies.  Good night. 

One last Farewell to the Mighty Doodle Bus

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unique-Journey-Memorabilia-Collectable-Art-Auto-Mobile-/261039335710?pt=UK_Art_OtherArt_RL&hash=item3cc728291e

Slowly, Waiting, Wishing, Hoping

Morning all.  I woke up about 4.30 am this morning.  I felt pretty alive and kicking but my mouth was so dry!  I think it was probably my thirst that woke me up.  I hadn't had actual water in so long.  The last liquid I had was beer and before that, that terrible juice from the super market.  That was days ago.  And I had had a tremendously dehydrating hike with a 50kg trolly since then.  So I decided to get up and walk into town to try and find some water.  The petrol station opened at 5am so I waited out there for a while and when it opened filled up my big bottle.   I had nothing much to do really.  Today was just waiting around for emails about the van and shipping my stuff home.  I had a few but nothing too exciting.  Still nothing on shipping my stuff home.  I sent a few more about selling the van.  I mentioned doing just a straight swap for a working van.  See how that pans out.  After a while I headed back to the van to sort my stuff out and talk to the owner of Z's about the van.  As I got back and got properly dressed and stated brushing my teeth he walked out.  Bit embarrassing but he was ok with it.  He told me he would put the coffee on and I could pop in when I was ready.  In I went and we started chatting.  I thought it best to telll him and his wife the whole story to keep them in the picture.  He and his wife were just about the loveliest people I had ever met.  They were wonderful.  As far as they were concerned a rusty old van had been dumped in their car park.  But they were wonderful they offered me cake and coffee and were so interested to hear about my journey.  And were so ready to help me out of this pickle I seemed to be in.  He had one of his guys pop out to the van and just confirm that it was "toast!" as the guy said.  And then he said he would help me with getting the best offer for scrapping it and stuff like that.  They were both wonderful!  Then I set off back into town to try and organize this scrapping and what not. 

After a few emails it was clear that swapping vans was not going to be an option at all.  So I was looking at getting as much money together as i possibly could and trying to buy another mode of transportation! 

I spent most of the day emailing and stuff again.  And a nice few Skype calls back home to some important peeps.  I was looking at getting 400 still, best case scenario, so I have started scouring the land for a new auto mobile.    There is not much to be found.  I have a few options.  2 to be exact!  I can't sell the car for scrap until I have another mode of transport or some where to live, other wise that puts me either on the street or rapidly spending my money on motels etc.  So I need to find a new mode of transport before I sell my old one.  Then I can agree the sale, sell my van and buy the new one and transfer all my belongings immediately.  If I do not manage to find a van within my price range then as much as I'm afraid to say its game over for real!  I can't afford to ship my stuff home and I don't want to travel with it all or sell it. Or dump it.  So I am using this final attempt to say make or break!  If I get another mode of transport its on!  And I'm back on the road.  If not at least I  can say I tried but its up sticks and home to a British summer.  Some good festivals, some muchley missed friends and Girlfriend and gearing up for my first winter season working as a snowboard instructor in Austria.  Wish me luck on finding a van!

As I headed back to the van for the night the weather had got bitterly cold and the rain was hammering down.   In the 2 minute walk back to the van I was drenched.  As I sat in the van I couldn't here my laptop over the thundering of the rain on the roof.  It was a depressing reminder of how far north east I was and how temperamental and harsh the weather can be.  Not the kind of weather to be hitching around the freeways and highways sleeping in a tent!

Kilometers Traveled Today:0
Kilometers Traveled Total:17
Funds: $40 U.S
Transport/Home: Dead Doodle Bus

Bad to Worse to ................ AWESOME!

A new day and a new start. But the night wasn't quite over yet.  No sooner as I lay my head down a knock on the van.  It was another state trooper.  He had been informed that there was a van parked here and came to check it out.  I explained everything to him a bit more quickly than I had to the other officers and he was on his way quite quickly.  Still like the others I had to produce my drivers license and my ownership papers and my insurance.  Bit of a ball ache!  So off to sleep again. 

Just as I drifted off into a deep very needed sleep, the same happened again another knock.  This time it was some scatty guy offering me a tow.  I was a bit dazed having just woken up and he was very quick and darted around trying to sort stuff out.  I was just coming to when we discovered neither of us had a tow rope.  So he left me and back to sleep I went.  Then as I drifted off again yet another knock.  Yet again it was a state trooper!  He had been informed by control that there was a van parked up here and he went to go check it out also.  I hurriedly told him my story as by now I was pretty pissed off at being woken up constantly.  I then made him make sure he had radioed it in and everyone knew what this van was doing.  Fucking nothing!

