Day 39 Mile 500-519

Parma to Caldwell

Woke up and showered with Shampoo!!! Walked back along Route 20 about 5 miles to see the part that I missed when Jeanise drove me into Parma. I’m in Idaho now! By noon I was in Parma again and as I walked in I saw the sign that said the Lions Club had their meetings at noon on Tuesday. I didn’t really know what the Lions Club so I went in to check it out. When I entered the hall, there were over 60 people sitting down to eat and I just said hello to the first person I met, John Murphy. Turned out he was the right guy to talk to, he is the reverend at the church and the Tail Twister of Parma’s Lions Club. He invited me to be his guest at the meeting and lunch. I introduced myself to the group and explained a little bit about Walk For Progress, and I thanked them all for having me as their guest. They served a great meat-loaf meal and potatoes, salad, greens, and desert. They have these meetings every week where they discuss their community service efforts and bring in guest speakers to talk on issues related to the community. This week the guest speaker was the County Commissioner and a former Lion. He told jokes and spoke about the cross-sectoral initiative among the tribe, ranchers, BLM, and recreationalists to protect 2.4 million acres of Canyon County. He played a video of the State’s representative going before congress to propose legislation protecting Canyon County. The Lions held a raffle and the winner got half off the proceeds while the rest went to support their community efforts. Lions Club works to ensure that anyone that needs glasses can get them. Parma has a population of 1,800 and the Lions club has over 100 active members with these weekly meetings regularly bringing in over 60 people. That is an extraordinary achievement for a community this size and they do great work. After the meeting I hung around and cleaned tables and put dishes away with Yoko, Angie, Freeda, Melba, and Rubie. Melba had had a Persian son-in-law and she was so excited to talk about tea and taddik and Sabzi with someone who knew just how good life can be:-) At around 2:30 I headed out to Caldwell which is the first city over 50,000 I’ve been in since Albany. As I got into town I walked along the boise river and a trail that let me by-pass Interstate 84. I walked along main-street and Kevin and Julie offered to drive me around before it got dark so that I could find a place to eat and meet people. I ended up going into a local pub near the Albertson’s College of Idaho, which is I guess one of the premiere liberal arts colleges in the West. Chatted with Ryan Upson and his buddies who all tried to convince me that I would get eaten going across the continental divide. It was quite an endeavor to convince Ryan that I was not just full of BS and that I had actually walked this far. I guess the shower I had had made me look to clean to have walked over 500 miles. He kept asking me “WHY??? are you doing this” met another fellow Nate who runs a landscaping business and he let me camp out on his yard for the night. Since leaving Nyssa, I have sensed that people are not as secure as the other people I have met on my journey. There is more fear in their mentalities. People tell you to watch out and to be careful. There is a belief that bad people are out there and will get you. I don’t know if this is a result of recent shootings in the media or because of the cultural diversity in an area that has seen extensive immigration of farm workers in recent years, or if it is a result of Boise’s rapid growth, but what is clear to me is that people here are just as kind and safe as any other. Fear is just a perception and one that over time only creates that which is feared. The only thing to fear is fear itself... so I continue on my way... positive affirmative in my mind and with my walking staff clearing the way of all opposing forces... what we encounter is a mirror of our own perceptions.

Day 38 Mile 479-500

Ontario to Parma

Before leaving the motel I ordered flowers for mom for her birthday and 25th wedding anniversary! Good Job Riaz and Laura! Went over to Matsy’s Chinese restaurant for an early lunch and met Nicole who was lunching with her parents. Headed out to Nyssa. Nyssa had enough tractors and farm equipment to equip the entire state I think... just an army of different implements. I got into Nyssa and there were no real good places to camp the one motel in town had an office manager that was out visiting family and I would not have been able to check in until after 9:30pm. I went in to the A&W to visit and chat and kind of feel out the town and I met Jeanise, Kendra, and Kerrie. I ordered a Root Beer Float and spent over an hour visiting with the three gals and with other folks who came in and out of the A&W. Jeanise who lived out towards Parma offered to drive me around the scenic route on her break and to drop me off at a motel in Parma with good rates. So we went for a drive and I got to the Motel in Parma in time to watch the season finale of Heroes:-) It was a good thing that Jeanise took me on the scenic route so that I could go back tomorrow and walk Route 20 into Idaho and into Parma on my own feet.

