There is No Place Like Home

Wow.  381 miles from Baker City to Lake Oswego.  So many miles, so many smiles, so many new friends it was great to come home to some old friends and neighbors.  Thanks to the entire crew for supporting me.  I can hardly wait until Tuesday for our walk to Portland.

We had a wonderful wet walk through the Willamette Valley today.  It was only fitting that we got soaked as we walked the final miles to our home.  It illustrated the diversity of our state.  We started in 100 degree heat in Baker City and ended up in a 60 degree cool mist in the Willamette Valley.  They represent the diversity we found in our state.

Can it be a Ferry?  Yes, it Canby!

When we first laid out our course, we realized that taking the Canby ferry would save us several miles.  The only question was none of us had ever been on it.  Turns out we were really missing a great time.  The ferry is fun, efficient and entertaining.  Our captain was very helpful and although the ride was short, it was quite enjoyable.  Highly recommended.  The kids would love it.  And it is electric.  How cool is that?

Canby Dahlia Festival

We quite literally stumbled on the Canby Dahlia Festival.  The fields of flowers were beautiful.  We didn't realize that we were going to see something like this and it was a special treat.  It sounds cliche but it really brightened our day.

The Home Stretch

With only a handful of miles left I am overwhelmed by what the team has accomplished.  I could not have ever done this without their support.  They always were there to encourage, support and to lend me a hand if I needed it.  They kicked me when I needed it.  Kept me on schedule and gave me constructive feedback on my speeches.  AJ, Ryan, Lauren, Daniel, Amos, Jackie, Rick and Terri.  Thank you so much for turning a figment of imagination into one of the most important and interesting months of my life. 

Also a special note of thanks to everyone who came out to walk with us.  There are too many to list here.  You know who you are and your dedication and support kept us going.  Every one of you brought us new energy and spirit.  We could not have done it without your optimism and drive.  Thank you!

One blog left.  See you all Tuesday.

Walk Update

225 miles done and 175 miles to go.  I thought in honor of my family history of "Ford Men" (grandfather, father and me) that the above picture was appropriate.  In one picture we have a classic Ford from the heyday of the company that has worn over the years, bullet holes in the windshield and all.  What has happened to the American auto industry is sad but is also predictable.  When I worked for Ford, they told us to design for cost and to make it so easy to assemble that a monkey could do it.  Imagine how dehumanizing it is to have your job made more mind numbing every year, literally by design.  It is no wonder that companies that did not design for performance, economy, quality or total ownership experience ended up where they did.

Today was a day off and my left foot is very thankful.  I have taken to hitting it with every foot medication in Debbie's magic first aid box and developing some pretty exotic taping techniques.  All in all, after 225 miles to have one localized small issue is not bad at all.  I will take it.

Our Posse

Saturday was the Portland walk day.  As you can see our group was quite robust.  Our ranks rose and fell throughout the day as people joined us to walk a few miles and talk about our state. 

The picture on the left includes (left to right); Kelly (AJ's fiancee), Jackie (our office manager), Chris (friend from Pixelworks), Luke (Jackie's boyfriend and big fan of miniature horses), Jamieson (Tiffany's boyfriend) and AJ.

The picture on the right is (left to right); Jamieson, Tiffany (campaign development and resident food critic), Chris, Luke, me, AJ, Jackie and Kelly.

Close Encounters of an Unusual Kind

The picture on the right is not as unusual as you might think.  When we got over 100,000 votes in Multnomah county we set a record for gross votes for any Republican candidate, in any election, ever.  There had to be many folks who voted for President Obama and for me.  I am grateful for those who are willing to openly support us cross party lines.  Thank you.

A Very Special Book

I found this Bible along the side of the road between Redmond and Sisters.  I have no idea why it was there or why on earth I found it but it appears to be a very special Bible.  It belongs to Jessica Marie Chandler.  It is bound in light green leather and embossed with Jessica's name in gold on the cover.  Inside it says it was presented to Jessica Marie Chandler by "me", dated Jul 31 2009.  If anyone has an idea of who owns the bible please let us know and we will get it returned to Jessica.

Old Friends and New Friends

Genc and Nilgun Emre (on the left) are the folks who built our house in 1996.  Really Debbie and Nilgun built the house and Genc and I just used to pretend that we had something to do with it.  Nilgun designed the house and was the general contractor.  Through the process they became great friends.  I am so flattered and pleased to have them come out and join us on the walk. 

That is Roger and me at the High Desert Museum annual Rendezvous.  Roger has an amazing family of super folks including his wife Karen and their incredibly bright and engaging children.  Roger shared a story with me about his mother collecting "junk" American Indian beads and other clothing in the 1950's.  He said his mom used to take him to buy these artifacts that at the time, seemed only to be valuable to his mother.  To make a long story short, it is now one of the best collections of Native American art and artistry and it is the cornerstone exhibit at the High Desert Museum.  We has a great night and it was a welcome diversion from my usual routine.

Momentum Builds - The Honk-o-meter Pegs

With the great media coverage we have had in Central Oregon the spontaneous horn honks and drop-in walkers is dramatically on the rise.  Above is just a sample of the people who stopped by, brought water, cookies and well wishes.  It is so gratifying to hear from you and see you on the trail.  Please do not hesitate to stop by and say hello.

Thanks to Long Hollow Ranch

Our stay at Long Hollow Ranch is over but we had a great time courtesy of Dick and Shirley.  Their ranch was stunning and a great change of pace.  I only wish we could have spent more time there.  Many thanks to our hosts.

Sisters Motor Lodge Motel

Our new location is the Sisters Motor Lodge Motel on the outskirts of Sisters.  The rooms are really nice and Mary takes excellent care of us.  I am amazed at how the community has adopted us everywhere we go.  It just reinforces how wonderful our state is.  I had posted a picture of my room to give you an indication of how aggressive the trip is but I decided that Mary's rooms deserve much more.  It looks like Radio Shack and Wallgreens exploded and believe me it is not pretty.

Tomorrow is a pretty easy day with the Santiam Pass lurking in my future.  Wish us luck bringing Oregon together one step at a time.