I went back to sleep.  I feel asleep very quickly now but joy of joys another knock.  It was ANOTHER state trooper.  Who in the name of Zeus' buttonhole is running this show.  This happened not once, not twice, not thrice but an incredible 6 police state troopers came to disturb my sleep that night.  And as my luck would have it they decided to come at quite regular initials.  Leaving a good hour gap each time for me to get back into a deep sleep!  The last one arrived at 7 am.  I had had enough they clearly were all ignorant idiots.  I don't know how it was not know through out the whole police force by now.  Who was keeping track of this?  Anyway I decided to get up and start standing out there with my sign again.  And what do you know 5 hours passed and not one police car drove pass.  Shocking!  It was a dull time and most of it was spent analyzing the various actions of drivers.  Like when they changed lanes to move further away from me, when the hooted at me, things like that.  My mood would go up and down quite frequently, sometimes feeling very positive and excited about what was coming next, hopefully.  And then it would plummet down and I would think of a horrible dick of a tow truck man coming to take my van away to the impound and leaving me stranded there with all my belongings.  It was inevitable that the van was going to be taken to the police impound sooner or later.  At my cost as well!  And if you can't afford to pay them they keep the auto mobile.  I was in that category!  One of the state troopers, possibly one I had slept through had left a towing notice on the window which stated it was going to be towed in 24 hours from the date of the notice.  No time on the notice though so I had till 23.59 on the 3rd as far as I could see.

  So I continued to wait.  Longer and longer getting cross and upset.  Then the right song would come on and I would be well up for anything again.  I updated my sign from.  "please tow me" to "please tow me, ANYWHERE!"  Its hard not to get cross with all the people who just pass you by standing there needing help.  But you have to think about what they are thinking.  You are about a 30 second event in their drive and at most a passing thought to the majority of drivers.  They don't know your mood.  They can't tell by your face if you have been there for 2 minutes or 2 days!  I was of course the latter. 

Also I was asking quite a lot.  Not just a lift, but for them to stop and tow my huge van somewhere.  It was a lot to ask I realize so I didn't get too disheartened but I couldn't help feeling pretty awful sometimes.  It wasn't long holding the new sign however that a couple stopped.  They were a really nice couple if a little awkward.  I could tell this wasn't something they did often but they were really pleasant and seemed that they really wanted to help.  I couldn't quite put my finger on why, but that didn't really matter to me at this desperate point in time.  Usually when I can't figure out people's motive for doing things like this they turn out to be christian, but I made a few religious references and it offered no response.  Thrilled to have the help of this lovely couple but all the while wondering why the were being so nice.  They couldn't tow me but they were going to use one of their 4 free tows from the AAA to tow me where I needed to get.  It was perfect.  We had a while to wait for the tow truck was now on its way so we chatted more.  I like to learn lots about the people that help me out.  It often tells the story of why they do this kind of thing.  They were a recently married couple, the guy, Joel was a programer and the woman, was a scientist.  They were very friendly and we had quite a bit to talk about.  It became slightly awkward at times but nothing to uncomfortable.  They were just genuinely a really wonderful couple who had seen me and made a judgement call that I was the right kinda guy to help and then they stopped and just did everything they possibly could!  It was so wonderful and they were so down to earth and just generally a nice happy couple to be around.

 Then guess what.  A fucking nother state trooper arrived.  This time a woman.  She was lovely though, but very by the book.  She took me off separately to ask me questions about the situation and the van, she then took them off separately,  I later learned that this was to check if they still wanted to help me out.  As people can stop to help and then change their mind and feel too trapped to just leave.  It was a really nice thing to do I think.  But they still wanted to help.  So that was a turn up for the books.  The trooper said she would leave us but she was going to put out flares in the road to warn drivers.  She was astounded we hadn't been hit yet.  

Off she went and 2 mins later the tow truck arrived.  It was quite exciting.  I watched my van get hoisted up and on the back of the truck. 

