Madras Oregon

While watching football at The Stag, I began talking to a nice 61-year-old woman named Kathy. She told me about her son Michael, who has traveled all over the world in a manner similar to my travels. Kathy gave me $10 to buy myself dinner and she eventually bought me a beer. Later she bought me another beer and I called my mom so Kathy could talk to her. After talking to my mom, Kathy decided she would adopt me for the night. We left the bar at about 5:30. Upon arriving at Kathy's house, I met her husband Frank. Surprise! The adult beverages kept flowing until Kathy and Frank were both pretty goofy. Sometime before they went to bed, Kathy dug up an unused sleeping bag for me, which she acquired with Marlboro Miles, as well as a small butane camping stove. I don't know the temperature rating of the sleeping bag, but I'm sure it will perform much better than my fleece sleeping bag. My
backpack just keeps getting heavier; it is surely over 60 lbs now. I need to send some things home ASAP.

Hail to the victors!

After several miles of walking Friday, a guy named Geneo ("Gino") pulled up behind me and offered me a ride to Redmond. In Redmond, while resting at a coffee house, I conversed with a man named Jerry. He asked me if I know some dude named Jesus. I said no, so he offered to buy me a bible. I told him it wasn't necessary because I have good reasons for choosing not to subscribe to that way of thinking and because it would just be more weight in an already-very-heavy backpack. Not a pushy man, Jerry seemed to accept my answer. Shortly after we both left, Jerry pulled up beside me and handed me a brand new bible. Yesterday, several miles north of Redmond, three "Rainbow kids" in an old minivan stopped and gave me a ride to Madras. I bought some food at Safeway then realized I'd like to watch some college football, so I found a bar and asked the bartender if it was OK if I hung out and
watched some football. Having spoken to my mom, I already knew Michigan lost to Appalachian State. (Haha.)