Day 37 Mile 461-479

Vale to Ontario

I got up early so that I could go to the 9:00am service at Michael’s Church but it turns out service wasn’t till the afternoon. I went back in to Starlight for breakfast again and met with Pard & Terry and Lawney & Sue who were having breakfast next to me. They really appreciated that I was out here doing what I do and they said they wished there were more young people getting involved in the world. They gave me 20 bucks and a big smile. Everyone seems just fascinated by my shoes! The Z-coils are great and I am looking forward to getting to Boise where I can get them checked out by the next z-coil dealer. It was still early in the day when I left Vale and I made good time to Ontario. Ontario is actually 3 or 4 miles North of the 20 but I made the detour. When I got into town it started to hail and blow and I was still kind of in the mood to be relaxed and have a good bed to sleep in so I popped in at the Ontario Inn to get out of the rain. When the hail subsided, I left my pack in the room and went out walking unencumbered. I realized how much the pack and weight slow me down. I walked all over town which is very spread out. It was Sunday and very quite. I kept looking for a cool place to go in and meet people and eat... In the end I came back and had a great meal at Skippers right next to my hotel. It was a beautiful day of walking with yellow roses and cools looking roosters. Also, this was the first town with fast food that I had seen for like 400 miles:-)

Day 365 Mile 461

Vale

Went back into the Starlight Cafe for breakfast and asked if Michael Bannan had been in and he had already been in and left. It seems he is a regular there. He wasn’t there but his wife was and I met with her and told her what I was doing and that I would like to volunteer to help in Vale. She called up Michael and he came in to visit with me. It was a busy day and he had a wedding so he didn’t really have anything for me to do, but he was very kind and ordered a Club Sandwich for me to-go. I walked all up and down town and took photos of many of the beautiful Oregon Trail Murals and historic buildings. I went back to my room and saw Connie and she offered to let me stay another night at no charge! What a treat:-) I got back to the room and didn’t leave all day or night. I showered and watched the Sci-Fi channel on TV which was having a Marathon of the TV show Heroes.

Day 35 Mile 438-461

Harper to Vale

Left the school and went back in to get some beverages for the road from Coleman’s Store. Pushed for 23 miles and came into Vale. Stopped in at the Starlight Cafe and had dinner. Talked to some folks about where I had come from but it was interesting that no one asked where I was going. Had a seafood dinner and realized that I really was no longer on the coast. Went over to the Golden Wheel Motel and met Connie Treson who recommended that the next day I track down Michael Bannan the reverend at the Church of Nazarene because he would be the guy to talk to about volunteering in town. I got a cozy room at a great rate, uploaded some web pages and turned in.

Day 34 Mile 422-438

Into Harper

A few miles into walking today I met Joe who was taking Route 20 to Yellowstone. Joe, from Salem OR, had done parts of the Pacific Crest Trail and was an outdoor enthusiast. He ran his own medical supply business which gives him the flexibility to do several of excursions a year and he has found that its not worth working if you don’t take the time to enjoy life. He told me Eastern Oregon has over 200 hot springs and about all the wonderful trails and recreation spots Oregon has to offer. I was excited to get to the drinking fountain out along side the highway. It was natural and cold spring water which was very good and refreshing. I rested and drank and wrote and read all the initials on the painted rocks. Continued along the beautiful river and then came into another valley and stopped in at Coleman’s which was the town’s store, tavern and gas station. Brian the proprietor was quite the gentleman and had a fun sense of humor and introduced me to everyone who came in and told them what I was doing. I ate a whole pizza right there in the bar and visited with some of the regulars. Thank you to Colby for buying me some snacks for the road. Mike who had just been elected to the school board in Harper told me to have and opinion and live it!... or you are just a wishy washy liberal:-) He thought is was great that I was out here listening and learning as long as when I was done I formed opinions and stuck to them. All I could do was recall Pastor Linda from Lebanon and the phrase “Siempre Gumbee”. I went out to the school yard where Brian had told me to camp. They were having mother daughter tea in one building and a middle school dance in another. Even though Harper only has one store, their is an old downtown and I get the feeling that things will start opening up again here in the future... it is a good size community with a good size school and things seem to be picking up.