Then I rode up front while the couple said they would follow. The couple had said the Vernonia was the nearest town to the west so They could drop me off there.  I thought that was good.  I wanted to get west as far as possible and I needed some where with internet and stuff like that so I was happy with that.  As we drove I talked to the tow lady who was very nice.  She had her daughter in the back of the truck bless her.  She explained the Vernonia was not a good idea as it had maybe got a grocery store!  She couldn't remember.  Also she had to drop me at a home address or a mechanic shop by law so she said a place called hillsboro was the best place.  She turned around and the couple decided not to follow.  We headed in land, closer to Portland.  Not what I was hoping for but internet and civilization was certainly more important that being 15 miles closer to the seaside!  She dropped me off at a mechanics called Z's.  She said he was a lovely guy, she had know him for 25 years and he wouldn't mind if I parked my van and slept in it for a few days while I figured out what I was going to do with it.  Feeling quite a lot better about everything I headed into town which was only a 3 minute walk and found a Starbucks and treated my self to a white chocolate hot chocolate with mint syrup.  I deserved it.  Then I got on the interweb and started figuring what I was going to do?  I had to sell the van somehow, And what was I going to do once I managed that! 

One thing I had forgotten was if the trolly wasn't returned to the super market the police officer was going to put a warrant out for my arrest!  And I have left the trolley on the side of the freeway.  Fuck it.  They knew where it was and they said they were going to go and collect it.  Not my problem if they didn't.  Lets just hope it still there when they go to collect it other wise a warrant out for my arrest certainly can't be good! 

So after a lot of catching up on the old Facebook and emails etc, making sure everyone that had gone in to panic mode (i.e) the mother was neutralized, I set about looking for people who wanted to pay me for my scrap van, and shipping stuff to the U.K for cheap.  I had thought about selling my stuff, as someone mentioned on the blog not long ago.  However the stuff is not really stuff I can sell.  It consists mainly of my clothes and most have quite a lot of sentimental value and would not fetch a price that I was willing to part with them for.  2 Snowboards which I don't want to sell because 1 is my girlfriends and the other is mine which I want to keep all my snowboards in the view to make something out of them in the future.  This trip is not worth parting with them.  And especially given the time of year and place I would not get much at all for them.  Enough to sleep in a motel for a couple nights.  And snowboard boots.  Again not willing to sell.  1 pair is again my girls and the others are awesome boots!  I love them!  So that is that option out the window.  But as far as I can see there is no way of shipping them home for cheap.  It doesn't look good in that area!  On the bright side I had 3 legitimate offers for the van!  It was easy.  1 for 300 and free pick up. 1 for 325 and free pick up and 1 for 400 free pick up.  So that was looking good.  If I got 400 U.S for it I would have actually made a profit!  Awesome!  But lets not get ahead of my self too quickly.   But with no way of getting my stuff home it was all a bit useless really.  I cant cart it round and I don't want to sell it.  So even with 400 bucks it was not looking good.  Never the less having those 3 offers put me in a wicked mood and I decided it was time……… Yes finally I was cracking.  I had the money in the bank from donators to the Get Benji to Cali fund.  I went to a nice American looking place and sat down and ordered a beer, some mozzarella sticks to start followed by a Morning Burger.  This consisted of: A patty, swiss cheese, another patty, cheddar cheese, an egg, bacon, ham and mozzarella cheese.  With home made chips on the side! 

It all came so fast and it was better than I could have dreamed.  My stomach had obviously shrunk a lot on this trip.  On previous occasions half a tin of tuna had filled me up or half a can of soup.  But I sat there and got the whole lot down me!  It was wonderful!  My body had forgotten what to do with protein! 

I chilled for a bit then as it was getting kind of late I decided to go to the van and watch a movie.  Even though I was painfully full I decided to get some snacks for the movie.  When I got in the shop everything was so American!  The way I chose my chocolate was by if I had seen it in a movie or on t.v or whatever.  So I got a 3 musketeers bar, because Joey gets Ross to get one in an emergency in f.r.i.e.n.d.s. And a Baby Ruth bar.  Because in Four brothers one of the brothers gives a box of them to some fat kid.  The baby Ruth was well good.  Bit like a boost bar I would say.  A lot of sugar.  Maybe a bit much for me but a good bar to have around if you need an energy boost.  I haven't yet tried the 3 musters bar.  I will let you know when it happens.  I had a chilled evening in at home, watching "the usual suspects" and munching out. 

