Know when to walk away, know when to run.

Today I gambled and lost. The guidebook talked about a choice between catching a ride across the Umpqua River with a sport fisherman or taking an extended road walk. The road part would have been three point three miles on dirt followed by eight and a half miles on Highway 101. I was having a good time walking along the beach in good weather and decided to go for the jetty. When I reached the Sandy Beach mentioned in the book there wasn't a boat in sight. I decided it wasn't worth waiting around and didnt see any other way so turned back, resulting in a total lost bet of 12 miles, 6 each way. The good news is I only had to walk about a mile up the road until I got cell service and called the taxi who came all the way out there in the woods to pick me up. Actually it wasn't a taxi it was the taxi drivers husband and his beat up old pick up. His wife didn't want to drive her nice taxi out the rough road. He took me all the way to a store on the waterfront in Winchester Bay and it was the best $25 I've ever spent.  And, while I was waiting on him I was able to take a dip and clothes rinse in what I think was tachenitch Creek. It felt so good to get rid of all the sweat and beach salt on this 80 degree day. The water was clear, flowing, and tannin colored with a nice Sandy Bottom.  I had been running low on water before I got the pickup and when he let me off at that store I had two chocolate milks in a row. And I'm still sucking down the water here late this afternoon.  Total days mileage was about 19 not including the car ride. Tonight I'm stealth camping at a Douglas County Park just south of Winchester Bay. There has been Super Beach Dew the past two mornings and I've had to dry my tent fly off each afternoon, as I'm doing now. I found a site this afternoon under tree branches which I hope will shield me from all that wet.  The weather is to turn tomorrow and I'm not sure I'll have sun for any drying time.  I used to say I never get blisters but I've never walked in wet shoes for so long either.  I'm nursing ones on my right foot now. One is

My taxi driver, a former local tow truck guy.

Where I am tonight.

on the big toe and one's on a little toe.  No pain and I haven't even tried to Lance them yet.