Day 33 Mile 403-422

Leaving Juntura

When I went into the cafe this morning folks started chatting with me and asking me if I was the guy walking across America... “Sure am”. Turns out the Burns Times-Herald had come out with their article on me and now people driving Route 20 East knew who I was. I met Drew From Ontario, OR who was staying with his aunt here in Juntura until he moves to Portland. Everyone seems to find peace in this Oasis valley. Lavonne who hosted me at the Desert Creek Ranch in Brothers was on her way back from visiting her daughter in Boise and stopped by the Oasis Cafe for a soda. She hadn’t been able to talk Donny in to leaving the Ranch and going into the city is not something that they particularly enjoy. When visiting her daughter she ended up cleaning up her place... I told Lavonne that it should be the other way around...especially after Mothers Day. Lavonne is also trying to talked Donny into getting a sleep number bed that she found at a great deal back in Bend. I sent my best wishes on to Donny and it was great to see a face from earlier in the walk. I sometimes get an out of place out of time feeling as I really live in the moment with not much that carries over day to day so it is always fun to see folks that I had met earlier out where I am in the present. I visited with Tammy, Brandy, Terry and Eva before purchasing some sandwich fixins and hitting the road. I walked out and along the Malhuer River and as I walked along in the heat listening to Issac Asimov tell his favorite stories, Eric drove up next to me and invited me to stop by at his place up a few miles. I came up to a great farm house and big red barn and saw Eric and some of his friends out on the porch watering the yard and staying out of the heat. I came up to the house and Luke came out and gave me a cold gatorade and a second one for the road. Eric, Lyle, Luke, and Dave are members of the Northern Paiute Indian tribe that extends From Central Oregon into Idaho, Northern California and Nevada. These four guys worked for their tribe as forest service workers and managed the house and ranch where they grow alfa-alfa to sell. Today they were out moving the watering systems around to another field. I talked with Eric for a while who I think was about my age. We spoke on issues of faith and culture and the distinctions between young and old civilizations. I told him about the Tinglit Master Story teller I had listened to in Corvallis and that from my walk and my connections with nature and the land I understood the meaning, depth, and lessons of a culture based on the oral tradition which educate its members on the soul of the world. Although him and his contemporaries are not fluent in their native tongue and most have accepted Christianity, he still finds joy in the traditions of his people which perceives the soul of the world and how we interact and connect with it. We found the detachment of younger or modern societies from legends depicting the earth as alive and from stories of how we became what we are as a missing element which could serve to make people more conscious and aware in their daily lives. I really enjoyed visiting and taking a break form the heat but I had to make another push in the afternoon and it was cooling off a little so I could push forward. I finally met the infamous Shoe Tree! Thousands of shoes tied to this tree and in such bunches that the shoes looked almost like the fruit of the tree and like it had grown organically from within. I camped out at a little bend in the road right down on low riverside land. I was on wet clay and thought maybe it was quicksand... but I poked in with walking staff and felt hard bottom and I didn’t sink during the night. The sunset on the trees and water just glowed.

Day 32 Mile 403

Junturna

Decided I would stay in the Oasis Valley an extra day and catch up on writing and trying to post to the site. I was able to connect to a Wi-Fi internet signal but it was very weak and I spent half the day walking around my camp site with the laptop in the air trying to find the best spot... but alas I could not find enough signal to post anything, so you all have to wait until I get into range again:-) I went in and had breakfast and met Tammy the owner of the Oasis. Later on in the day she brought me some fruit and veggies while I was enjoying the shade trees and the sprinklers at camp behind the Oasis Cafe. Went back in for the evening and met Dave and Verdean Clark. Dave’s 66 Chevy had 375,000 miles on it and was in mint condition. Dave drove truck for many years and Verdean was a teacher and a chef at the school and at the Oasis Cafe. Now they garden together on their place in Juntura. They love the peaceful quite of the town and jest that even as the world descends into chaos and destruction Juntura surrounded by hills and desert will always be safe. I went back out to my tent and tried the internet again and while I was not able to upload... I could download and I downloaded an audiobook from iTunes to listen to in my tent and on the road tomorrow.