I became very painfully full and thought it best to try sleep it off now.  It had been a good day.  As I drifted off I thought about the offers for the van and thought what could I do with 400 if I managed to get that?  Then I thought having got the van for 400 Canadian maybe I could get another for 400 U.S!  It can't be that hard. 400 was a lot to offer for a scrap van.  But I would have to sort out registration again and insurance.  But then I could just take my old number plate off my van and stick it on what ever new auto mobile I get.  And it couldn't be that hard to transfer over insurance.  It wasn't like UK insurance it was far easier and more laid back.  I then had trouble sleeping as I was filled with hope and excitement.  I thought I could ask the 3 people who had offered me cash for the van.   They were auto recycling companies.  They must have there fair share of old cheap vans that still run.  Or that they have made running again.  Surely it must be better for them to part with one of these than all that cash?  We shall see.  Very excited again now.  There is hope, light is at the end of the tunnel, it ain't over till the fat lady sings, and all those cheesy phrases!  And just thought I would add.  If you guys have any bright ideas or gems of wisdom to impart to me don't hesitate to comment, Facebook, or email me.  Always up for an outsiders perspective on things.

Kilometers Traveled Today: 82 in the wrong direction!
Kilometers Traveled Total: 1732
Funds:$53 U.S
Petrol: I'm going to stop doing this one till it's relevant again. Maybe I will replace it?

Never Give Up On the Good Times, Living it Up is a State of Mind!

Okay.  So I guess I best start with how last night ended.  I left Subway with my trolly and after going back and fourth 3 times within 100 meters I decided I would walk to the van!  It couldn't be that far!  The drive didn't take long at all.  So I set off down Banks main road.  It was a pretty grim feeling and not one I wish to repeat, ever.  Walking towards what was sure to be at least a 2 hour walk scouring the bushes as I went, looking for nice secluded places to tuck up.  As I walked I passed a few police officers by their cars chatting.  I kept my head down and walked on.  The last thing I wanted was to be arrested for stealing a trolly or something stupid like that.  So where to sleep?  It was a difficult decision, one I was constantly battling with in my head.  On the one hand I had this small town with free internet access, thus my connection to the outside world.  On the other I had a warm place to sleep with a bed and a duvet.  But it was so far away.  And come morning I would have to get up and do the walk back.  It didn't seem sensible.  But I was quite settled on having a bed to sleep in so I went on.   Now I knew I was at mile marker 42.  That's where Moby had said I was.  He knew his stuff.  I got to the end of the road and was met with a Junction.  I was pretty sure I knew where to go but the road looked different, as they do in the dark.  I started off down the very long road and quickly gave up.  I now decided on a bush or quiet comfy spot some where.  It would have to do.  The van was just too far.  It was too risky.  So I turned around and headed back.  it was completely dark by now but thankfully I was too hot and I was just in a hoody.  This was promising.  At least I wouldn't freeze to death!.  As I walked looking really hard for some where to lay refuge I became more and more desperate.  I thought about the police and in the hope they might be nice police I decided to confront them.  I was going to explain the story to them, the whole story and hope they give me a lift to my van, or even a cell for the night.  It was worth a shot.  Of course when I got there they had gone.  Brilliant.  I was 2 minutes from Subway again.  So I pottered around looking for a spot to kip, still with no luck.  My problem was I have some much valuable stuff I wanted to be out of sight but not so out of sight that someone could rob me and not be seen.  Its a tricky combo you know!  After about half an hour more wandering I settled on a very comfy bush just outside subway.  I got in and tucked all my things deep in it.  It turned out to be perfect!  I was really warm and even comfy on the mud.  I was going to get a bit dirty but that was the least of my worries.  So I snuggled in and felt like I would drift off quite quickly.  Then joy of joys it started to rain!  Just a shower, it would pass I thought.  Did it fuck!  It started hammering down.  But this was really a stroke of luck.  You see if I had been walking to the van I would still be walking and if I had chosen a bush somewhere else I would be being soaked but luckily I was buy the shops and they have covers sticking out the front of them!  I hunched up next to a bin and stayed dry.  It got cold but I wrapped up warm.  I still have my snowboard coat that I am carting around! 

I didn't get what you would call sleep.  I was to wary of surrounding noises and keeping a close eye on my stuff.  But it was better than nothing.  I got up at 4 am and decided to see what was going on over the pond, back home.  Mum was around with Barbara and we had a Skype call.  They were both great and were really quite insistent that I needed to carry on!  It was just a question of how.  Every idea that we came up with quickly had a massive hole poked in it and was shot down.  After about an hour on Skype exhausting every possibility it seemed it was over.  That was the vibe.  It seemed horrible.  More horrible than before.  I had been thinking that I kind of have to call it a day but I was hoping that someone would pop up with some magical miracle plan and it would be ok.  It didn't happen.  I felt terrible.  I had so many messages from you guys following the blog offering me money and telling me not to give up.  I really didn't want to let people and myself down.  I didn't want to take money from people as as nice a gesture as it is.  It was too much pressure on me.  I couldn't have people funding my trip because I would feel bad packing up and coming home even if I wanted to.  But thank you so much to everyone that offered and very much to the few that didn't take no for an answer!  



