Ferry Into My Mind

Well, it's been over two years now since I first trypped off my first batch. After reading every tryp report that has been submitted since the beginning of the shroomery, I feel it's time to write my own. This is the story of my first high level tryp on that fateful fall day in November, 1997. The impact it had on me then still reverberates throughout my life now. I still remember it clearly...

I had been wanting to try these things for some time, just never found the "right moment". I was going to tryp Halloween night with my girlfriend, but that wasn't a good idea cause we didn't have a party to go to, and plus we were kinda illin' at each other during the evening. Shortly afterwards, a day came where my time was all mine. It was a cool but sunny day. This will be the day, I thought to myself. I cleaned up my room, put a roast with potatos and carrots in the crock pot, and spent some quality "ball & catch" time with my dog in the backyard. I made plans to take the ferry over to Bremerton from Seattle, because I had not been on a ferry since I'd move into C-town at the beginning of the year. Plus, I thought it would be interesting to go somewhere new while in the psychedelic state of mind. I had trypped before on 'cid, and new that staying in the house is the WRONG thing to do. So I grabbed an unknown amount of fresh dried, which in hindsight must have been at least 4 grams of Amazonian Qbies, Penis Envy strain (that's what it said on the kit box). I said goodbye to my dog, grabbed a handbag with a sweater in it, and headed downtown to the ferry terminal. I had brought along my bicycle, thinking it would be nice to ride around Bremerton while shroomin.

Having arrived at the terminal, I could sense the amount of excitement and apprehension swelling up inside of me from the anticipation of the journey my mind was about to take. Or was it the adrenalin rushing through my body created from the fear of the unknown? I call this pre-tryppin'. I decided I should take the shrooms at this time, so I got a Nestle's Crunch candy bar and a Orange Crush from the snack machines and ate and drank that first. (When I bought my drink, I looked down and found a $1.00 coin someone had dropped. Ah, a good sign!) I remembered reading at the Shroomery that chocolate was a mild MAOI, and the orange soda was fortified with vitamin C, so I was certain I was going to feel the effects of these shrooms for sure! How little did I know what was about to come. I went to the port o potty to partake of my bounty.

I returned from the port o potty to the waiting dock with the other passengers. Yeck, what a nasty dried cracker taste. Trying to get that ball of mush down was a chore. Good thing I had some Orange drink left to wash the aftertaste. While hanging out on the top ramp, I look down to a newspaper another passenger was reading on the lower ramp below me. I could not believe what the headline of one of the articles read,"THREE DIE IN MUSHROOM POISONING" (stoopid fools made mushroom soup from unidentified self-picked shrooms) Gasp! Is this a BAD sign? I tried to calm my worrisome mind by reassuring myself that this was just a MAJOR coincidence and probably a cute joke the shrooms were playing on me. I was briefly startled from a hornblast from one of the larger ferries nearby. he,he,he Just the shock I needed to reclaim my composure.


Ten minutes pass and I'm now on the small passenger only ferry and it's heading out across Puget Sound. After securely stowing my bike, I stepped out to the back of the boat and watched the city skyline grow smaller. This is a peaceful and serene experience, to be out on the smooth open water surrounding me for miles. The air is becoming cleaner to breathe. In another ten minutes, I could feel the first waves (literally) of the shroom coming over me and decided to find a seat somewhere to sit down. The boat was not crowded, so avoiding people wasn't hard to do. As I sat there looking out the window, my eyes began to water, and I started to yawn more and more (typical tryp indicators for me). At times I felt nauseous, and went to the head to barf, but I held it back. It seemed like I was seasick, and I thought maybe I was, but I have good sea legs, so I knew it was the shroomies coming on strong. I could feel the boundaries of time and space starting to come apart.

After about 45 minutes on the water, I arrived at Bremerton. At least my body did. I knew that as soon as I was out of the confining cabin and able to hit dry land, my perspective would become much brighter, which it did. I couldn't figure out if I was settling into the spell or still on my way up. I was walking my bike off the boat, and realizing my muscular coordination was not quite in synch according to my thoughts. I decided keep walking with the bike into the city, then lock it up on the nearest bike post to the ferry. I couldn't believe the difficultly I was having with a very fimiliar lock. A very wise decision. Riding the thing in this state of mind would have surely gotten me killed. This way I could explore without the now cumbersome bike. I continued to follow these yellow shoe prints painted onto the sidewalk that lead from the ferry terminal to downtown Bremerton. That was KEWL to do while tryppin'!

I became fascinated by some native american artwork in a storefront window. There was so much symbolism in that picture, I probably would never had noticed if I were not beshroomed. The drawing/painting itself became three dimensional, the more I stared at it. I wanted to see more, so I went inside the store. It turned out to be an artists' gallery of sorts, providing me with much fascination. Just then, the manager from out of nowhere asks, "Can I help you?" WOAH, first conversation with the outside world. Gotta keep my cool. I mentioned that I was overtaken by the picture in the window, and he replied with the usual "Take a look around, you'll find lots more." He asked where I was from. I said I was just on a day trip from Seattle to the fine city of Bremerton. His response was something like "You should come across the pond more often." I chuckled and promptly exited the store. Enuff conversation! I was starting to have trouble with communicating my thoughts and paranoia was sneaking up closely. I continued to follow the footprints around the corner, and much to my delight, I find a comic book shop. (personal note: I collect comics books of a certain title. My collection keeps me in touch with my inner child.)
I walk across the street to the store and go inside.

