A short list

The following is a list of companies I hope you, my readers, will contact to help me get sponsorship (or free stuff in exchange for credits and visibility on the Aimless web site): Kelty, Gregory, Columbia, Coleman, Timberland, REI, The North Face, Eureka!, Therm-A-Rest, Sierra Designs, Amtrak, Apple, Sony, Canon. This is just a short list of companies that came to mind quickly; there are a lot more companies out there that could be useful to me. I would contact them myself but I have almost no opportunity to do it while I am on the road. Please help me with this because I am in dire need of some things, like new hiking boots, a new tent, and clothing. I'd love to make some kind of deal with Amtrak because it could really help me in emergencies or just to create a quick change of scenery. Amtrak has nothing to lose by setting me up because it would cost them nothing and because I won't
be using their services otherwise. (Note to self: Eureka! Tetragon 5 tent is $62 at Sports Basement.)

Goodbye San Francisco II

It was nearly dark once I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge last night. The weather on the bridge was warmer and calmer than I expected, but it was cold and windy in Marin County. Back on land, I immediately began looking for somewhere to sleep, but there was nothing. A couple miles down the road I found a level spot near a bench in a relatively remote part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It was the only calm, warm(ish) spot for miles. I just wanted to sleep and I knew I couldn't put up the tent, so I got out my sleeping bag, pad, and pillow, and I tried to sleep. About an hour later a park ranger stopped and told me there's no camping in the park. I told him I was trying to sleep, not camp. Long story short: Instead of using his brain to realize I was no threat to anyone or anything, he chose to be a jerkoff, forcing me to pack my stuff and leave. So in the middle of the night I
found myself a couple miles down the road in Sausalito. I didn't get any sleep there, either.

Goodbye San Francisco

I left Castro Valley yesterday at about noon. (Now is a good time to mention that the pizza Tony made me Thursday isn't even on the Pyzano's menu. I also want to thank Tony and the Pyzano's staff for being so cool to me.) Beginning at the Castro Valley station, I toured the remainder of the BART system on my way to the Powell St station in San Francisco. From there I managed to find a level route from Market St to Fisherman's Wharf, stopping in Chinatown to pick up some more oranges. (Oranges are a rip-off at grocery stores; Chinatown has the deals.) On my way to the Golden Gate Bridge I stopped at In N Out Burger because I figured it would be my last chance to eat there for quite some time. As I ate, I noticed that a guy at the table beside me was wearing a Cleveland Indians shirt and a Miami Redhawks hat, so I asked him if he goes to Miami. He said he does, so I said, "Oh yeah? I live
in Columbus. It turns out all four of the people at that table were from Columbus (Dublin/Powell).