So it seemed now what I had to do was sell the van for scrap and use the cash to get me home in some way or another.  Then as I was flicking through my Facebook I saw a friend of mine Charlie, from Snowskool had mentioned.  (I know a lot of Charlies don't I) "100 for your van will buy you a tent and ship your stuff home."  This was an eventuality I had not explored!  A tent!  A place to live.  Its no van, sure but it will do.  But then how do I earn money?  I need to eat, where do I store my valuables.  The plan wasn't water tight by any means but most importantly it had given me a new surge of hope!  I was raring to go again.  Fuck being stopped!  I will stop when I want to.  And not for any other reason!  All the messages and encouragement people had sent was running through my head.  I needed to give it a go.  Daryl said last night "you have to try even if you only get one wave!"  He was right.  This had now become a quest!  I came to surf and that's what I shall do!  Even if its only for half an hour!  So I decided that I would head back to the van and make a new sign!  "please tow me! Any distance helps!"  I have come across some amazing people this trip and I just need to come across a few more who happen to own tow trucks.  Every one has a truck out here so I was happy about my odds.  Plus if I made it to the sea with the van I could live in it and earn money the doodle way.  That way I could save money for food, a tent, a surf board, a ticket home!  I was happy with the plan and set off to walk to the van with my trolly of stuff. 

It was a heavy trolly and I distinctly remember most of the drive being down quite a steep hill.  This did not dampen my spirit what so ever.  I was up to the task.  I got to the end of the first road and took the correct turn.  It was a bloodly long road!  And that was just the first little bit.  I was worried about the distance but its not like I had anything better to do that day.  Plus the longer the van was left unattended the more likely it was going to be towed away.  So I got a long the long straight flat road eventually.  It was 7 miles so far!  But although I don't want you to under estimate this walk I will be honest the first 7 was pretty easy.  Anything is possible when you have the right tunes blaring out your headphones.  I had a little sing a long and kept marching. 

Then I was distracted by a loud noise and flashing lights.  It was a police car.  Pulling over a trolly?  Yep!  This was interesting.  I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.  "Excuse me sir. Are you aware this shopping cart has been reported stolen!"  Sorry!  You can report a trolly stolen here.  Brilliant!  "Do you mind telling me why you have it in your possession and where you are going with it?"  Fucking spectacular.  My first day as a homeless man and I get arrested for trolly theft.  I was honest and told the cops the whole story, hoping for a bit of sympathy.  Not what I received!  "Well I'm afraid this trolly is worth 200 dollars sir and it is privately owned and you have technically stolen it. Please place your arms behind your back.  Do you have any concealed weapons on your person?" "No" I moaned!  "Do you have some form of identification?"  "Yes left pocket, it's my drivers license."  The other cop phoned it in while I was patted down very thoroughly against the car bonnet.  This is such bullshit I have to be the only guy that has enough bad luck to get arrested for taking a shopping trolly!  I was told to stand facing the car while they sorted stuff out.  I asked casually what usually happens in these situations.  The police officer replied very formally the level of theft it was and that if prosecuted usually results in up to a year in prison or if your lucky a couple thousand dollar fine!  This was shaping up to be a great couple of days.  I knew I should have stayed at castle rock getting free subways! 

Fortunately after a grueling 5 minutes on the phone and explaining my story to the shop owner he decided to drop the charges.  Thank god!  On the condition the trolly was returned.  So Now I had to worry about that too.  The police officer said in a few hours he will come find me at my van and if the trolly or I am not there he will put a warrant out for my arrest!  What a nob.  I don't see why he couldn't have given me a lift to my van and then the trolly would have been closer to the store.  But no he probably had to go and arrest some one for eating a grape in the super market!  Douche!  So I carried on.  Slightly deflated from my run in with the law but still set on getting back to the van.  It was more than a van.  It was home!  It turned out to be 15 miles!  Most of it uphill.  It was terrible!  it took for ever!  There were times when the sun was beating down on my back the sweat was dripping off me.  I had to take my shirt off as it was drenched in sweat, but then I just got irregular hoots from cars which became very annoying!  Then it started to pour with rain so the already wet shirt went back on.  It was a horrible mission but I couldn't tun back.  It was grim.  The last time I remember feeling that hopelessly exhausted was when I decided to cycle back from Southampton to Tunbridge Wells!  101 miles.  Not a good plan.  So anyway I kept walking, rounding each bend hoping to see the van but realizing it was yet further.  Eventually I reached it.  Drenched in sweat and rain water.  soaked to the bone!  I opened the van doors threw all my stuff in.  Not with out hitting myself square in the eye with the heel of my snowboard boot!  Not my day!  Still that was the third bad thing.  they usually come in 3's.  I fell into the van peeled off my wet clothes are passed out on the mattress.  Bliss! 2 minutes later the police knock on the van door and tell me that the shop keeper is coming by to pick up the trolly in a bit.  One less thing to worry about!  I tucked into a can of salmon.  Nothing ever tasted so good!  And then passed out I had a lot of sleep to catch up on!  I would sort out the sign when I woke up. 

