Sammy the Scavenger's Guide to St. Louis

Bike Works is a non-profit bike shop on the South Side, open on Saturdays from 10AM-1PM. Extra cheap bikes in working condition for sale, volunteers help repair bikes, sometimes for free if no parts needed. (more)

Unloved Fruit Trees
-West Side Go South on Kingshighway. When you're a a few blocks South of Tower Grove you'll see a car dealership on your right. Take a right on Flyer-the East West street next to it. Take a left on "Lawn" (the first North South Street you come to). Go about 2 or 3 blocks South and you'll come to a tasty apple tree on your left, ripe in August. The owner doesn't mind if you take some. She just wants to be there supervising when you do. (map)

-S. Benton Park Fruit Trees
Apple Trees
corner of Cherokee & DeMenil, ripe in late July-August (1)

Peach Trees
corner of Illinois & Utah, ripe in late August, owner doesn't mind if you eat them, but ask first (2)

-Lafayette & Fox Park Walk just south of Lafayette Park on Mississippi Ave.. The second house from the bridge across highway 44, and on your right sports a tree that was loaded with peaches last year (2001). they are ripe in late September -early October. (3).

If you walk across the bridge on Mississippi and look left there are a couple apple trees facing the easement to highway 44. ripe in August and September.(3)

-North SideDrive or ride a bike (with air free tires) North on Broadway. About 6 to 9 blocks North of the skyscrapers there is one of the most bountiful peach trees I've ever come across, all the more inspiring since it is in a bombed out industrial area with vacant parking lots and buildings. It's ripe in mid-September and will be on your left when walking North. If anyone finds it please let me know the street address so I can put it here. In a world of hunger, a driveway covered in rotting peaches is a sad site. (4)

free clothing If you're going North on Broadway you'll eventually intersect "st. louis" street or avenue. Take a left and in a block or two on your right is "rag-o-rama". I think this is a distribution wharehouse for a used clothing store in the trendy area of U. City. Anyways depending on the time of week their dumpster will be more or less full of used clothes for your taking. paying for clothes -we really hate that shit! (5)

Soulard Farmers MarketIn the Summer on Saturdays around 4:45PM the vendors at Soulard Farmers Market toss much of their remaining produce in the dumpsters, especially on the North side of the market. This is food that probably wont be fresh enough to sell when the market reopens on Monday but much of it is still good for Saturday and Sunday. Also, around this time Pete the Bakery worker drives into the East Side of the markets H shape in his blue van and gives out bread, bagels and more that his workplace hasn't sold. (6)

Camping Surrounded by three rivers, St. Louis gets incredibly humid in the Summer. Before air conditioning many residents slept outside in the parks and it's still legal today. Forest Park on the West Side is one of the largest city parks in the country, and true to its name, it has some forested areas that might be good for privacy while camping outdoors. Closer to the city is Tower Grove Park with large gazeebos and picnic benches that might serve as a temporary bed. However, I'd definitely want to camp there with a group since its surrounded by a few neighborhoods with plenty of disrespectful people and cops.

Internet Access Besides the libraries that have a 1hr time limit and require id, there are at least a couple universities with computer labs that can be squatted: "UMSL North" (a stop on Metrolink) in the student union and also at the library 2 or 3 blocks north and west of it. Then there is the Eads Hall basement and a library adjacent to it at Washington University (8). camoflauge: baseball cap, with backpack. source: west side dumpsters.

Logan's Chiropractic Clinic If you have any back problems, or are just a hypochondriac like me, you'll definitely wanna make a visit to the free chiropractic clinic 4 or 5 blocks East of Grand on Washington (7). It's housed in the Salvation Army headquarters.

other resources
social center/infoshop kind of place
bus & metrolink transit maps, schedules, fares