Shopping!

Day 291 – Klamath Falls, USA

I may have had in mind to walk today, but the cold quickly convinced me to seek warmer clothing.

Yesterday evening I went out long enough to get a sleeveless fleece, but today I wanted pants.

I ended up in a farm and ranch equipment store, which had an amazing supply of farm clothing and especially of denims of all size possible. I almost found my heart’s wish in the women’s department, alas they are not as tall as I am there and were short on leg!

But the men’s yielded an amazingly thick, unwashed, delightfully long denim, so stiff yet that it could probably stand by itself. I’m hoping that a few wash cycles will make it possible to sit in it.

In the meantime, walking with it was a lot more enjoyable.

I also met probably most of the bus drivers of the town, as I took repeatedly buses from the two lines that go from my motel to the shopping centre -and the OC & E Woods Line State Trail that runs behind. The same bus lines cross the trail further on at different points, so I walked as far as I wanted, keeping an eye on the schedule (with one bus per hour, missing one makes for a long wait!), and getting on for the way back. I really made my day ticket work for me.

The OC & E Woods Line State Trail (see above a bridge above the river) is a former train line that has been converted into a trail that is now a very long -and narrow!- national park. It runs something like 120 miles, so a bit much to walk in one day. Still, I enjoyed my walk.

My next day in a few words: my train was supposed to leave for Seattle at 8:17 am, but having woken up at 4 am (din’t ask me why), I checked my emails to see a notification that the train was two hours late. So I was happy to push my alarm back, and went back to sleep!

Apart from the lateness, the train ride was uneventful. The conductor kept making jokes -nice-, the train attendant called me ‘honey’, and I was comfortable, having sprung for business class tickets -more legroom, an attendant looking after my comfort, a free bottle of water and a voucher for the dining car and coffee cart.

Arriving in Seattle at 10pm instead of 7:30 has its own challenges, but I found the bus stop, convinced the bus that didn’t want to stop to tale me aboard, had the correct fare, and arrived at my hostel! So I’m now in a new state, Washington.