by Daniel V. Garcia
Daily Lobo
In an effort to find stuff to do for Spring Break with absolutely no money, I thought long and hard.
If you really want to travel but you have no cash, you can hitchhike anywhere. Seriously. Just check out digihitch.com. We've all heard the horror stories, and while some may be true, I have never had any problems. Of course, if you look as psycho as I do while standing on the side of the road, the drivers who are brave enough to pick you up probably won't mess with you.
Wait on Central Avenue for John, the resident spare changer, to come by. More likely than not you've seen him asking for spare change around the University area. If you've ever been interested in what leads a person to chronic homelessness, John is the guy to talk to. Nonthreatening and meek, he conveys his history well. How true it is I'm not sure, but it will undoubtedly prove interesting. If this doesn't satisfy your curiosity, cruise down to Joy Junction. You'll meet people there with lots of stories delivered in a folk wisdom that is thought-provoking to those with ears to hear.
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Take a hike. If you hiked the seven miles up the La Luz Trail and were too tired to walk back down, you could take the tram down for free a couple years ago. I used to do this regularly and then hitchhike back to my car. Employees check ticket stubs going both ways now. Oh well. At least High Finance - the restaurant on top of the Sandia Mountains - will give you a glass of water for free when you summit the crest.
Get a public library card. With this, you can check out tons of books, CDs and DVDs. The music and movies are mostly independent. I've inadvertently seen some fine films this way. There are no late fees, and unless you lose something, the bills are generated to scare you into returning the overdue items.
Go to a feast day at one of the local pueblos. Old Laguna Pueblo is having a large harvest dance for St. Joseph's Feast Day on March 19. Each of the five villages in the pueblos will celebrate this event, whereas they normally celebrate their own individual feast days. The dances are beautiful. Everyone will be friendly, and the weather will most likely be superb. Make sure to eat only a little in each house. Turning down food is insulting to your hosts.
Form a band. Some of us at the Lobo decided to carry the daily theme into the realm of music by creating a band, recording a demo, and publishing it all in one day. Music making costs nothing. However that's not to say your ears won't pay when the songs suck, as you'll find out when you listen to this music at www.dailylobo.com/TheDailies.
Spring Break can be fun without funds. Some imagination and a disregard for the status quo can get you far.
