After Travelling North And Passing Through The ZMM Narrator’s “Rocky Gorges”, We Look Back South, And See That The John Day River Has Carved This Very Narrow Deep Cut In Solid Volcanic Lava.
….This Cut Is Called “The Picture Gorge”, And The Black Lava Is Called “The Picture Gorge Basalts”.

[ “The desert road winds through rocky gorges “ ] “ and hills. This is the driest country yet.
.... I want to talk now about truth traps and muscle traps and then stop this Chautauqua for today.
.... Truth traps are concerned with data that are apprehended and are within the boxcars of the train. For the most part these data are properly handled by conventional dualistic logic and the scientific method talked about earlier, back just after Miles City. But there’s one trap that isn’t—the truth trap of yes-no logic.
.... Yes and no . . . this or that . . . one or zero. On the basis of this elementary two-term discrimination, all human knowledge is built up. The demonstration of this is the computer memory which stores all its knowledge in the form of binary information. It contains ones and zeros, that’s all. “ (Cont.Next)

A Turnout Parking Area, Rt-19, 1/4 mile North of Where Rt-26 Turns West To Mitchell, OR. In /\ Above /\ Photo, the sign in the foreground explains the names and dates of the volcanic + lava formations here as => Age of Mammals Begins (~64 M y ago), Clarno? Formations (~45 M y ago), John Day Formations (~27 M y ago), Marshal Formations and layers seen in photo (15 M y ago), Rattlesnake Formations (6 M y ago). The Sign says: “the dark layers of this “Picture Gorge” were formed from hot floods of basalt lava flowing from nearby cracks in the earth.”
….”These flows joined with the massive Columbia River Basalt Group that covers much of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Powerful geological forces have since broken and tilted and weathered the land. The bottom layers of the gorge are the same layers that cap Sheep Rock Peak, behind you. …. “ [This is my next photo.]

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The Sheep Rock Overlook At the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
….The ZMM Narrator Takes Up The Gumptionality Topic Of Japanese mu. .. Mu means "no thing."

….“Because we’re unaccustomed to it, we don’t usually see that there’s a third possible logical term, equal to yes and no, which is capable of expanding our understanding in an unrecognized direction. We don’t even have a term for it, so I’ll have to use the Japanese mu. .. Mu means "no thing." Like "Quality" it points outside the process of dualistic discrimination. Mu simply says, "No class; not one, not zero, not yes, not no." It states that the context of the question is such that a yes or no answer is in error and should not be given. "Unask the question" is what it says. .. Mu becomes appropriate when the context of the question becomes too small for the truth of the answer. When the Zen monk Joshu was asked whether a dog had a Buddha nature he said "Mu," meaning that if he answered either way he was answering incorrectly. The Buddha nature cannot be captured by yes or no questions. ”

Sheep Rock Overlook, Rt-19, 1.8 mile North of Where Rt-26 turns West to Mitchell, OR.
..****************..

What The ZMM Reader & Traveler Should Know About TWO Tourist Overlook Sites (AND Visitor Center Museum) For => The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument:
…A) To see the Sheep Rock Overlook, the Traveler should drive ~5 miles West of Dayville, OR, go through The ZMM Narrator’s Super Deep & Narrow “Rocky Gorges” , and then turn Northwest off of US-26 onto Rt-19,.
…B) Then go North along Rt-19, 2 miles, and see Sheep Rock Overlook.
…C) The Museum & Visitor Center, John Day Fossil Beds National Park, OR, is 2.25 Miles further North of US 26 on Oregon Route 19.
..****************..

….The ZMM Route Goes Right By Big Obvious “Pointer Signs” Telling “What’s There” And “How Many Miles”.
....These signs are how I (Henry Gurr) knew to drive the short several miles to all THREE of these great places to visit, see, and learn much!
…. But => Similar to other tourist places, Author Robert gives us nary a clue => That any of these Three Very Interesting Places are close to The ZMM Route! And as is true for most other “Tourist Attractions”, we here are not given any information about these places, apparently because of their tourist nature!
…. BUT … BUT … Chris would have enjoyed these three “tourist attractions”, and would have learned a great deal about Local Cultural History and Geological Natural History. The Narrator’s purpose for this trip, in part, is to get on better terms with Chris, and visiting these very interesting & informative places, would have done exactly this!

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The Rugged, Baking Hot Desert!

….(The Narrator has just covered the many very important instances of the “mu” that, to our own great loss, we ordinarily fail to even notice! This is because, in our culture, we are so used to dualistic “yes & no”, we don’t have any awareness that there are other possibilities!
….Here is The Narrator’s concluding paragraph that completes the Mu Chautauqua =>
…. “In motorcycle maintenance the mu answer given by the machine to many of the diagnostic questions put to it is a major cause of gumption loss. It shouldn’t be! When your answer to a test is indeterminate it means one of two things: that your test procedures aren’t doing what you think they are or that your understanding of the context of the question needs to be enlarged. Check your tests and restudy the question. Don’t throw away those mu answers! They’re every bit as vital as the yes or no answers. They’re more vital. They’re the ones you grow on! . . . This motorcycle seems to be running a little hot . . . but I suppose it’s just the hot dry country we’re going through . . . I’ll leave the answer to that in a mu state . . . until it gets worse or better . . . “ (Cont.Next)

Above Photo Is Used To Represent The US-26 Travel Scenery ~A Mile West From Rt-19 Junction, At John Day River. ….In the above passage, we clearly see the Narrator has continued with words “ Mu state“ worked into the travel Narrative & landscape description.
…Although you may not have agreed with many of my previous statements, about how the ZMM Narrator uses the events (or passing scenery) to poetically amplify or reflect, his Chautauqua, the above ZMM Passage is a very obvious & good example this poetic transfer, which in previous photos has been called Metaphoric Bridge Connection =>
….Please learn to look at every place where the Narrator abruptly switches from the Chautauqua to the scenery/action (or the reverse).
….I believe you will always find this “poetic amplification”, which I call Metaphoric Bridge Connections”
…. Amazing!
If you find opposite examples, you should let me know your thoughts.