Not long passed and I was woken up by state police.  He was much nicer and didn't bother me too much.  Just wanted to know what was going on and how I planned to move on etc.  He was cool.  I gave up on sleeping and made the new sign and then pretty much just sat there. 

It was 1 pm when I started and it didn't take long for someone to stop.  It was a sketchy looking character walking towards me with a sketchy walk.  He turned out to be really cool.  And while he couldn't offer me a tow he did have some good advice for me and a beer!  He went on and not long after a guy stopped with a big truck.  Brilliant.  this was the one.  Nope he didn't have a good enough tow rope.  So I waited some more. 

And then a very peculiar family stopped for me and said they would tow me straight away.  It was all a bit confusing really.  The wife was saying one thing the same time the guy was talking.  It was awful trying to listen to both of them at the same time.  Meanwhile the daughter is asking me questions.  The guy wanted to call AAA and get them to tow it where ever I wanted as she had 4 free tows.  But the woman wasn't up for that.  In the end the offer got less and less.  The guy was really set on helping me but the woman didn't share his enthusiasm.  He was clearly very stoned and also offered me his wife's medical supplies.  I took a bit.  Why not?  Then he offered me a few gallons of water, which I needed but the woman couldn't be bothered to get it out the boot so I got a can of coke instead.  I had offered if their little girl would like to draw on the van, when I thought they were going to tow me, and then she took it upon herself to do it anyway.  She got a bit carried away and I was a little annoyed.  She started coloring in other peoples drawings but quite poorly bless her.  They were a nice family over all and I think the dude really wanted to help me out.  He gave me his card and even said that they had work for me in Portland.  I wasn't too sure about them so I didn't jump at it like I would have.  Anyway eventually they left, leaving me with 2 packs of crisps, a cola, some of her medical prescription!  And a troll doll!  Strange but by all accounts it was a good little stash of stuff. 

Nice isn't he.  I know he has got Silver hair but I think I will call him Purply Purpe.  An Inside joke!


So then I waited some more.  I nice woman pulled up and had seen me there earlier in the day and thought she would come back.  But she only offered me a lift and I didn't really want to risk sleeping rough again so I had to turn her down.  It was getting late now.  5.45 probably about time to call it a day and get started again tomorrow.  Then a car full of people pulled over and offered me a phone to use.  Nice of them but quite useless really at this time of day.  They then said they could contact a towing company for me but that was ridiculous.  These things cost so much and even if I did have lots of money I wouldn't be using one of them.  After they had left I decided to call it a day. I was still so tired from last night so hopefully I could do a bit of catching up on some sleep.  I got into bed and noticed as I had before how much the van shook as every car went past.  Apart from being quite annoying for trying to get to sleep it was also incredibly unnerving thinking all these cars were whizzing past me pretty fast.  Not an incredibly safe place to be.  But I didn't really have a choice.  Fingers crossed what wakes me up is not a car going into the back of my van! 




Kilometers Traveled Today: 24 (By foot, pushing a trolly full of 50kgs of stuff!)
Kilometers Traveled Total: 1650
Funds: £60 U.K From donators to the cause!  Thank you so much!
Petrol: Probably about $5 Doesn't Matter!

Homeless Toad?

I woke up nice up and early this morning and was quick to rise as I realized it wasn't raining!  I could get the signs out early and get some horrendous Friday drivers drawing on the van.  But I felt I wanted to move on now.  I had lingered here too long!  Then I realized Karissa had forgotten to give me one of my pens back last night!  Bollocks!! I'm now faced with I dilemma, do I leave now and buy another pen in Portland.  It was a nice pen. Or wait till FOUR and get another Subway and my pen.  It was going to take an hour or so to charge up all my stuff so I messaged her and decided I will wait till I'm ready to go.  If she hasn't got back to me I will move on and cut my losses. 