Day 31 Mile 388-403

Into Juntura

Up and over Drinkwater pass on the way into Juntura. many miles of steep hot mountains and my water pack leaked and got my whole bag soaked. Filtered some more water from a little stream but it was warm... Thats alright Justin always says that room temperature water is better for you anyways;-) Pushed around one last bend and found myself in the most idealic valley of creation. Walked along the little river into a patch of trees where hidden amongst them was the Oasis Cafe. Inside April and Terry were working and having fun visiting with their patrons. I met Brandy and her daughter Corbin. Corbin is a delightful 11 year old who wanted to know all about the walk. Terry is Corbin’s hero and is the Best Cook! Terry and April are working to save money to get to Alaska where Terry will climb Mt. Mckinley or die trying. It is great to see people following their dreams. Terry says that no matter how much money you have, you will always find ways to spend it and end up needing more, so life must be about DOING. Go Do! I want to give a special thanks to the anonymous trail angel who bought my meal! Camped out at the RV site out behind the Oasis.

Day 30 Mile 368-388

Buchanon into the Mountains

Enjoyed browsing Oard’s the only little shop in Buchanon. Got some juice and bean dip for the road and headed out for a 20 mile day. Filtered some water out of Stinkingwater Creek and trekked up and down the mountains. Danced with some wild horses and set up tent under a bridge on the Mulheur River where some cows on the other bank were just fascinated by my presence.

Day 29 Mile 345-368

Burns To Buchanon

No people today... just birds and the Sun. I walked 23 miles today which is the most I’ve done so far. This 23 mile stretch was perfectly straight. It did not shift one inch left or right or up or down. Beautiful day with stunning field of wild flowers and skies and sun on the horizon. When I got to Buchanon the store was already closed up for the night.

Day 28 Mile 340-345

Burns

Woke up real early when Joshua got up to play computer games. Cleaned up and showered and had a wonderful skillet breakfast that Denis fixed. Played Chess with Jerimiah and beat him the first game but I got beat the second time around. Enjoyed visiting with Denis and Alice before finally shoving off to explore burns at around noon. I stopped in at the Simple Food Co., a natural foods store and visited with Dan and Betty who have their own green house and do organics. Met with Kris at the Chamber of commerce. Her daughter wants to climb Everest and is off in Colorado having a blast. Kris directed me over to the Burns Times Herald where I had an interview with Lauren for an article that should come out on Wednesday. Went over to the Safeway to get stocked up for my next few days trek through the desert and mountains of Eastern Oregon. At Safeway I met Chelsea who is excited to be going to London in two weeks to meet for the first time a boyfriend she made over the internet on MySpace. She has been working and saving her money to go meet him and to travel Europe a bit. I was psyched to meet someone who had a dream and was following it. Go live your dream Chelsea! I went for Chinese food in town and really knew I was in small town America when the Chinese restaurant did not have hot and sour or egg flour soup but only had clam chowder:-) I was beat and decided not to push out towards Buchanon today and instead decided to retire early at the Silver Spurs Motel so that I could rest up and make a strong push the next several days.

By the way my official graduation day from USC was today!
I now officially have my MA in International Relations:-)
Its kind of funny that today was the day that I decided to rest and not walk, while the rest of my class was walking.