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(Photo = 112-1282c ...... ZMM Page = 290 ...... Photo at WayPt = 340w 3532ft = Rest Area and Tourist Overlook, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, 5 mi West of Dayville, OR. )

Much Open Space & Green Nature Is Seen As We Approach The Summit Of The Road West.
….Despite The Fact That Most Of This Central Oregon Wide Open Countryside Is “ Hot Dry Country We’re Going Through “, Here Beside The Road Is A Low Enough Vale For Rain Water To Collect, Making A Small Green Pasture Surrounded By Abundant Green Trees.
….A Satellite View Shows This “Vale” Is Part Of A Longer Tree-Line Drainage Path That Runs Several Miles, Both Up And Down Stream, Possibly With Summertime Running Water.

…[ “ This motorcycle seems to be running a little hot . . . but I suppose it’s just the hot dry country we’re going through “ ]


A Mountain Vale Three Miles Prior To Keyes Creek Summit Pass, OR.

….After turning West from Rt-19 Junction, at John Day River, US-26 climbs steadily up along the above mentiones tree-lined stream into hills at Keyes Creek Summit Pass (4,369 ft).
….And although the ZMM Narrator omits mention of some 32 miles of travel from Dayville, OR to the next town of Mitchell, OR, I have added the /\ Above /\ Photo, and 2 more, to show the scenery along the way..
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Surrounded By Lots Of The ZMM Narrator’s “Dry Hills, At Right The Sign Says => “Keyes Creek Summit Elevation 4369” .,
….Here We See Typical Central Oregon Wide Open Countryside That Is “ Hot Dry Country We’re Going Through. “

…[ “ This motorcycle seems to be running a little hot . . . but I suppose it’s just the hot dry country we’re going through “ ]


Keyes Creek Summit Pass, OR.

After turning West from Rt-19 Junction, at John Day River, US-26 climbs steadily up along a tree-lined stream into dry hills at Keyes Creek Summit Pass (4,369 ft).
….And although the ZMM Narrator omits mention of some 32 miles of travel from Dayville, OR to the next town of Mitchell, OR, I have added the /\ Above /\ Photo, and 1 more, to show the scenery along the way..

From Here To Mitchel, OR: It Will Take ~25 Minutes For You To “GSV Drive” To See The Really Deep & Rugged Road Cut Scenery (And One Scenic Vista), ~10 Miles Along The Way =>
…. Right Click & Select New Tab. And AFTER this GSV Comes Up => You Will See That This Google Street View (GSV) Has Many Advantages, Since => In Addition To A 360 Deg Full Circle Panorama View, You Can => A) Look Farther Up AND Down, Plus B) Offers Ability To Zoom Magnify And See Better Details, Such As What A Distant Sign Says.
….INSTRUCTIONS =>After Google Street View (GSV) Comes Up, Then => Click The Google Street View Image, WHERE You Want The “VIEW” To Go. => Thus You Can Successively Click-Click-Click & “GSV Drive” Along The Street You See On Your Computer Screen. You Can Even Click-On A Side Street, To “GSV Drive” Along That Side Street !!
….HINT: For Each Click To “Go” The Greatest Distance, Click On The Road The Furthest Distance Away.
….FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER GSV IS ON YOUR SCREEN => You could “GSV Drive” => 1) Down US-26, several miles to see Scenic Overview of Keyes Creek Valley, OR 2) “GSV Drive” Along US-26, ~ 10 miles forward, To Experience The Ochoco Highway’s Really Deep, Dry, Rugged Road Cuts. …. At any time, you can Click-On the Plus&Minus to Zoom …. AND You can “ClickDrag” the Image On Screen in any direction, for a better view.
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In Many Places, This Ochoco Highway Has Really Deep, Dry, Rugged Road Cuts =>
…AND, Although Typical Central Oregon Wide Open Countryside Is The ZMM Narrators => “ Hot Dry Country We’re Going Through. “
…...Despite This, Along The Way, There Are Delightful, Unusual Scenic Vistas, Such As Seen Above!

…[ “ This motorcycle seems to be running a little hot . . . but I suppose it’s just the hot dry country we’re going through “ ]


Along Keyes Creek And The Ochoco Highway, 3 Miles East of Mitchell, OR.
In the /\ Above /\ Photo => The Small Mountain at the distant horizon just right of center is located practically due West, a small distance beyond Mitchell, OR.
Repeating Second Previous Photo => After turning West from Rt-19 Junction, at John Day River, US-26 climbs steadily up along a tree-lined stream into dry hills at Keyes Creek Summit Pass (4,369 ft). Then, following along Keyes Cree,k the road trends downwards, heading West, on the way to Mitchell, OR. .
….And although the ZMM Narrator omits mention of some 32 miles of travel from Dayville, OR to the next town of Mitchell, OR, I have added the /\ Above /\ Photo to show the scenery along the way..
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Looking West, We See What Was The Original Highway, That Here Went Over This Bridge, Straight Into Business District, Mitchell, OR.
….This Is The Turn-Off From The Newer Town Bypass Highway US-26, Onto “Main Street”,
…….The South Wall Of This Rocky Gorge Itself Is Discerned Upper Left, Above Left Side of Bridge, And Also Above The Street In The Distance.

