June 16 Halfway, Oregon 55 miles 5:16 riding

We pedaled through Richland. There's little I can add to the picture. The Grange was holding a fundraiser picnic for the volunteer fire department - cheeseburgers and strawberry shortcake while local talent performed.

1100-foot climb, all in the sun, with some headwind, before a welcome descent into Halfway. (The spot was in the middle of the railroad line bringing ore down from the mine so they named it . . .) What a wholesome place! The name and picture of each member of the senior class at the highschool is proudly displayed on a lightpost. A storefront holds the photos of all of the community members serving in the military. The storefront is next door to the funeral parlor. For another contrast, I spoke with a man whose bumper sticker read, "Is it right for a vet to sleep in a cardboard box while a draftdodger sleeps in the White House?" while a few days ago I passed a sign advising that the community is a "UN-free zone".

Speaking of homelessness, we have developed more sympathy for the truly homeless pushing their basket of meager possessions. Since we are now living out of the equivalent of a couple of shopping bags, we are constantly picking up extra napkins and anything else that seems like it might be useful. I scavenged a clothespin at one campground that we use to dry socks.

Old friends George and Lynette live in Halfway. They fed us pancakes, muesli, eggs, and porkchops in the morning.