Hello Everyone,

Here I am at Camp 5, about three miles north of Chemult, right at the junction of NFD 94 (National Forest road). I had an interesting day and trekked 16.08 miles today.

I actually woke to the sun shinning in my tent this morning, an usual thing since there has been so much rain. It was still in the thirties and was happy thinking the sun shine was a good sign of things to come today.

I woke up with the thought of food on my mind and that restaurant with real food just beyond the trees. I hurriedly packed everything up and decided to skip my usual hot breakfast of multi grain oatmeal, raisins, and powdered milk (extra protein), for some fresh fruit, eggs, toast, juice, and whatever I could stuff in my mouth. Oh, my stomach was growling.

So down the road I go happy as a jay and waving to all my courteous trucker friends. And within one mile I spot it, the Diamond Junction Cafe! Wow, why didn’t I just go a bit further last night? I could have had a real dinner and probably a warm welcome and a nice conversation with the proprietor.

I only see one car in the parking lot, and my stomach is growling louder, and I hope it is open. I don’t see a ramp and pull, I actually ran, the Whellie up the steps (this is Oregon, not California where handicap ramps are required). I open the door and step in and immediately notice the smell of cooked food. Wow! I also noticed there wasn’t a soul in the place but it does look fairly warm. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, an angry man came hurriedly from out of the back and yells, “hey, you can’t bring that thing in here, there’s no room in here for it!”

I was stunned and speechless for a second, as I glanced around at all the empty tables and open wall spaces, and then I heard them, the sound of crickets. How about all that space against the walls or at the end of the tables, I asked? “We get real busy here this time of day, and there won’t be any room for that thing!” I was a little shocked as I look around at the empty ten to fifteen tables and the empty parking lot, and of course I heard them again, the crickets.

Thanks for the Oregon hospitality, as I turned and walked out the door, without closing it of course. As I was pulling the Wheelie through he actually walked outside and said, “sorry, but there is just no room for that thing in here!”

I notice a For Sale sign on the property and it’s probably because he gets no business. Maybe I looked like a homeless guy? Wait, I shaved this morning so I don’t look that bad. Besides he should be use to tourists, bicyclists, hikers, etc, since Crater Lake is just down the road. Oh well, break out the protein bars.

It warmed up to the high sixties and for the first time on the trek I had to take off my wool bottoms. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and I almost wished that it was at least a bit cloudy. But as my friend in Oregon said, if you don’t like the weather, just wait ten minutes and it will change. Sure enough, after almost the whole day of sunshine (solar charger working overtime), the black clouds rolled in. Then there was the sound of thunder and lightning, and then the rain!

But it was like a few days before, should I put on my rain gear, run and hide under a tree (hope no lightning strikes me)? Luckily it only rain a little and those few darts under the tree kept me fairly dry.

I reached Chemult and I was hoping there would be a place to eat since my stomach was still growling because of that teaser in the morning. Nice little town and there was a large Pilot gas station with a market and Subway. One sub for here and one to go, and put lots of green stuff on it! Oh yes, load up on some of those apples from the store too. I miss fresh fruit and veggies, organic or not.

It looked like every young girl in town must working there. I didn’t notice any men. News that a person pulling a strange thing must have spread in the store as several workers came to gawk and talk with me. Nice group of employees,  and I wanted to tell them they could probably use their friendliness at the Diamond Junction Cafe.

Happy that I didn’t have to slave over a hot stove and eat freeze dried food tonight, I decided to trek a little longer. A few miles north of town I noticed the black clouds rolling in and decided to set up camp before I hit the rain again, so here I am.

Tomorrow I will hit Highway 58, which will take me over the Cascades and the 96 miles to Eugene. I hope that I don’t hit more rain, and even worse, snow. It’s about fifty degrees now and maybe it will stay warm?

Hopefully I’ll update my blog tomorrow and have cell service to send it out? Keep those positive thoughts and prayers going my way. Excuse the typos, spelling, etc.

Ted