….“We stop for a long chocolate malted in the town of Mitchell, nestled in some dry hills …. “ (Cont.Next)

The Turnoff Into Mitchell, OR. Judging from the ZMM Narrator’s statements (in previous photos at Dayville) concerning his & Chris’s midafternoon resting in grass of Dayville, we can assume that they came through here about the time of day, that is shown by the late afternoon low angle of the western sun as appears in /\ Above /\ Photo.
..****************..
Why Do All But One Of The Previous Seven Photos Show Barren, Baked And Lifeless Central Oregon Desert, Whereas This /\ Above /\ Scene Shows Plentiful Green Trees And Grass?
….This is because the road coming here, went down into the deep gorge of Keyes Creek, were the ZMM Traveler finds Mitchell is nested. And all the green grass and trees here get moisture from Keyes Creek, an all summer running stream that goes under the bridge.
….The THIRD Photo Next will show these dry hills, and how this town is tucked into the slopes of a deep gorge..
..**************** .

Interesting Historical Photos Of Mitchell, OR, From => Historic Resources Study (Chapter 5), Provided By The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument:
…1) Photo "Fig. 36. "City Hotel and Harness Shop" at Mitchell"
…2) Photo "Fig. 37. Sidewalk Café (circa. 1945) in Mitchell." and the appearance of the building practically unchanged up to my, Henry Gurr, photo of 2002.[However, this photo shows a ~1968 Chevrolet Pickup Truck, and thus must been taken after 1968.]
….EXPLANATION: As you will see & learn in Next Photo, “The Sidewalk Café” is most likely the ZMM Restaurant where the Narrator & Chris => “… stop for a long chocolate malted in the town of Mitchell, nestled in some dry hills …. “
Right Click And Select New Tab. AFTER This Page Comes Up You Will See Above-Mentioned Photos.
….ALSO, AFTER the Above-Mentioned Page Comes Up => At the BOTTOM of the Page, You Will See “Previous” and “Next”.=> These Will Take You To A VAST STOREHOUSE Of Historical Photos & History, Similar To What You Already See!
….In Fact, A Click On “Previous” Will Show A ~1930 Photo Of Main Street Dayville, OR, A View Showing ~4 Commercial Buildings, Where This Album’s Previous 2002 Dayville, OR Photos, Showed Gas Stations.
….The Pages of This Historic Resources Study several times mention the Old Dalles-Boise Military Road. This road generally was located as follows => Right Click and Select New Tab. And AFTER This Satellite Image Comes Up => You Will See (Ret Pinpoint), The-Dalles, OR on the Columbia River East Of Portland, OR and showing parts of US-26 trending Southeast & East into Central Oregon (Which also is The ZMM Route), through Mitchell, OR, Then Dayville, OR, Then John Day, OR, Then Prairie City, OR, then leads to (2nd Red Pinpoint) Boise, ID further Southeast.
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Looking Mostly East Along West Main Street, We See The Words “Sidewalk Café” On Smaller Sign:
….This Is the Probable 1968 ZMM Restaurant.

….“ [We stop for a long chocolate malted in the town of Mitchell, nestled in some dry hills “] .“ that we can see out the plate-glass window. “(Cont.Next)

204 West Main Street, Mitchell, OR.
..****************..

DATE-LINE: July 8, 2021 & February 7, 2022 by Henry Gurr.
… Changes Since Robert Pirsig’s 1968Trip, From Those Seen By HSG In 2002.)
….Upon my arrival in Mitchell, OR, I looked around for places that might fit the Narrator & Chris’s “a long chocolate malted” , and found that the “Sidewalk Café” was the only food service place I saw, that most reasonably had the Narrator’s “can see out the plate-glass window.” Unfortunately, the “Sidewalk Café had long been closed.
….To learn more, I Googled for Sidewalk Café in Mitchell, OR, found many useful results, most of which were Restaurant Review Sites, with GREAT Accolades for the good food at the “Sidewalk Café” !!
….What I found about this “Sidewalk Café” building (shown in my /\ Above/\ 2002 Photo at 204 W Main Street, Mitchell, Oregon 97750), is shown below.
..****************..
….Sometime after 2002, The Sidewalk Café restaurant likely came under new management, and was open up through 2018, as is indicated in this Google series of photos of the Sidewalk Café => Inside & Outside as well as their food (2017-18) Click Here For ~20 Photos Of The Same Building Doing Very Active Restaurant Business 2017-18. … AFTER This Photo Comes Up, You Can Click The Arrows On The Photo Bottom, To Go Forward or Back.
….AND as you go through these photos => Please especially notice the Photo Showing the “WE HAVE SOLD 1539 SIDEWALK CAFÉ MILKSHAKES”, which amplifies the ZMM Narrator’s “we stop for a long chocolate malted” ,AND looking at the bottom you can see the “SOLD” #’s back to May 2012.. .
..****************..
Back in July 8, 2021, with internet search, I found that this building had been converted to the “Painted Hills Pastry Takeout”, who’s pastry was getting rave restaurant reviews, but as of this writing has moved to 37020 Bear Creek Rd, Mitchell, OR.
..****************..
….AND This National Park Service “Cultural Resources” Website Has A c.1945 Photo Of The ”Sidewalk Café” In Mitchell, OR. [However, this photo shows a ~1968 Chevrolet Pickup Truck, and thus must been taken after 1968.]
..**************** .


