Wally World

As hard as it was getting to Sisters the easier it was leaving. It was a little cold but the sun was shinning and I had a ten to fifteen knot tailwind. Life was good. It was as if the the good Lord looked down and said, you poor dumb young'un I am going to cut you a break. I had level ground almost all the way and with the tailwind I made good time to Ochoco Reservoir about eight miles east of Prineville. I stopped at the state run campground and was met by Wally. Wally and his wife of 59 years run the park through the summer. He said I was the eighth person to come through so far this year. He also informed me the grocery store across the street had been closed two years. (I really need to look at those Transamerica errata sheets) I was bummed because I planned to load up there for the ride up Ochoco Pass.Wally came to the rescue! It seems Mrs Wally wanted Chinese takeout for dinner and Wally was heading into town and asked if I wanted to ride along. Wally is 74 and he and his wife live in an RV. When not tending to the campground they park at his granddaughter's and helps with the great grand kids. Since I was the only one in the park he gave me the primo spot. I think even Marty could catch a trout out of that lake. Beautiful setting with the mountains as a backdrop. And sometime during the night I thought I heard an Elk bellow from across the lake. Of course it could have been the burrito I had in Prineville. It was a little cold during the night and frost was on the ground this morning. I hurriedly packed got extra water and hit the road. No tailwind but another beautiful day. From the campsite to the pass it's 24 miles with a climb. But this climb was a slow uphill grade and only getting steep the last couple of miles. Along the way I noticed how dramatic the difference East and West Oregon really are. East Oregon gets about 60 inches of rain a year. (I think most of it fell on me) but West Oregon only gets about 10. Much more arid, almost desert like, sagebrush and all. East Oregon also has llamas, Eve. After the climb I was rewarded again with another six mile screaming dive to the valley below. After the descent, again, I was struck with the beauty and majesty of the Oregon mountains. Yesterday and today reaffirmed my reason for starting this journey. Two miles west of Mitchell I started back uphill. And when I leave the Oregon Hotel, I immediately have Keyes Creek Pass to climb. Now, I know that Real Man wouldn't, but, I am taking tomorrow off. There's less than 200 people in Mitchell and I am going to see how many I can meet.