I am bloggin this a day late because I didn’t have a moments rest the entire day.  For some strange reason I woke up without the aid of an alarm clock at 4am.  Maybe I was excited like a little kid on Christmas morning, but I willingly got out of bed and thought I would be able to use this time to ensure I had everything I could need for the hike.  I packed my bag that I had packed the night before two more times just to be sure and made some sandwichs.  Packed the car and made it there with coffee in hand with enough time to spare.

Once in the area I began to think that I was completely lost and almost turned stopped to double check the GPS, since I had used latitude and longitude to plot my trip which based on previous experience can take me a bit out of my way.  Then I saw a red prius in front of me and remembered that another GBA member Calipidder has a red prius and sped up to see if it was possibly her.  As I got closer I realized it would be impossible to see inside the car, but I got lucky, a california plate with a Michigan frame.  It was her.

I got to the location and started towards everyone then was hit with half a dozen names in ten seconds.  I was saying to myself “I am not going to be able to remember all of these names”.  The hike was about to start and everyone starting asking each other who brought GPS’s.  I thought this was a group of GPS enthuisists?  OK, maybe we are just doing the hike then and no caching?  We started off and it seemed like a long hike before our first cache.  One person pulled out an ammo can out and proceded to hide it.  So far this was an easy hike.  Nothing like the Army, I could do this all day!

The day pressed on and everyone was enjoying themselves.  I at one point got a little carried away and climbed to the top of a small peak thinking it was easier to get a cache, only to find the cache was 10 feet to the west and 100 feet less in altitude…, they signed my name for me.  Then shortly later everyone was having some discussion over where to go and stopped a couple of middle-aged ladies to ask them for directions.  It wasn’t until they were almost ready to leave that I realized, a group of 8 hardcore GPS users, which are representing the group “Geocachers of the Bay Area” one of the largest regional specific GPS groups in the world, were lost and asking for directions.

After we found our way again, we finished up some parted ways and went home, the rest went to go have “Gay 90’s pizza”.  I kid you not.  www.gayninetiespizza.com.  Shared some stories and brought our day to a close.  Hiked a total of 6.98 miles (11.23 km) and gained 1,305 feet (397 meters) in elevation change at the East Bay Regional Park Distribution in Sunol, CA.

After finally getting home, I laid down and instantly felt my mussles let out a feeling of relief.  I was sore and tired and didn’t even know it until that point.  The instant relief from laying down sent a slight burning feeling throughout my entire body and I had forgotten how it felt.  I loved it!  It has been too long since I have done a workout like that.  It didn’t last long though…

As soon as I was getting comfortable and unplugging the laptop so I could lay down, my wife called.  She was grocery shopping with her mother and the car wouldn’t start.  Claiming it was the battery I grabbed some jumper cables from my roommate and drove to Safeway.  I tried to start the car and it was the wierdest things I have ever seen.

The battery wasn’t dead, headlights were bright like normal, everything worked, but when I engaged the starter I peared out the door and looked for some bright lights in the sky as it gave me the impression that a UFO was flying overhead and I was about to be abducted.  I never seen anything like it, the started clicked like a dead battery but the guages flashed rappidly primarily the needles on the speedometer and tachometer.  Not knowing what else to do, I attempted to use the jumper cables, nothing changed though and I quickly gave up for fear of some possible electric issue in my Mother-in-law’s car damaging my own car.

My Mother-in-law has a brand new Toyota Camry that she bought only 6 months or so ago.  The car is obviously still under warrenty but being 7pm on a Sunday night there wasn’t much we could do to enact on that warrenty.  I tried calling some roadside assistance to see if they could help, but the 800 number I got from my insurance company is no longer active… ??? (USAA, now I have to see if they went bankrupt and if I have insurance).  Every direction I turned either said sorry or pay money.  We gave up and I instantly became their chauffer for the night.  No problem, I can drive them home…, um NO!

I had to drive them to Kinko’s so that they can wait for a fax, then make copies of some documents online, then mail them all to Korea.  They are doing this on a Sunday night, because its Monday morning in Korea and they are on the phone with them trying to get everything arranged.  It’s ok they keep telling me, Kinko’s is 24 hours…, I don’t think they understand what I meant by hiking!