Day 27 Mile 323-340

Into Burns

Wrapped up camp and filled my water. Visited with other folks who were taking a break from Route 20. Met Brian and Bobby who were from Olympia WA and had rode their Harleys all the way to Mexico for their daughters wedding. Walked the rest of the way into Burns and gave the Koler’s a call. They brought me back to their home. Denis and Alice are actually living in Arizona now but were up here visiting their daughter Jan and their grandkids, Angel, Kati, Jerimiah, Little Angel, and Joshua. Jan her husband and their daughter Angel were away in Portland at the hospital where Angels 15 month old son was at to be treated for burns to his hands. The sweet child will have surgery on Monday and the Walk For Progress community prays for his speedy recovery so that he may return to the joys of babyhood and discoveries. The church in the community provided dinner for the Koler family while Jan was away and when Little Angel asked Grandma Alice why the church was bringing them food she responded that “This is how the people of God show their love for one another.” I jumped on the Trampaline with Little Angel and Joshua and realized that even though I am getting in great shape from the walk that some things still get me winded. Denis and Kati drove me out to Crane which is about 30 miles south of the 20 to see Kati’s school. It is the last remaining public boarding school in the nation. Because Harney County is so spread out and thinly populated, it would be too expensive to bus all the kids in from such long distances so students who are more than 30 miles out get to live in dorms at their school. Kati told me that in Harney County, there are more cows than people by a large margin. The school is great and the dorm environment builds such a sense of community among the kids. I got to hang out with a whole group of them and they all were like family. Sports are really big in Crane and almost all the students are involved in them every term. It is really cool that even in after school hours the kids are engaged in activities and with each other instead of returning to an isolated home and watching TV. The kids are involved in activities in the afternoons and for fun go out and shoot field rodents. In the dorm, the girls are upstairs and the boys downstairs and its lights out at 10 o’clock. Darren, the Patron is there to keep all in order. We headed back to the house and I put my laundry in with Jerimiah’s and chatted for a bit before crashing out on the crash.

Day 26 mile 313-323

Riley to Rest Stop

Spent the day sitting in the Riley Store writing and posting day 21 to 25 to the website for you folks:-) Chatted some with Dale and Pat and watched as people streamed in and out of this little stop over in the desert. A couple of old timers stopped by to play cribbage with Dale and they just had a hoot of a time. Dale from the looks of it skunked them... but I dont know the first thing about cribbage. At around five o’clock I realized that the internet connection just wasn’t strong enough to upload all the videos from day 22 so I hit the road to get a bit of the way towards Burns so that tomorrows trek wouldn’t be a crazy 27 miles. I headed out towards a rest stop that I knew was 10 miles up and that I could make by dark. Just as I was coming to the Rest Area, a truck pulled up and in it were more trail angels! Denis and Alice Kendal and their grandson Jerimiah Kolar had brought me dinner on the road! Another of their grandchildren, Angel Kolar, had seen me in Hampton the day before and had told her grandparents about me and they were kind enough to make the trip from Burns to meet me and feed me. They told me that they pray everyday for an opportunity to do Gods work and they never pass by an opportunity... and today I was it! When I asked God to bless them, Denis said “he does everyday”... “The best thing that has happened to me aside from my salvation has been to marry Mama (Alice)”. We exchanged information and they invited me to their home when I reached Burns the next day. I set up camp and then ate supper in my tent.

Day 25 Mile 296-313

High Desert into Riley

Another parched and dry day. I had shin pain... I think they call it Shin Splints and took some Asprin to keep pushing. I had plenty of water which made all the difference. I continued on my moving meditation. Now the third day without cell service. From out here in the desert, I can reach out telepathically it seems and I call out to Sheava, my folks, and all my beloved friends and family.

Right when I am coming into Riley, My friends Larry and Susan from Brothers pull up in their son Matt’s rig with a bull in the trailer. They invite me to join them for dinner in Burns where they are going to sell the Bull. I hop in and I get a sneak peak at what is up ahead of me on my journey. We pull up next to another rig and trailer in Burns and We meet Lucas and his son Jayce. We put the two trailers back to back and opened there doors and the bull just walked from one to the other. Then Larry, Susan and Lucas filled out the forms for the sale of a registered bull and all was done. We then went over the Big R’s hardware, ranching, and department store where Larry bought some plumbing fixtures. Then we went over to the Meat Hook Steakhouse for a great home-style dinner. Larry and Susan were so warm and generous to me on both occasions that we met. They told me stories about when they met, about how Susan cooks the best dutch oven Thanksgiving Turkey, about Larry’s time in the service in Mississippi during the civil rights movement, and about how Smart, tough and dedicated their Border Collie is. I really enjoyed my meal of short ribs and again Larry and Susan were wonderful company. Susan told me about a Best Selling book about a guy who walked just a quarter of the Apalachian trail. I’m getting excited about the prospect of putting WFP into book form... let me know if anyone knows how to go about getting a book deal:-) Larry and Susan dropped me back off in Riley where I set up camp and tried to sleep through the intense downpour of rail and wind.