By now, the shrooms are convincing me I'm still on my way up. I was able to get out the title of the one comic I had been searching all over Seattle for. Imagine my surprise when the guy there said he had that issue. I was estatic! I did my best to keep my conversation short, to avoid detection of the meltdown going on inside my head. I paid the price of the book, thanked him and got the hell outta there fast. I put the book in my handbag. (Glad I had that handbag. Trying to hold on to a comic and keep it in good condition while tryppin would have been a lot harder without it. You serious comic collectors know what I mean.)

Now me world was starting to turn upside down. I wanted to explore some more. All could do was keep walking. I deviated from the path of the painted footprints and started to walk in the direction of a bridge I had seen on the boat ride over. I was trying hard to remember the way I came, cause I didn't want to lose my way back to the ferry. I made it to the bridge and walked over. The shrooms were still gaining in intensity. I saw a nice rock wall while crossing the bridge, and went over to it to sit down and enjoy the view. As I sat on the rock wall and stared at the water and the sky I had the greatest feeling of joy and content. This feeling is undescribable. The sky became pixelated, like a digital photo on the computer. The water and the boats were a pleasure to sit there and watch. I can't recall how long I spent sitting there, but I was in total bliss.

All of a sudden my fucking pager goes off. I look down to try to make out the number of the caller, but the damn thing doesn't make sense to me anymore. At first I was like cool, I'll just ignore it. Then it buzzed again. Paranoia kicked in; like what if that's someone I know who is hurt? What if that's work calling? So I figured I should just go to the phone and make an effort to return a call. A lot of good that did. I got to the phone but trying to figure out how to dial those foriegn numbers on the keypad of the phone was useless. My best recourse was to head back and catch the next ferry back.

Now my anxiety and nervousness has escalated the tryp into it's final level, quite possibly level 4. I began to walk back across the bridge. Somewhere over the middle of the bridge I began to start having that dissassociative notion that I don't have a body/physical form. That is one STRANGE experience if anyone knows what I'm talking about. I was trying my best to keep focused on reality, cause it was fading fast. I got to the end of the bridge and could not cross the street in the crosswalk. I could not tell when the crosswalk signs were giving me a safe signal. I tried to check the timing of the traffic lights but that was useless. Cars were coming left and right. Add to this the fact that I had forgotten my way and I was beginning to experience insanity right here on the corner to the street. Arrgghhh! Somehow I pulled my courage together and put one foot in front on the other and hoped luck was with me.

Now maybe I'm heading in the right direction back to the ferry, I'm not sure. It's certainly not the way I came. Hopefully it's a shortcut. All these thoughts and many more zoomed in my head at once. I continued on my way. Soon my persistance paid off and I came within site of the ferry terminal. Thank goodness the bike was not far from this area, for if I could not have seen it, and I probably would not have gone in search for it. I unlock the bike and drunkedly walked with it down to the gazeebonear the terminal to wait for the next ferry. I sat down on one of the benches with my bike and handbag close to me. I was getting chilly. I remembered my sweater and put it on (smart foresight). I shut my eyes for a break from it all. Behind my eyelids I could see all kinds of plasma shifting shapes and colors. I was in awe of the power of the shroom. It was almost all too much to bear. I kept reminding myself that this was going to be over soon, and that this was not a permanent state of madness that I was trapped in. I wanted to get back home as soon as possible.

Somewhere in the confused grey matter of my mind, I remembered that i could catch the larger, automotive ferry that was almost currently finished loading. Heavily intoxicated, I picked up my belongings and headed over to the boat. Fortunately I made it as the last car was loading. Some kids with their mom were yelling something at me from above, which I couldn't understand at first. Then it hit me. They were saying, "Where's your helmet?" All I could do was just shrug my shoulders and wave. I couldn't dignify their concerns of safety with a verbal response. I dragged my bike onto the ferry and found a tight spot between a parked car and a rail.

I could feel reality slipping away again as I looked out over the water. I wanted very much to tell someone to get me some help, but I kept reassuring myself the confusion would end soon. I saw the full moon and it captured my attention briefly. I still had to get somewhere to lay down. Somehow I managed to find my way up into this huge boat to the upper cabin with seats, tables and benches. I saw a booth table that this girl was sitting at on one side. Without hestitation, I went over to it and just layed stomach down on the opposite booth. It was a temporary refuge for my ailing mind. I was at the peak of the tryp now. Sounds had an echo to them. I was clutching my head for comfort. Nothing made sense. My vision was blurred beyond comprehension. All I could do was think about my dog. That thought was the one I clinged to for my survival.

Eventually I made it off the ferry and started to come down from my confused state of being. I was enjoying the lights of the city as nightfall came. Especially the neon lights. I even rode my bike all the way back home, which help clear my mind faster. By the time I got back, I hugged my dog and realized the deep love that I have for her. She kept me SANE! The pot roast made my stomach feel all so much better.