Just seen some anonymous nice person has popped 2 apple crisp cereal bars by my van.  Breakfast. 

Wow what a day.  Lets start where I left you all.  So I have been sitting in Subway minding my business as usual, the signs were up for custom but no one stops at a freeway rest stop in the morning unless they have been driving all night.  Any way, so sitting there and the Subway guy who asked me to move on pulls up.  Immediately I know I am in the wrong.  I hadn't moved.  But in my defines I wasn't taking up that much space the car park was huge and I was 1 of like 3 cars.  And also I couldn't be bothered.  So he walks up to the van, sees the signs and then picks them up!  Putting down the wooden one immediately as he realizes its wood and too heavy for his weak arms.  He then marches in and straight away confronts me about how illegal it is what I'm doing and I can't do it.  "Ok" I said.  "I was moving on anyway, guess it was time to go."  He got pretty shitty with me and then started walking off with my signs!  I worked hard on those!  I need them for future use!  So I said "Excuse me sir, can I grab my signs back."  He carried on walking muttering "No it's ok don't worry"  I fucking will worry mate!  "No sorry mate can I get those back" I said.  I need them.  I am met with an abrupt "No, I'm afraid not." Then I raise my voice and "Give them back now they are mine you have no right to them!" He turns around holding the signs tight to his chest like a child!  He was taller than me but there was fear in his middle aged eyes.  I grabbed the signs and gave him a little nudge in the wrong direction.  He rapidly relinquished the signs and stepped back!  What a massive twat.  As I walked away he said with a slightly quieter voice.  "They are mine!"  I wasn't sure in what context he meant this… did he recognize the plain cardboard from his bins!  Or does anything in his parking lot become his?  Who knows.  As I left Subway I left him with the sarcastic remark of "Well I'm afraid I need to borrow them mate!  Forever!"  I hopped in the van and drove off. 

I put 40 bucks in and got on my way.  I had kinda been in a rush when I left I didn't really want to hang around and have some breakfast and organize my stuff.  I wanted to leave straight away for dramatic effect!  So I was in need of a wee pretty bad and the Subway in the back of the van was calling to me very loudly!   But I soldiered on.  I had managed to get pretty far indeed and the ocean was looming ever closer!  I had even seen a few signs saying seaside 60 miles/50miles.  I was getting closer!  It was initially a dull drive but as I got further it became gorgeous.  I had come off the route 5 onto the 26.  This was a bit of an impulse choice as it was not my original route planned but some guy who's daughter was drawing on my van the other day was talking about the west coast and he had a lot, a lot of information to offer.  One of those guys that starts of interesting and then quickly becomes boring and then annoying.  And then you keep just thinking shut up and bugger off!  But it seems some of his inane chatter had stuck in my brain and I remembered he mentioned the best road to get on is the 26.  When I saw it sign posted I thought why not?  He was annoying after a while sure, but can't deny he knew what he was talking about!  So I got on the road.  It was gorgeous.  Surrounded by towering pines breaking up the beams of sunlight as I drove through  the winding road.  After a while I saw the petrol was nearly empty again and I started looking for a place to park up for a while so I could earn some more cash and get to the sea.  I was just coming up on a town a few miles a head and the sea side was a mere 40 miles away!  I couldn't wait.  I wanted to get there now!  It feels like so long now since I have been wanting to swim or even just see the ocean!  But alas it was time to stop.  I came round a large bend and it was a rather tough hill to get up.  The van bless her doesn't like these hills.  Have to slow down to about 35 miles an hour.  So I started up the hill and what do you know.  A horrific noise occurs.  I look at the gas gauge and it is very low!  Shit I think!  The noise gets increasingly worse a lot of rattling starts and then.  Bang!  A fucking explosion! Smoke erupts from the bonnet and fills the drivers cabin pretty rapidly!  I pull over and jump out.  I stand for a while looking vacantly at my van.  It could be out of gas I lie to myself.

So I get to work on a sign.  Gas/Internet.  The important things!  It said gas because I kind of thought if I get a lift to a gas station it will be in the next town, I can just use the internet and see what I can do.  I didn't really want gas.  Or maybe I did.  I didn't!