Again... Many thanks and Blessings to Larry and Susan.

Day 24 Mile 278-296

High Desert

All day long walking and only two human interactions both Oregon Department of Transportation guys. I chatted with a man out spray-painting markers for an upcoming road work project on Route 20 and I met DeeMcGee who gave me a gallon of water and let me camp out over the ridge behind the ODOT gravel grinding facility. I set off from Hampton with my two liter camel pack full and two twenty ounce bottle of water on me. By today I had drank one of the bottles and as I walked I wanted to drink everything I had but I had to ration. It was eighty-five degrees out, dry as a bone with direct sun all day long. At this high an elevation the air is thin and dry and I was parched and my lips were cracking. I wanted to drink to my hearts content but I forced myself to just take small sips so that I would have enough for the next day to get me through to Riley. I was doing alright and had it planned out just right to get me through... but I had two lucky breaks. First I came across a cow pond which I could use my filter to pull out water, and then I met DeeMcGee who was generous enough to give me one of his six gallons of water that were going to last him for the week. It was his first day at this job site and I got to chat with him for a while before I went over the ridge to camp out for the night. He had gone off when he was 23 for adventure and had been out to Alaska for fishing. After a long day of rationing, I drank as much as I could, filled up for tomorrow and still had some left over. The desert was stunning today and I spent a good stretch listening to my iPod just dancing down the road... seriously, I was dancing:-)

Day 23 Mile 251-278

Desert Creek Ranch - Hampton

Slept so well and comfortable and didn’t want to get up... but when I heard that Graham was already up I figured I should get a move on. I got up and showered and was treated to a real ranchers breakfast of country scramble, bacon, and sausage. We all sat down and watched a DVD of John Grant’s group and got to see the fiddle player who was not able to make it out for the party. We took some group photos and shared stories through out the morning. Lavonne gave me a wonderful summer sausage to carry me through my next several days on the road. Donny offered to take me out to ride fences and look at the cows. We drove all the way up to the top of Hampton butte at 5900 feet elevation and could see out over the entire ranch and desert. Walking through it you would never know how much life is in the desert, but from up high you can see the many oasis hidden out among the canyons and hills. many of the wells up here are drilled down to 900 feet or more to find water but there are other spots were natural springs bubble up in the desert. The Ranchers must manage their cattle so as to ensure that water is available for them throughout the year. they are rotated from range to range and each has its own water ponds and holding tanks. On our ride we came across two old homesteads from the early 1910’s and 20’s. Even today the Ranchers go into town (Bend or Burns) only maybe once a month, but back in the homestead days they would only venture out maybe twice a year and would have to temper the harsh desert climes and find water and store food for Winter and Summer. We came across an old windmill that was used to pull up water from the well. The stories of the Ranching legacy bring you to the realization of man’s determination and strength. Donny is the Rancher incarnate and was such a gracious gentleman to share his lifestyle with me. Him and Bill and Graham, Left me on a trail on BLM (Bureau of land Management) lands several miles outside of Hampton and I pushed through the desert and enjoyed viewing several herd of deer probably 20 fold. Came into Hampton and went in to eat at the Lamplight Cafe. The sign says the best food in town... Its the only food in town (the only building in town) but the sign would be accurate even if you were to drop it in the middle of any town. Daniel and Kathryn run a great spot here and have a beautiful family. I hung out for a while and stocked up on water knowing I had over 40 miles of hot desert ahead before the next sign of civilization. I continued another 6 miles out of town and camped out with the sage brush.

