Fossil

The map--the actual map of Oregon--that I'm getting these Mayors to autograph isn't the best map in the world. It's more of a topographical style than a road map style so sometimes it's difficult to find towns like Fossil when you have an audience of thirty-some Mayors that would otherwise be trying to enjoy their catered lunch at the OMA. 

Mayor William Brown signed our map with his shaking hand after the embarrassingly long moment it took me to find it on the map, and you could tell he's been around for almost as long as the city of Fossil has been incorporated.  

We were heading from Crane to Shaniko last August and my wife had a weird craving for a gin and tonic so I was more than happy to drop her off at my favorite bar--I think it's called The Shamrock--in town while the baby and I visited a couple of the museums.  I swear sometimes that Wheeler County's biggest industry is museums since it seems every little town there has at least two or three of them.  My favorite one in Fossil is in the old Pine Creek schoolhouse.  It's volunteer staff, as is true in most Eastern Oregon towns, is an old woman that knows absolutely everything about anything and anyone that ever came through in the last 100 years.  Whenever I'm in this part of the state I usually haven't shaved, showered or shampooed for a few days so these women are always a little leery of me at first.  But after a few minutes they warm up to me and offer me a cup of Lipton Tea.  Plus this time I had a four-month-old baby with me, which I think helps people to believe that you aren't a shoplifter.  

The Fossil Mercantile is the grocery store in town, and it's a site to behold.  It has a wide planked pine floor and they sell cowboy boots right along side the artisan goat cheese.  I know for certain that if there is a heaven, it involves cowboy boots, gins and tonic, and artisan goat cheese all within a 3 block radius.  I could die and go to Fossil.

10 down, 232 to go.