Quite quickly a guy pulls over, very friendly and he was on it straight away.  Before I knew what was happening he was filling up my van with his gas.  Shit I thought.  So I tried to start it.  Of course it didn't work.  I don't know why I let this poor man waste his gas on my van.  It made a horrible noise but this guy, (Moby, like the whale, he said) knew what was going on right away.  He got under the van and knew where to look and all that stuff.  He very immediately exclaimed that it was the end of the road for this van.  I can't quite remember how he said it but it was clear and to the point!  Oh dear.  I am Fucked!  So it appears game over.  But I couldn't have been helped by a better guy.  He was so on it.  knew exactly what to do and was helping me in every way he possibly could.  He was a doer as I say!  He just does things.  So he said he was going back into town in 45 mins and he would give me a lift.  The best thing for me to do was try and sell the thing for scrap before the cops tow it away.  He thought I could get up to 400 bucks for it.  This was exciting news.  He said if I couldn't find anyone to buy it he and his mate would give me 100 for it.  So it wasn't looking too bad.  So off he went and I packed up my life since January as small as it would go and then sunbathed on the roof until he returned.

When he got back he was chatting about what I should do and who I should call for scrapping it and what not.  He was so helpful.  I left the van where it had broken down and headed into town with him.  It was a sad moment as it was possible I would call a scrap person to go and pick it up and I would never see it again.  He didn't seem to realize this was a sad a moment for me as it was.  Still no time for dilly dallies!  Off we went and he dropped me off in the nearest town, Banks next to some free WiFi at Subway where I could sort out this scrapping business.

So I started looking online for all these places and having no luck really.  It was a Friday afternoon and no one was answering their phone.  I was using the phone of a local pharmacy. The lady in there was kind enough to let me use it.  Moby had left me his number too, in case I was going to sell the van to him but he was away for the weekend at his sons graduation.  So after having no luck for a while with scrapping I started to worry.  I was in a little town called Banks with a suitcase, 2 bags, 2 sets of snowboard boots, a helmet, 2 snowboards and my laptop with 3 dollars, and no where to sleep!  The van was a good 10 miles back!  I was fucked!  Again!  This time much much more fucked.  I began to think about the prospect of sleeping rough.  I went into the supermarket near by with my life in one of their trolleys and spent 2 bucks on a massive carton of juice.  I didn't want to die on the street, from dehydration!

 I had given little thought to my overall plan let alone what the hell I was going to do.  My options are as follows:  1 sell the van for scrap and buy a ticket back to Calgary and a flight home, 2. sell the van for scrap and use the money to get me down the west coast. I doubt that would get me far. 3. Sell the van for scrap and have my things shipped home cheap and then do the west coast.  You will notice how all of these plans involve selling the van which is not a guarantee!  So I will be honest its not looking great at the moment!  I now have all my belongings in a trolly and I'm fucking homeless!  Great.  I guess now I will start the walk back to the van for somewhere warm to sleep tonight.  Provided it hasn't already been stolen.  As I still had subway internet I thought I could check how far it was to the van on Google maps.  I had taken note of exactly where I left it for obvious reasons.  My laptop was about to run out so I went in and spent the last of my cash on some crisps!  And then sat down and plugged everything in.

I found out the van was 23 miles away!  This was clearly too far to walk with a massive trolly full of shit.  Sleeping rough looks like the out come.  Might as well stay in subway till they kick me and my trolly outa here!

Been sitting in Subway a while now reading over the blog for spelling mistakes etc and a nice fat wave of depression has come over me.  Reading over my situation enough times was bound to bring it on.  It s a pretty grim prospect.  I have been thinking, its been so great this past few weeks and I have had so much support from everyone at home.  Especially last week I have had so many people enjoying this Blog and it seems such a shame to give it up now.  But it appears the only option open to me now is to come home.  The real kicker is that I was just 40 miles from the nearest surf beach!  Having come so far!  If I had broken down by the sea I could have just lived out of the van, continued to sell drawing space on it and chilled maybe got a surf board.  I could have at least Surfed for a few weeks!  That's all I ever wanted!  And now my plans have been fucked.  With no place to sleep any money would just disappear immediately on accommodation. I suppose I can't complain.  I left Banff with like less than 40 bucks and I managed to get this far.  It just feels like such a kick in the balls!  This is how it goes though.  If you decide to try and do things for nothing then you have to remember that every experience is a bonus.  Its not like I'm losing anything.  I have been doing this all on a shoe string.  I'm feeling gutted now about letting everyone down that is following this blog.  Sad times indeed.  Right it is easy to just keep writing sitting here but I don't have much more to say at the moment and I should probably be a bit more worried about where I am going to sleep tonight.

Kilometers Traveled Today: 130
Kilometers Traveled Total: 1626
Funds: 60 cents
Petrol: Petrol! Worried about petrol!  Haven't you just read all that! The fucking van exploded!