On East Main Street, Mitchell, OR: “The Little Pine Café & Lodge”.
…. And In 2002 When I Was There, This Building Was Interesting To See Plus There Was A Very Good Restaurant.

….Google found a series of photos of “The Little Pine Café & Lodge” => Inside & Outside as well as their food . Click Here For ~40 Photos Of This Café Doing Very Active Restaurant Business8. … AFTER This Photo Comes Up, You Can Click The Arrows On The Photo Bottom, To Go Forward or Back.
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Upon My Arrival In 2002, This Café Was Closed.
….Thus This Photo Of The Inside of the Café Was Taken Through The Narrator’s “plate-glass window”, Hence The Strange Reflections In Various Places.
….Please Try To Imagine Chris & Robert Pirsig Sitting On The Round Stools!

“Some kids come in on a truck and stop and all pile off and come into the restaurant and sort of dominate it. They’re reasonably well- behaved, just noisy and energetic, but you can see the lady who’s running it is a little nervous about them.“ (Cont.Next)

204 West Main Street, Mitchell, OR.
….By talking to local people and judging from this restaurant’s general age, this is very likely the Narrator’s Café in Mitchell. They said that its owner for reasons of health, had gone into retirement.
….Judging from the weeds and sun faded cardboard I saw in 2002, this restaurant must have been closed well before 2002.
.**************** .
..
Was The Restaurant Lady Also In A Mu State?
….As She Is Wondering What To Do About The “ Just Noisy And Energetic “ Kids”
… Here we might wonder why Author Robert Pirsig here seemingly is “wasting so many words” on this above passage? As is discussed in previous photos => Is this a case of “Metaphoric Bridge Connection”? Where, indeed, Author Robert Pirsig intends for us to see that this IS a Mu State for the Restaurant Lady!

Or, Is This Just Another Case Of Author Robert Pirsig’s Good Storytelling, thus adding full complete physical realism? And doing this because => About the time ZMM was being written, Pirsig said something like the following:
…."For success, ZMM needed all the support it could get." He went on to say: "For the reader to accept the overall central philosophic messages of ZMM, the story narrative must seem to the reader, absolutely real."
….And for Author Pirsig, the way to achieve this, was to be both interesting and absolutely factual with his travel scenery.
….And That, I Believe, Is Why The Travel Narrative Was Added To ZMM In The First Place. And In This Way, Mr. Pirsig’s Book Did Yes Succeed In Getting All The Help It Can Get! ….
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A View of Mitchell, OR From A High Hill NW of Town.
….The Graves On Hillside At Right, Symbolizing Our Mortality, Are All Too Evident!

….“Dry desert, sandy country again. Into it we go. It’s late afternoon now and we’ve really covered the miles. I’m getting quite sore from sitting all this time on the cycle. Feeling really tired now. So was Chris back at the restaurant. A little despondent too. I think maybe he . . . well . . . let it go. . . .
.... The mu expansion is the only thing I want to say about truth traps at this time. Time to switch to the psychomotor traps. This is the domain of understanding which is most directly related to what happens to the machine. “
….[The Narrator then covers many gumption traps that impede successful completion of the job before you. These are: Bad or insufficient tools. Bad illumination or uncomfortable work conditions. And the lack of a “mechanic’s feel.“ ]

…Another “Metaphoric Bridge Connection” Between Chautauqua & Travel Narrative: .
….As is discussed in previous photo, did you especially notice above this => “I think maybe he . . . well . . . let it go, . “
….AND did you realize that this was a case => Where, indeed, Author Robert Pirsig intends for us to see that this IS here a Mu State for his Narrator’s despondent mood at that moment! ]

On Rt-207, one mile NW of Mitchell, OR. In the /\ Above /\ Photo => You will notice that both the highway and Mitchell, OR are nestled into a deep, irregular gorge.
….My 2002 Travel Research notes say => “The road had turned down into a (this) rugged gorge 7 miles earlier, just after passing Keys Summit Pass Elevation = 4,369 ft. Along this road, the rocks were mixtures of white, brown, and pink.” ((NOTE: This “pink” seen along the road, probably comes from the same volcanic dust geologic action, as the “Painted Hills” mentioned 2nd photo previous and below:
…. Soon thereafter, I saw distant mountain peaks. As I traveled closer, I discovered they were volcanic cinder cones. You will see these in forthcoming photos.

.**************** .
.
Quick Facts From Google Maps:
….Mitchell is a city in Wheeler County, Oregon, United States. The population was 130 at the 2010 census. It was founded in 1873 and was named after John H. Mitchell, a politician. The Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is about 9 miles northwest of Mitchell. For More From Wikipedia Click Here.
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This Picture, With Camouflaged Deer, Is Perhaps a Bit Too Serene & Peaceful For the Narrator’s Depressed Mood and Difficult Chautauqua.
….Notice That The Landscape & Low Angle Of The Sun In The Photo Above, Matches The Narrator’s .“Low-Angled Shadows In The Dry Country … “


….“Low-angled shadows in the dry country we’ve been through have left a kind of blue depressed feeling. . . . .. Maybe it’s just the usual late afternoon letdown, but after all I’ve said about all these things today I just have a feeling that I’ve somehow talked around the point. Some could ask, "Well, if I get around all those gumption traps, then will I have the thing licked?" “ (Cont.Next)

Deer by Old Abandoned Tractor, US-26 A Bit West Of West Main Street, Mitchell, OR. The Narrator says ” late afternoon letdown” implying how tired he is. Well, he should be pretty tired, because they have covered 262 miles from this morning’s Brownlee Campground back in Idaho.
….When they do finally reach their camping spot just North of La Pine, OR, the Narrator says, “ I look at the map in the twilight, and then look at it some more with the flashlight. We’ve covered 325 miles today. That’s a lot. Chris seems as completely tired as I am, and as ready as I am to fall asleep.”
….This means they cover another 61 miles before dark: And. yes. they must be totally completely tired !

Another Metaphoric Bridge Connection.
….Notice how the landscape imagery of the hot, semi-barren hostile (for plant and animal) deserts contribute to both 1) The dry, boring, Gumptionology Lectures, and 2) The Narrator’s ever increasing fatigue and severe depression.
….Super fatigue and severe depression are the Narrator’s increasing battle all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

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After Getting Around All Those Gumption Traps, You Still Must Live Right!

….“ [ Well, if I get around all those gumption traps, then will I have the thing licked? “ ]" .
…. “ The answer, of course, is no, you still haven’t got anything licked. You’ve got to live right too. It’s the way you live that predisposes you to avoid the traps and see the right facts. You want to know how to paint a perfect painting? It’s easy. Make yourself perfect and then just paint naturally. That’s the way all the experts do it. The making of a painting or the fixing of a motorcycle isn’t separate from the rest of your existence. If you’re a sloppy thinker the six days of the week you aren’t working on your machine, what trap avoidances, what gimmicks, can make you all of a sudden sharp on the seventh? It all goes together. “(Cont.Next)

Several miles East of Prineville, OR. The poetic content of town name Prineville poetically sounds to me … prim, primp, prickly, rind- whine-ville and hostile.
…. Again There Is Metaphoric Bridge Connection, where in this case a town name used. This helps us (as readers), feel the Narrator’s complete, fatigue, discouragement, and depression. And similarly for Robert Pirsig as The Narrator when in Prineville area:
….The “whine-ville and hostile” town name so contributes to the whole mood, which Author Robert Pirsig has carefully assembled for us! And he probably also feels this, as he is writing these passages.
….In Summary: Note how the content of the Chautauqua Gumptionology Lecture and The Scenery are very wearing to both the Narrator and even you, the reader!
….BUT! BUT! => The problem is => We don’t at all, hear what is happening to Chris.
..****************..

Apologies For My Photos Failure To Show Realistic Time Of Day For The ZMM Narrative, Here And The Next 10 Photos.
….My /\ Above /\ Photo shows it’s getting dark, contrary to Narrator’s ” late afternoon letdown” , mentioned in Previous Photo.
….And fairly good daylight must have continued through Bend, Oregon (( as they continued to travel with the Narrator’s complete, fatigue, discouragement, and depression)), since it was still twilight, when they arrived at their camping spot South of Bend, OR, ANOTHER ~54 MILES AWAY !!

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At Upper Right, The Prineville, OR City Limits Sign.
…In Gumptionology => Right-Living Is An Essential Ingredient.

….“But if you’re a sloppy thinker six days a week and you really try to be sharp on the seventh, then maybe the next six days aren’t going to be quite as sloppy as the preceding six. What I’m trying to come up with on these gumption traps I guess, is shortcuts to living right. “ (Cont.Next)

Entering Prineville, OR. In /\ Above /\ Photo, directly ahead, you see two of Oregon’s many Volcanic Cinder Cones.
….As you can tell, my photos for Prineville area, show sunset conditions, and later darkness. Thus, my photos do NOT illustrate the ZMM Narrative, where in the Narrator and Chris travel with early evening light for another ~40 miles, before they are at their camping spot where the Narrator says .“ I look at the map in the twilight, and then look at it some more with the flashlight. “.
….So … Please excuse the day –night illumination misfit to the ZMM Narrative, for the /\ Above /\ and the next eight photos.

…DATE-LINE: February 9, 2022. by David J Matos & Henry Gurr.
… After reading the above ZMM Passage, DJM suggests adding => “Right-Living is a Buddhist idea, one of the tenets of the Eight-Fold Path.”
….YES, Indeed!! … Right-Living, the Narrators “ living right“, are a major (but unstated) undercurrent emphasis of ZMM Book, from cover to cover.
Thus, The ZMM Enthusiast Should Study More =>
…A) The Noble Eightfold Path … is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices…Click Here.
…B) Click Here For Google Top Result for … “Right-Living” …,As Discussed By “The Buddhist Center” WebSite.
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In Prineville, OR, This Is the ONLY Gas Station Where The ZMM Route On US-26, Meets a Road that Turns South. =>
….BUT Things Don’t Fit => The ZMM Narrator’s “Highway 97, Where We’ll Turn South, …. .“
….Is 17 Miles Further West! Puzzle, Confusion, & Doubt Here!

….“The real cycle you’re working on is a cycle called yourself. The machine that appears to be "out there" and the person that appears to be "in here" are not two separate things. They grow toward Quality or fall away from Quality together.
….We arrive in Prineville Junction with only a few hours of daylight left. We’re at the intersection with Highway 97, where we’ll turn south, …. .“ (Cont.Next)

Junction US-26 and Rt-126, West side of Prineville, OR. In above passage the ZMM Narrator’s “ Prineville Junction.“, we assume is a town’s name. But my 1988 Rand-McNally Map does NOT show any apparent Town of Prineville Junction, OR.
...And thus unfortunately in 2002, I missed going to (or photographing) this location, because the “town” and the Narrator’s road to go there, were NOT marked on the map I carried with me. .
….But belatedly & later => With the help of TopoZone Maps, I discover that there was indeed A Prineville Junction, OR, 17 miles West of Prineville, OR, and is located almost exactly on the Narrator’s “Highway 97, Where We’ll Turn South,“.
….But even much later, by happenstance, I belatedly discovered Prineville Junction, OR was indeed also marked on a map, along with also the town of O’Neil, OR: This was on my 1964 Rand-McNally Map, just 4 years older, and old enough to still show Prineville Junction, OR!

Which is **AHA**! => How I Found Out Where Prineville Junction, OR Just Happened To ORIGINALLY Be Located!!
….Eventually I learned that =>This supposed “town” was merely, literally, & only => The Prineville Railroad’s Junction, at a true Railroad Junction, where it joins the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Main Railroad Tracks. AND this was ORIGINALLY Just “A Dot On A Map”, which is just 0.36 mile East of US-97, and four miles North of Redmond, OR.
….AND, of course, old maps are likely how Author Robert Pirsig knew of it and wrote it into his ZMM Narrative.
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Thus Confusion & Doubt Are Banished: All This Above Agrees With The Narrator’s Above Passage, AND Tells Us =>
…A) Practically The Only “Quality” Road Robert Pirsig Could Have Use In 1968, To Travel From Prineville, OR … TO … Prineville Junction, OR, Was The “O’Neil Highway” AND =>
…B) This, In Turn, Tells Us The ZMM Route Follows The O’Neil Highway, Rt-370, Along The Scenic Byway In The Crooked River Valley, And Somewhat Parallels The Route Of The Prineville Railroad..
….To go to Prineville Junction, OR from Prineville, OR MapQuest.com shows => You follow US-26 to the West side of Prineville, then turn left onto Rt-126. Within 500 feet, cross the Crooked River and then turn right onto the O’Neil Highway, Rt-370, which soon turns directly West, following the VERY Scenic Crooked River Valley!!
….Here we must mention that this => VERY Scenic Crooked River Valley, is in terms of Robert Pirsig and The ZMM Narrator, a “High Quality Road”, to be sought out by the ZMM Enthusiast!
….Or You May Want To Try The Excursion Train Ride!
Click Here To Go To The Website of City of Prineville to “Buy Dinner Train” By Ernestine Bousquet Jan 31, 2020.
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More Information About The Prineville Railroad, Which Runs From Prineville, OR … To … Prineville Junction, OR, By Way Of The Very Scenic Crooked River Canyon,
….Which Somewhat Parallels The Route Of The O'Neil Highway (Rt-370).
….This rail line, one of the USA’s oldest city owned lines, operates freight service and the "Crooked River Dinner and Excursion Train" for you to enjoy should you ever get out here. This 17 mile Railroad ends at a true Railroad Junction, where it joins the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Main Railroad Line which runs from Pasco, Washington to Modesto, California. (( More From Wikipedia. Click Here. ))

….So NOW You Understand Where This Name Prineville Junction Came From!!
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(Photo =113-1313cb ...... ZMM Page = 293 ...... WayPt = 354w 2881ft)

On The West Side Of Prineville, OR, at WayPt = 354 =>
….Traffic Is Heavy and Fast Where Rt-126 Branches off of US-26.

….“We arrive in Prineville Junction with only a few hours of daylight left. We’re at the intersection with Highway 97, where we’ll turn south, and I fill up the tank at the corner and then am so tired I go around in back and sit on the yellow-painted cement curb with my feet in the gravel and the last rays of the sun flaring through the trees into my eyes. “ (Cont.Next)

Photo on West side of Prineville, OR. As discussed in the previous photo => The above ZMM Passage takes place in Prineville Junction, OR some 17 miles West of /\ Above /\ Photo.
….And to get to Prineville Junction, OR, the ZMM Route follows the O’Neil Highway, Rt-370, in the scenic Crooked River Valley, and somewhat parallels the route of the Prineville Railroad.
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Since Prineville Junction, OR Is No Longer On Maps, Nor Can Be Hardly Found By Google, Where Just EXACTLY Is It?
In This Satellite View => The Red-Brown Triangle, Just Right Of Center, Marks The Location Of The Railroad Tracks for the Literal “Junction” Of:=> The City of Prineville’s Own Railroad Track, there to join the North-South tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and apparently also the-Union Pacific Railroad.
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In The Satellite Image, You Can See Where The Railroad Track =>
….1) From the North switches into a curved track that goes EastNorhteast. AND
….2) From the South switches into a curved track that joins into 1) above.
….3) Also See => The O’Neill Highway (Rt-370) which goes “a back country byway” all the way From Prineville, OR … To … Prineville Junction, OR and connects to US-97.

NOTE: This Rt-370, is practically the only road Robert Pirsig in 1968 could have used to travel from Prineville, OR and efficiently arrive at US-97 near to Prineville Junction.
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NEW TOPIC:
….Typically, the Narrator uses the poetic content of town names to emphasize his story. I have already discussed the poetics of word “Prineville”. Question: What “poetics” are being used here with the word “Junction”.

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(Photo =113-1319cb ...... ZMM Page = 293 ...... WayPt = 354i ~3250ft. Photo at WayPt = 354k 2881ft)

Is This What the Narrator’s Curb Looked Like?

….“Chris comes and sits down too, and we don’t say anything, but this is the worst depression yet. All that talk about gumption traps and I fall right into one myself. Fatigue maybe. We’ve got to get some sleep.
.... I watch the cars go by for a while on the highway. Something lonely about them. Not lonely—worse. Nothing. Like the attendant’s expression when he filled the tank. Nothing. A nothing curb, by some nothing gravel, at a nothing intersection, going nowhere. “ (Cont.Next)

Photo On West Side of Prineville, OR. As discussed in the previous Two Photos => The above ZMM Passage takes place in Prineville Junction, some 17 miles West of /\ Above /\ Photo.
….And to get there, practically the only road Robert Pirsig 1968 could have used to travel West from Prineville, OR, and most efficiently arrive at US-97 near to Prineville Junction, would be to follow Rt-370, also called the O’Neil Highway: This 18 mile road travels from Prineville, Or to Prineville Junction, OR in the scenic Crooked River Valley Click Here to see Google Street View of River, For the first ~9 miles the road stays just south of the Crooked River’s wetlands. Soon after the 4 or 5 house town of O’Neil OR, the road continues approximately West, but the river trends off to the Northwest. ((NOTE: The above Blue Link shows a Google Street View (GSV) of the Crooked River at the bridge over the river, on West side of Prineville, OR. In this GSV, you may click-on the highway seen at right, again click-on twice the GSV to move forward, and click on at the right where you see turn onto Rt-370. From here you can “GSV Drive” west on Rt-370 to see what this Scenic ZMM Route here looks like. You will see a wide flat valley with distant hills on both sided. This valley has moisture and irrigation water from the river, so is greener than other highland areas of Central Oregon. Some places you will see the highway and Prineville Railroad run side by side, and several other places the highway crosses over the tracks. ))
….In going from Prineville, OR To Prineville Junction, OR both and The O’Neil Highway and the City of Prineville Railroad, travel in Crooked River Valley. Leaving Prineville, OR the railroad goes NW approximately a mile North of the highway, but the river, highway, and railroad become quite close in going through the town of O’Neil OR, and continuing side by side going West for ~3 miles. The rest of the way to Prineville Junction, OR they remain not too far separated.
….Since the Narrator (and Robert Pirsig in July 1968) must have traveled this Highway, it necessarily becomes “The ZMM Route”: And rightly so, since it is a narrower, slower, less traffic, less populated, & more scenic route. In other words a higher Quality highway and travel experience!
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What’s Actually AT Prineville Junction? => You Will See In The NEXT TWO Google Street Views.
….The ZMM Narrator says “ …arrive in Prineville Junction … at the intersection with Highway 97, where we’ll turn south, and I fill up the tank at the corner … “ .
….From these Views, you will see that it is QUITE UN-CERTAIN just where that “gas station … at the corner” could have been.
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For Deeper Understanding, Please Read Our => ZMM Research Examination => Why ZMM Narrator’s Abrupt 90 Degree Turn South at Prineville Junction, OR?
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(Photo = 113-1316cb ...... ZMM Page = 293 ...... WayPt = 354i ~3250ft. Photo at WayPt = ft 354m 2881ft)

ZMM ROUTE RESEARCH RESULT #1:
…Searching For Businesses Within A Mile of the Prineville Railroad Junction =>
……This Google Street View #1 (GSV1) Shows The ONLY Business That Looks Somewhat Like A Gas Station:
….This Is About Half Mile Away From US-97 And Is At Least, Where Robert Pirsig Could At Least Could Ask About A “Gas Station”.

….[ “We arrive in Prineville Junction with only a few hours of daylight left. We’re at the intersection with Highway 97, where we’ll turn south, and I fill up the tank at the corner and then am so tired I go around in back and sit on the yellow-painted cement curb with my feet in the gravel and the last rays of the sun flaring through the trees into my eyes. “ ] (Cont. Next)

Traveling West On Rt-370 From Prineville, OR, The First Business Where Robert Pirsig In 1968 Might Ask For Information As He Was Arriving At, Prineville Junction, OR. As discussed in the previous photo => The above ZMM Passage takes place in Prineville Junction, OR some 17 miles West of Prineville OR. And to get there most efficiently, The Narrator’s ZMM Route follows the O'Neil Highway, Rt-370, in the scenic Crooked River Valley, somewhat paralleling the route of the Prineville Railroad.

….Click Photo To Get The Largest View, Then Look Closely =>The Bottom Strip Map Shows =>
…1) Green Highway Line having Ovals with 370. This is O’Neil Highway, Rt-370, and The ZMM Route from Prineville, OR, 17 miles to the East.
…2) At Left: The Double Green Highway Line is US-97.
…3) The Narrow Green Lines mark irrigation ditches.
…4) The Narrow Very Faint Gray Lines Are Railroad Tracks.
…5) Above the words “Charles Every Trucking”, you see Gray Line Railroad Track Lines that form kind of a curved triangle. There you can see where the Railroad Track =>
……a) From the North switches into a curved track that goes EastNortheast. AND
……b) From the South switches into a curved track that joins into a) above.
……c) The approximately North-South Tracks are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad,
….6) SUMMARY =>: This is literally A "Prineville Junction" , achieved by Railroad Tracks Joined!
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SIDE NOTE:
In The /\ Above /\ Photo, Bottom Strip Map Shows => “ Gray Line Railroad Track Lines That Form, Kind Of A Curved Triangle”. This Can Also Be Seen In Satellite View =>
In This Satellite View => The Red-Brown Triangle, Just Right Of Center, Marks The Location Of The Railroad Tracks For The Literal “Junction” => Of the City of Prineville Railroad Track, there to join the North-South tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and apparently also the-Union Pacific Railroad.
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The Next Photo Has A Full => EPILOGUE: CONCLUSION SUMMARY.
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(Photo = GoogStVu RrXferFacilityTankTruckRt495OnielHy StpMapN-StrackJunctionTriangleTracks.jpg ...... ZMM Page = 293 ...... WayPt = NotAssigned )

ZMM ROUTE RESEARCH RESULT #2 => A GOOGLE STREET VIEW SHOWS =>
...WHAT’S AT THE INTERSECTION OF US-97 & O’NEIL HIGHWAY (Rt-370).
….At The Northeast Corner => This Google Street View #2 (GSV2) Shows The ONLY Business (Within A Mile) => That Is Remotely Similar To A Gas Station Where The ZMM Narrator Could “Sit & Watch Drivers On US-97.”
……Studying This GSV#2, You Can Imagine => How This Building & Property Lay-Out, Could Have Once Been A Gas Station, Albeit Unusual In Appearance.
….The Other Three Corners Are => a) Bare Red Dirt, b) Dry Grass & Trees, and c) Homes Surrounded By Dry Grass & Trees.

….[ "We arrive in Prineville Junction with only a few hours of daylight left. We’re at the intersection with Highway 97, where we’ll turn south, and I fill up the tank at the corner and then am so tired I go around in back and sit on the yellow-painted cement curb with my feet in the gravel and the last rays of the sun flaring through the trees into my eyes. …. " ]
….“I watch the cars go by for a while on the highway. Something lonely about them. Not lonely—worse. Nothing. Like the attendant’s expression when he filled the tank. Nothing. A nothing curb, by some nothing gravel, at a nothing intersection, going nowhere." (Cont. Next)

Traveling West On Rt-370 from Prineville, OR, Google Street View #2 (GSV2) of => The Only Business That Is Remotely Similar To A Gas Station Where Narrator Could “Sit & Watch Drivers On US-97”, Prineville Junction, OR. As discussed in the previous photo => The above ZMM Passage takes place in (or near) Prineville Junction, OR some 17 miles West of my Photos at WayPt = 354. And from Prineville, OR the only way most efficiently to get there, The Narrator’s ZMM Route follows the O'Neil Highway (Rt-370), in the scenic Crooked River Valley, and somewhat the route of the Prineville Railroad.
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Repeating Previous Photo Concerning Bottom Strip Map =>
….Click Photo To Get The Largest View, Then Look Closely =>The Bottom Strip Map Shows =>
…1) Green Highway Line having Ovals with 370. This is O’Neil Highway (Rt-370), and The ZMM Route from Prineville, OR, 17 miles to the East.
…2) At Left: The Double Green Highway Line is US-97.
…3) The Narrow Green Lines mark irrigation ditches.
…4) The Narrow Very Faint Gray Lines Are Railroad Tracks.
…5) Above the words “Charles Every Trucking”, you see Gray Railroad Track Lines that form kind of a curved triangle. There you can see where the Railroad Track =>
……a) From the North switches into a curved track that goes EastNortheast. AND
……b) From the South switches into a curved track that joins into a) above.
……c) The approximately North-South Tracks are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad,
….6) IN SUMMARY: This is literally a Prineville Junction, achieved by the joining of Railroad Tracks! AND you can see how close this Railroad Prineville Junction is where The ZMM Passage says => “ We’re at the intersection with Highway 97, where we’ll turn south “ is described to take place.
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Due To The Narrator's Severe Depression And Fatigue, And Based On Evidence presented in the Previous 4 Photos & and above, I Believe that the Narrator, RIGHT HERE, at this /\ Above /\ Google Street View “Business” (or similar) Enterprise) => Makes an abrupt and major change of travel plans => Right here, to no longer travel West, but suddenly turn South !! As he sat on that => "nothing curb, by some nothing gravel, at a nothing intersection." .
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For Deeper Understanding, Please Read Our => ZMM Research Examination => Why ZMM Narrator’s Abrupt 90 Degree Turn South, At Prineville Junction, Oregon?
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EPILOGUE: CONCLUSION SUMMARY.
….The Narrator says => “We arrive in Prineville Junction." This leads us to expect that there is a real town here.
….However, in Searching Satellite Images (Previous Photo Blue Link near Bottom), all around the literal Junction of the Prineville Railroad to the North-South Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad => It is discovered that there is certainly no town at all, nor any form of population center!
….In fact, there is hardly anything, except bare earth, scattered dry trees & weeds, and widely spaced businesses or homes, mostly stretched out along the busy US-97, a bit further North or South.
….As Variously Stated In The Previous 4 Photos =>
…A) This Prineville Railroad Junction (Is Just A “Dot On A map”). And is found mostly only on OLD Road Atlas Maps … which is likely how Author Robert Pirsig knew of it ... and wrote it into ZMM.
…B) Since Prineville Junction, OR Is No Longer On Current Day Maps, Nor Hardly Ever Really Existed as a town! => This is why it is so hard to find out anything about "Prineville Junction" Oregon by using Google …OR …Find its exact location using traditional paper maps.

INDEED SINCE THE 1974 PUBLICATION OF ZMM, PRACTICALLY THE ONLY INFERRED EXISTENCE OF “THE TOWN OF” => "PRINEVILLE JUNCTION" Is IN The Book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”!!
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(Photo =GoogStVu FauxGasStationNwCornerUS97Rt370 StpMapN-StrackJunctionTriangleTracks.jpg ...... ZMM Page = 293 ...... WayPt = NotAssigned )