Once they were done, it was nearly 10 and I was beat!  Mom decided to thank me by taking me to Nation’s for hamburgers.  I wasn’t hungry but my wife gave me a dirty look telling me to accept, she was hungry and otherwise wouldn’t of gone to Nation’s.  (I am also know understanding they are considereing buying one of these stores and want my opinon on how they are.  Great food, but open to 3am will draw a croud they don’t want to deal with).

Around 11:30, I am finally getting home and able to rest.  This little nitch inside me is telling me that I must check twitter, but 5 minutes and I am happy enough to call it a day and pass out.  4am until 12pm, I haven’t had a day that long in a while.  It’s not even noon yet today and my eyes are burning already, the worse part…, my latest class doesn’t get over until 10pm!

Here are the pictures I took in Sunol yesterday.  While mine are geo-tagged (you can look at the map and see where they were taken) they were also taken with a cheap camera compared to the other cameras that were out there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adium/sets/72157609252051941/

Friends pics, if you can’t make it out I am the one wearing a red t-shirt.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jeffreypierce/Sunol2008_11_16#
http://flickr.com/photos/53807584@N00/sets/72157609255635069/
http://calipidder.com/zenphoto/bayarea/Sunol08/

Thanks to everyone for the amazing hike.  I hope to do it again soon!

So today was my first day back out on my own sleeping in the car again.  Surprisingly it went better than expected.  I don’t think I noticed before how much I sit around when I have other things to do.  Today I got a haircut, re-instated my drivers’ license, and got an oil change.  While I feel like I spent waaaaay too much money, it was all something I had to do.  In fact I got so busy I dropped by wal-mart then started talking on the phone with my wife while shopping and totally lost track of time.  I got back to my car at 7pm and completely forgot about my 6:30 class.

I probably could of made it to the last half of the class but it doesn’t matter too much as the professor gives a quiz at the beginning of each class which he uses to get a role call.  The only I will get out of the class is some debate or him giving some examples of “Advertising”.  I have a syllabus, and will drop him an e-mail just to make sure.  I’m still surprised that I missed class like that.  I have a few other personal things that I can attend too and this will leave me without excuse for not going to sleep at a decent time.

The biggest thing I have been trying to do is get my car wired back like it was.  I bought a sleeping pad, a “Therm-a-rest Basecamp” which defines it as an “All-Purpose Car-Camping Mattress“.  Hmmm.., that sounds like it could be useful for me.  It actually was quite comfortable, I laid the seats down in the back seat and put my feet in the trunk.  The only issue was with my car.  The seat doesn’t lay flat but a slight incline, then the driveway I park in is also inclined so I constantly woke up in the night to push myself back into the back seat as I had slid down into the trunk.  Its an easy fix, turn the car around, but last night I was too lazy to get back in the front seat and do just that.

With the exception of forgetting about class I got quite a bit done today that I have been putting off for far too long.  That and now I am going to be living off McD’s dollar menu for a while.

I think I can blame the way I feel primarily on being under the weather, since I know I have a fever with this ear infection.  Which this only seems to amplify everything.

I called the PA DMV, they suspended my license on 8/8/08.  Aparently my incompitance is still catching up with me.  I got a speeding ticket in NY and after arguing it I got a list of demands from them that was completely unrealistic.  Submit a letter explaining my defense, my driving record from PA, two other forms I have never heard of, and a deadline of a week.  Just send me to court!  I laughed set it too the side, assumed that since I had a PA license and this happened in NY it would be unlikely that they would be able to do anything effective.  I also noticed that the speeding ticket stated that they caught me with radar, and my $450 radar detector didn’t pick up any radar that day.  Then moving to California, I thought “why bother”.

Times have changed, computers control the world.  States are talking to each other now, and it SUCKS!  Something else that I did, which could of been prevented.  I remember the day well.  Me and my wife were late for a Dr’s appointment for my daughter so I was trying to gain time by speeding.  I turned up the radar detector and floored it.  I guess when you are going significantly faster than everyone else its pretty obvious.

PA is now sending me a letter with instructions of how to fix everything, but until it is all fixed I have no drivers license.  Which makes me exceptionally nervous since I live in my car and get ID’d every couple nights.  Not only is my license suspended it obviously states that it is expired on it.  As well as having expired tags on my car, I have a bad feeling that its only a matter of time before it catches up with me.  But, what other choices do I have?  I earn about $400 a week (If I am lucky, $300 is from NYS unemployment).