Day 22 Mile 242-251

Brothers

I woke up this morning being very hot as my tent trapped the direct sun within it. A drastic shift from the blizzard of the night before. Todays heat and dry brought the deserts truth. The dried up river bed told a story of a lush landscape and like the song “A Horse With No Name” I too was sad that it was dead, but the Human spirit thrives in any clime as I would learn form my encounter later in the day with the folks of Brothers. On the short nine miles in from my camp under a tree on the way into Brothers, I found an orb that shows me the world and sings to me with a rhythm that always matches my pace. Up here in the high desert, the air is so clear and the horizon so vast on all sides that when a jet flies across the sky, the jet stream goes from one horizon to the other. I stopped in at the only establishment in Brothers run by Jerrie and Dixie Hanna, two sisters that keep the town fed, gassed, and posted. According to Jerrie there are just 22 active mail boxes in Brothers. At the counter when I came in were Carol and James. James who is engaged to be married if his fiancé doesn’t shoot him first was there helping Jerrie and Dixie set up for the Cinco de Meyo Party that would take place at the Brothers Stage Shop starting at 5:30. James had grown up out here in brothers and was like family with all the folks around. We joked that he was the VP of public relations for Brothers and then he was promoted to President when nobody else wanted the job. Carol is an archaeologist and rancher. She scours the High desert for days at a time searching for human artifacts and remains. There are native artifacts, wall paintings, projectile points etc. throughout the desert. She was the first of many to explain to me how the ranchers up here are one with their environment and how they have a symbiotic relationship with the desert. These are open Range Ranchers that move cattle over hundreds of thousands of acres to ensure that they don’t overgraze any particular range. Up here in the High Desert it takes 40 acres of the best land to raise a single head of cattle. I was in town in the early afternoon but decided to stay around until evening for the party that was sure to bring over 60 guests. I’m sure glad I stayed because I ended up visiting with the most decent folks on this here good Earth. John Grant, a strong framed-man with a kind face and a western mustache was the first to offer an invitation for the evening. He was the lead of John Grant and the Western Revue the group that would be providing music for us this evening. He was going to be staying with his good friend Donny Brown who ran the Desert Creek Ranch and whom I would learn is the most respected and decent of ranchers. I was so fortunate to have accepted his offer. Set-up for the party started at 3:30 when Jerrie and Dixie closed the cafe early and started getting the tables moved around and the drinks ready. I stepped out on to the front step and opened up the laptop to try and find signal. While I was walking around with the laptop to the sky a couple from Sweet Home who had read the article about me pulled up outside the Stage Shop and recognized me. They were out driving the desert and exploring the route in preperation for when they will ride bikes coast to coast along US 20 this summer. Doug Robin and Donna Short will of course make much better time than I do and perhaps I will meet up with them as they pass me in Nebraska this coming July. Once the party got started I visited with Larry and Susan Fildes who run an 11,000 acre ranch called Sunrise Valley Ranch. They have horses and cattle and also run it as a vacation destination where you can bring your own horses and experience the Ranchers existence out on the range driving cattle and riding fences. They supplied me up with peanut trail bars and invited me out to visit on the Ranch when I come back through next fall. I walked out with them to their truck to say farewell and on my way back in, the Congressman drove up to get gas. Greg Walden who is the Congressman for the Second District which I will be walking through till I leave Oregon came in when he saw the crowd and visited for a while and let anyone bend his ear who had something to say. He made sure to shake every hand in the place and he seemed to have a real grasp on the issues that were facing his constituents. He listened to the problems of some of the community members and chatted with others about ranching and environmental issues and legislation. Some of the Ranchers out here see him as about the only friend in government they have left. He seemed to be well liked and popular. I got to visit with him and told him about my walk across his state. I asked him about being a congressman and about staying in touch with the people and having the time and patience to listen to anyone who wished to speak. Seeing him come in and chat with people I kind of feel like WFP is doing something similar... I go in, listen, shake hands, make friends, and try and gain as much of an understanding as possible. Thanks Greg for listening and I would love to hear from you and discuss some of my insights into the State of Oregon if you would like! Back to the party... The potluck food was great and of course since it was Cinco de Meyo it was an all Mexican feast. the festivities really took hold and folks were dancing and mingling. I visited with Gary Cutsforth for a while and he and his wife, Dorthy, had been married 60 years. Gary had been a truck driver before he decided to retire. They had moved to Brothers to join in with a community of real kind and decent people. The first time they met their new neighbors, they were welcomed as part of the family... they were told where the keys to all the vehicle were, invited to come into the house to use the phone anytime, the doors to places up here are kept unlocked, and everyone is kind, decent and trustworthy. They have really enjoyed living amongst the Ranchers. I got to visit with Bill MacDonald who was up here visiting from Sisters and who had known John Grant and many of the Ranchers for many years. He and his son Graham came up for these parties whenever they could. Graham is going to build and airplane this summer and wants to be a pilot like his dad. Graham and his dad have come up to the high desert often to find arrow heads and and to find obsidian glass to make their own. Graham made friends with another boy who was up at the party with his dad. The other boy was named Tanner and was a very lively social boy who got to dance with all the older ladies. Asked if he would want to go to outer-space, he said “heck no... I wouldn’t want to die up there!” I finally got to meet Donny Brown. He was not a tall man but he was surely the strongest and he had a determination in his eyes tempered by a kind joy. He has been Ranching on Desert Creek Ranch for 30 years. At its peak, he would range between 2,000 and 3,000 cattle on the 120,000 acre ranch. He had been out branding calves and giving them their vaccinations in the early part of the day. It was a light day as far as branding goes with only 19 calves to brand. Most of the calves had fallen last month and most of the branding and work was already done. They now have over 900 cattle and 800 calves. In this day and age they use video to sell their cattle so they can be sure of their sales before they go transporting hundreds of cows hundreds of miles to auction. Donny is more than just a rancher... he is also the best dancer I’ve ever seen. He and his wife Lavonne danced quicker and finer than I thought possible. Another sweet gal, Tommay, was up and about getting folks to dance and dancing with the kids too. Tommay and her husband could tear it up as well. I had avoided the dance floor until Joanne, came up and asked me to join her for a dance. The songs I was dancing too just happened to be Elvis country love songs to which I knew all the words... and I sang to her as we danced. She was the sweetest and most frail lady I have known and she danced beautifully. This was my most fun Cinco de Meyo party ever... I have never known a bunch of people to be a kind and true as the folk I met in Brothers. When John and his group finished playing the party started to wind down. I hopped in with John to go out to the Desert Creek Ranch. We chatted back at the ranch house for a while with Donny and Lavonne, and Bill MacDonald and his son Graham who had also come out to Donny’s place. We talked elk antlers, and Z-coil shoes. I had a wonderful warm bed for the night. What a day! Thank you Donny, Lavonne, John, Bill, Jerrie, Dixie, Larry and Susan!

