Bend to Portland

The Road Behind Me

BEND TO PORTLAND
Traversed two mountain passes. 
The full route started and ended with warm sunny days, but sandwiched in the middle with hail, sleet and snow.
My amazing friends in Bend picked me up and drove me out the next morning where I left off so I could walk freely without my cart.
Some friends walked with me the first few days. (Thank you to those walked through the initial "fire" with me!)
Camp was dry for two days and rained the rest, I'm growing webbed feet.

Discoveries!

When I can't walk anymore, I can still dance.


What keeps me moving forward is the conviction of my calling- especially in the moments I want to quit.

I'm enjoying not carrying a mirror.  I go days without seeing myself and feel more confident.


Ostriches don't bury their heads in the sand, they would suffocate. 

Highlights

Article 1.

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Testing out the first phase of Athena with my Godson and KooKoo Bear in tow. (Thank you Chris Daane!)

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The chaos during packing, prepping, sorting and organizing.

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I didn't take the first steps alone. Pete and Elyse support me throughout the first 7 miles.

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The freedom of walking without my cart. Friends picked me up at night and drove me back in the morning.

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Break on the first day. Quickly learned dipping my feet in cold water would get me ache-free another few miles.

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Becky treated me to a foot rub after my first day of walking. She also served me a warm home-cooked meal and walked with me the next day. 

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Unexpected snow.

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Plan B.

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A chilly but beautiful overlook on a break.

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Moving forward.

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Some surprise gifts on the road. Thank you Becky. Bacon!!!

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Dalene from Bluebird Coffee made sure I had hot tea and fueled by a homemade cookie.

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The Sun pays a visit.

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Breitenbush coastal afternoon.

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An evening in the tent.  Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird educates me at sunset.

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A foot rinse to get another few miles in.

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Oregon view

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Another surprise snowy pass.

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Leif helps me do laundry.

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Bella visits me in my dewy home.

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Mama Chelsea walks with me for a day.

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Bend crew and I part ways. With no waterproof shoes I tried plastic bags. 

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My new shoes. Still sticking to the Virbram but need some intermittent shoes. (Josh + Elyse- the gel insole on the side of the road DID mean something!)

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Ryan tests out Athena before I fly to Australia.

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Chelsea and Kellie know how good Cheese puffs taste after a day of walking.

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Lunch with Jensine and Ellie from World Pulse. So thrilled to be partnered with them for a year.

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A short note of appreciation to Lisa Ann McCall -for your support in helping me find ways to enjoy my walk and keep my Vibram five-fingers!
Janine, Deb and Iris- for offering a place to stay, a warm meal and good conversations.
Elyse, Chelsea,  Josh, Matt, Kellie, Ryan, Shireen and Leah for making it out to Breitenbush for a hot soak and a song-filled evening. Your energy kept me going.

And thank you to those who have donated already in just the first month. I'm able to send $100 to World Pulse. 

The Road Ahead of Me

I'm headed into the most desolate part of my walk. Few people and fewer stores to restock on food and water. 
There's limited internet access but I will keep my eye open for a way to communicate with you!

Thanks for being on the journey with me.