The cheapest I have seen any time of living accomidations is a room in someone’s house for $600 a month.  Which is 50% of my monthly income.  Not leaving me much else.  A studio apartment starts at around $800 a month and a one bedroom apartment starts around $1,000 a month.  Personally I want something large enough for my wife and daughter to feel comfortable in as well and hope they may move back in eventually.  Begger’s can’t be choosers…, right now I am stuck living in my car.

I think that because of all this ordeal with my license if I do get in trouble, they will tow my car, give me a heavy ticket and possibly charge me.  If this happens I see no other choice but to go and apply for some government assistance such as wel-fare.  I just hope that the police understand this and have a heart as well as giving me the respect that I haven’t done this and am trying to deny any handouts.  Afterall it is their tax money I would be stealing.

I just hope it doesn’t come to this and my break comes soon so I can start working and begin my new life.

Last night I had a visit from the police, which was not the first time.  This guy however woke me up by knocking on my window.  I told him my story and gave him my ID.  After he checked that I wasn’t wanted anywhere and that my car (with expired registration) wasn’t stolen he wished me a goodnight and left me alone.  He had given me the speach that I was on private property, but as long as no one complains he has no problems.  No complains, no crimes, I am welcome to stay where I am at in the cops eyes.  Considering the problems I read about in the paper I think he is more interested in drug dealers and gangs, than Army vets sleeping in cars while looking for work.

Then this morning I slept in a little as I was up later than I wanted waiting for a download to finish before I could move the car into my parking space.  I recieved a second knock on my window.  Some elderly man who claims to walk by every day noticed that my car was parked in the same spot for the last couple days, and also noticed someone was sleeping in it.  Supposedly after a conversation with some other people in the nearby grocery store he decided to introduce himself and hear my story.

I told him I am homeless, and get unemployment which is enough too survive, just not enough to get an apartment.  I ensured him that I have everything I need, told him about my gym membership for a shower, and that I am here cause it is safer then told him my story about my break in.  I left out the part with my wife and tried to keep it simple.  A guy that comes knocking on a strangers window out of concern seems like he will easily fill an empty hand extending whatever he can.  I don’t want charity, and am well aware that by applying for wel-fare in the state of California they won’t give much money, but they will give an apartment, which is all I need.

The man was very sincere and at one point I felt like he wanted to give me a hug as I could hear the compasion and concern in his voice.  I assured him I have everything, my car is a 2007 Chevy and is in good condition.  He commented back that it was a nice car, and we made a joke about owning such a new car, but being homeless.

Sad as it sounds to say that I am homeless, I am not a bum.  I have enough money for food and gas, a gym membership to take a shower, shave, and brush my teeth.  A laptop, which I can use to get on the internet at Starbucks, and an AC converter for the car which lets me charge my cell phone and laptop.  I have everything, just no place to call home.  As long as no one complains about my presence then I am ok.

I think because I do portray myself as a homeless vet who is eager and shows the ability to work it is giving me a little more leaninacy towards living like I am.  I am polite and don’t put my hand out trying to get sympathy.  I’m not panhandling I am sitting in the corner and showing my independance.  My story might have its sad points, but I don’t let it get me down and I don’t use it too my advantage.  I look on the bright side and people see that, which is possibly the reason that I am able to park my car in the back corner of the parking lot near homes and no complaints.  At least that is what I am hoping.  I like this place as it is tested, and I believe it too be safe.  I should be looking for an alternative parking space in the event I am told to leave, but I think if I just leave the present police juristiction being told to move a second time won’t be portrayed as a second time.

After a day like today, you think to yourself that it can’t get any worse and the shock and surprise when it does get worse is not as shocking and surprising as it should be. You have learned to roll with the punches, or simply no longer care.

Real estate here in the bay area is astronomically high. I am trying to save money until I can get a job which will enable me to afford a place. I am getting unemployment from NYS, but $300 a week doesn’t quite pay for a 1 bedroom apartment at around $1,000 a month. (I have seen studio apartments for as low as $800, but not too practical for three people). This is also an incentive to get a job and not just build website after website.

Last night I decided I wanted to try to find a place nearby where I spend the majority of my day. (A shopping center that has multiple places to eat, a gym that I have a membership with so I can shower, and a Starbucks that supplies me with internet, all this is also a mile or better from my wife.) I found a hotel not too far away and I thought that if I spent the night in the parking lot no one would raise alarm to a suspicious vehicle with out of state plates in the parking lot.