Day 21 Mile 222-242

High Desert

Walking through the high desert now at around 4,000 feet. The wind has brought very shifty weather. For a long time the only patch of sunshine paced me on the 20 and when I got into a patch of high winds and snow, I just stopped for lunch and let the patch of sun catch up with me so I could walk with it for a while. Enjoyed my corn chips and Avocado and some dark chocolate with espresso chips! Pushed into Milican which is a closed down store... has been for many years now. My next resupply is Brothers which I will get to tomorrow in the early afternoon. Did 20 miles today and set up camp behind a tree out with the cows. At around 8:00 it became real blizzard like outside... I had to stake down my tent and it was really blowing and snowin’.

Day 20 Mile 209-222

Bend into the High Desert

Up and showered and out to the 20! Walking out of town I ate at the Breakfast Club and chatted with some folk. Knowing that I have 45 miles to the next mark of civilization in Brothers, I drank plenty of water, filled up my 2 liter camel pack and bought two 1 liter arrowhead waters to carry along too. Pushed out of town and saw a baby tornado twisting along the road. about 5 miles out I landed in the middle of a blizzard! Hail and wind like crazy and I got my rain gear on and tredged forward. I wanted to do over 20 miles today, but with the weather and the late start I only made 13. I’m up in the high desert and camped under a pine tree in a nice patch here. The temperature will drop very low tonight but I’m all warm and good in my tent and sleeping bag. I am downloading an audiobook from itunes right now and will listen to it on my ipod tonight... The future is happening now and its just too cool:-)