DAY 90, Jul.26,Sat., 30.5 miles as of 4pm: TOTAL MILES 1,920

Yeah - cell service and a sucessful call to my baby. I am at Highway 58 near Willametta Pass. Had a huge surprise today - snow and higher elevations than I was expecting. The data book I'm using didn't prepare me for the 7,000+ climb today and I walked on snow for about 6 miles. It's been slow going compared to the 30 miler days. It has been a long time since I have taken a complete zero day so I am planning one in Bend, OR. That will be just 50 miles this side of the 2,000 mile mark. Wow, I've been hiking for 90 days - it just doesn't seem possible.

This past 25 miles has been certainly awesome. This section takes me through Mount Thielsen Wilderness, Emigrant Pass and Diamond Peak Wilderness. I hiked right over the top of Diamond Peak. I'll post photos next week.

Shirley tells me that the ladies at New Bethel Assembly of God, my church home in Louisville, KY, have begun to fill up a HUGE jar with donations to support the Home of the Innocents. They have also distributed plastic bottles labeled "KY Greybeard's Home of the Innocent Fund Raiser Walk" to the church youth department for the kids to participate. Thank you New Bethel ladies!

After eating two mega-double cheeseburgers, fries and a cold Coke, I hiked on another 6 miles or so to find a good campsite. The pass was a good place to stop and take a break but the climb out looked to be snowy so I decided to keep walking. My coordinates for the night are: 43 deg. 40'015" N, 121 deg. 59'247" W.

There is no respite from these mosquitos. They are brutal and total unforgiving. I will defintely purchase some Deet in Bend, OR - my next stop.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 89, Jul.25,Fri.,31.2 miles: TOTAL 1889.9 TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY

I must have walked into "mosquitoville" Oregon. The data book describes a stagnant pool. That's probably where the swarm lives. The bloodsuckers are so bad I literally had to put on long pants and my long-sleeved shirt in order to even set up my tent. Then I just dove into the tent as fast as I could. Even then at least 100 mosquitoes followed me inside. It took several minutes to kill all of them. I've run out of Deet and haven't been able to purchase any at any of the camp supply stops. Coordinates for the evening and my rescue from the mosquitos outside are: 43 deg 26'055" N, 122 deg. 06'047" W.

Well, enough complaining. I am two-thirds of the way to Canada. Soon I will reach another milestone - the 2000 mile mark. So far, Oregon lends itself to big mileage days and breath-taking views.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard