This Is What Northeastern Oregon Looks Like In Places Where There Is No Available Water for Irrigation.
..The ZMM Narrator’s Mind Continues to Ruminate On
….A) “The Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm“ AND
….B) “These Fragments …Of Memory…“

….“How did that go? I don’t know. I don’t even like the poem. I’ve noticed since this trip has started and particularly since Bozeman that these fragments seem less and less a part of his memory and more and more a part of mine. I’m not sure what that means . . . I think . . . I just don’t know.
....I think there’s a name for this kind of semidesert, but I can’t think of what it is. No one can be seen anywhere on the road but us.
.... Chris hollers that he has diarrhea again.“(Cont.Next)

~23 Miles WestSouthWest of Ox Bow Dam, Which Is At => ID & Oregon Border.
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What The ZMM Reader Should Know & Understand About the Snake River, Before AND After It Passes Through Hell’s Canyon.
…. Excerpt From Wikipedia, Which Has 24 Good Photos, & Three Maps. (Both the Photos & Maps, Right Click Open In New Tab, THEN Can Click On To Make Nicely Larger.)
…. The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At 1,078 miles (1,735 km) long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake River rises in western Wyoming [South of Yellowstone National Park], then flows through the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho, the rugged Hells Canyon on the Oregon–Idaho border and the rolling Palouse Hills of Washington, emptying into the Columbia River at the Tri-Cities, Washington.
….The Snake River drainage basin encompasses parts of six U.S. states (Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming) and is known for its varied geologic history [such as =>] The Snake River Plain was created by a volcanic hotspot which now lies underneath the Snake River headwaters in Yellowstone National Park. Gigantic glacial-retreat flooding episodes that occurred during the previous Ice Age carved out canyons, cliffs and waterfalls along the middle and lower Snake River. Two of these catastrophic flooding events, the Missoula Floods and Bonneville Flood, significantly affected the river and its surroundings.
….By the middle 19th century, the Oregon Trail had become well established, bringing numerous settlers to the Snake River region.
….[For the Emigrant Settlers traveling The Oregon Trail, the above mentioned Snake River Plain, had good water & fodder, and was comparatively level expeditious travel for ~300 miles. ]

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All Around Us, All We See Are Awesome Baked-Dry Hills, Except Along This Stretch Of Highway, We See The Running Water Of Oregon’s Powder River.
Just Left Of Center Is Where “Hole-In-The-Wall-Gulch” Comes In.
….And The Two Signs Explain Respectively The Local Area & The Previous Photo’s Landslide, Which Is A Bit Off Screen At Right.
…*******************

….“ Chris hollers that he has diarrhea again. " (Cont. Next)

Land Slide Area, Rt-86, ~12 Miles WestNorthwest of Richland, Oregon.

In The /\ Above /\ Google Street View, above the guard rail to left of center, you can see the same view of the stream and a stretch of the old gravel Rt-86.
…. Above guard rail, to right of center you can see the Two Interpretive Signs that respectively tell about the Area Scenery & History. AND how “The Rockslide” covered up part of the old gravel Rt-86, both of which were seen in PREVIOUS Photo.
….Apparently, the Oregon Highway Department, decided there was still too much danger of more rockslides, and chose to make the new road, high up here, at added cost of 2 additional bridges.
….In the /\ Above /\ Google Satellite Strip Map (bottom) => One of these two New Bridges is seen at lower right, just left of the Orange Pegman. Also in the Strip Map, you can see that the new road is shorter & straighter.
….In the /\ Above /\ Photo => The stream gets larger as it flows East to the right. And although this stream seems not to have a name here, eventually, before it flows into the Snake River, it is called Powder River. But this Oregon River, is not to be confused with the Powder River in Montana, which also is along the ZMM Route.
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Right Click and Select New Tab. And AFTER This Satellite View Comes Up, You Can See The Above Discussed Places As Follows =>
…A) The “NEW” Rt-86 Marked By the White Circles, South of The Stream.
…B) The “OLD” Rt-86 ALSO Marked By the White Circles, in many places North of The Stream. The places where “Old” Rt-86, NORTH of the stream, is running close to the green, which is vegetation watered by the stream.
…C) Now, looking at the part of the “New” Highway that is SOUTH of the Stream =-> At EACH END you will be able to see the Two “New” Bridges.
…D) Also, at top you can see the Rock Slide, as well as where the Rockslide covered the “Old” Rt-86 and blocked the stream. You can “Zoom-In” to see close up details.
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(Photo = GoogSatHoleInWallGulch&LandSlidePowderRv WyPt300Rt8612MiWnwRichlandORwide.jpg ...... ZMM Page = 273 ...... WayPt = 300i2 2552ft. Photo at WayPt = 301w 2970ft)

Are These “Persian Hills”, Like Those Seen By The Narrator As He Sat On His “Omar Khyyam Rock”?
….Does The Narrator’s Recitation Of This Poem = Procrastination? =>
…….So As To Delay His Start On The Tough & Boring, Gumptionology Chautauqua?

….[ “ Chris hollers that he has diarrhea again. “].”
…. We ride until I see a stream below and pull off the road and stop. His face is full of embarrassment again but I tell him we’re in no hurry and get out a change of underwear and roll of toilet paper and bar of soap and tell him to wash his hands thoroughly and carefully after he’s done.”

….“I sit on an Omar Khayyàm rock contemplating the semidesert and feel not bad. ..
….And this first Summer month that brings the Rose . . . oh . . . now it comes back. . . .
Each Morn a thousand Roses brings, you say ,
Yes, but where leaves the Rose of Yesterday?
And this first Summer month that brings the Rose ,
Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away.
….And so on and so forth . . .

…….. Let’s get off Omar and onto the Chautauqua. Omar’s solution is just to sit around and guzzle the wine and feel so bad that time is passing and the Chautauqua looks good to me by comparison. Particularly today’s Chautauqua, which is about gumption.“(Cont.Next)

Land Slide Area, Rt-86, ~12 Miles WestNorthwest of => Richland, OR. Baker City, OR. In The /\ Above /\ Google Street View, at bottom center, you can see the stream and a stretch of the old Rt-86, which is gravel. This stream gets larger as it flows East, and before it flows into the Snake River, is called Powder River. The SECOND Next Photo has a larger view of this area and more explanation.
..****************..
….While he waits for Chris to finish, the Narrator here calmly and constructively uses this temporary setback (delay), to relax, rest, and enjoy the scenery. The scene evokes a thoughtful, attentive mood in the Narrator. The same is evoked in us as we read.
….Also, this break from road travel provides time for the Narrator to gradually fetch parts of “The Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm” from memory-AND finish for us, the opening Quatrain of The “Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm”. Gumption indeed!
….Do these Ohmar Khayyàm’s 12th Century Persian Verses have any connection to Gumption? Can anyone hazard a guess what this might be? Also, what is the ZMM significance of the Blooming Wild Rose?
..****************..

In ZMM, Why Does Author Robert Pirsig “Waste” So Many Words On Reciting & Discussing “The Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm” ?
….Why Does He Insert These ~Persian Poem Interludes?
…A) Is this “Omar Khayyàm rock“ interlude mere space “filler”? Or merely a minor indication of the passing of time in the story? Essentially a “time killer”?
…B) Or did these lines actually run through Author Robert Pirsig’s head on his 1968 trip, and/or while he wrote this Chapter of ZMM, and/or did this happen in his life at random times?
…C) Or does Mr. Pirsig think “The Rubàiyat of Omar Khayyàm” is important for ZMM Readers to know about? For Example => Are these exotic lines, things he wants us as readers, to realize the precious fragility & and temporary nature of our lives. AND =>
…D) Because these semi-desert hills & cliffs ALSO remind him of Persia (or India), AND
…E) Thus, overall, this Oregon Chapter, is the best place in ZMM for Persian Poem Interludes.

…F) Alternatively => It might simply be that these “Wasted Words”, are a delay indicating the author’s procrastination, in getting down to the really tough, boring task of writing about the (Narrator so stated) boring, tough topic of Gumptionology.

…G) Or thinking positively Re These Interludes => Does Mr. Pirsig intend to show that the Narrator can turn the wasted time to good use, as he patiently waits for Chris to finish? And thus to demonstrate Gumption, Exercising Patience, & Mentally “Don’t get in a hurry”, ,. AND =>

…H) Are these Interlude, also designed to make us, as readers, also be like the Narrator =>
…..1) Peaceful and contented, and thus enjoined to allow what is going to happen … to happen … without impatience?
…..2) Keep ourselves on the Quality Track and Full Of Gumption? …
…..3) And thus be alert and actively looking for exactly how we (also) should respond here? And rather than wasting time, find ways to be productive, and stay on The Quality Track.
….So Please Start Pondering These Above Question A) thru H), And Email Send Me Your Ideas. ….

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