As we were making our way north, Mt Shasta was in our line of view most of the 200 miles as we headed to Ashland Oregon. We like to keep our drives a bit less than that but would never get to any of the places we had planned to visit this summer at that rate.
Mt Shasta as we were leaving California going north is pretty impressive with its 7 glaciers.
View from our campsite while at Emigrant Lake near Ashland, Oregon. The first day was 92 degrees but cooled each day. This lake is very much used for boating, fishing and swimming with some nice hikes along the lake.
In the morning, we had to set our alarm clock to get out the door for our bike ride at 6 am before it heated up too much.We set out to find the Bear Creek Trail to Medford. There were berry bushes all along the creek. Fall would be a great time to be here when the ripen for pie. Once we got to Medford, there were more trails and greenways without many hills. Far too tempting, but we turned around before it became a 50 mile ride instead of 32.
We stayed at Emigrant Lake Recreation Area where the full hookup sites overlook the lake. We would wake to the sound ofthe rowing club and kayakers. In the evening water skiers were out in full force. Once again, we would wake up at 2 or 3 am and sit outside to look at the Milky Way and stars that were easy to see without the light pollution.
Ashland, Oregon seemed like a good stopping off place on our way north. We are finding that we short changed ourselves by not staying longer. Even though the temps were in the 90s in the afternoons, we enjoyed our visit. Oregon has made a good deal of effort in making cycling byways a big part of their identity. We hope to return and visit the byways that include waterfalls and covered bridges in the future.
The original American pioneers who set out on the Oregon Trail in search of a better life. These pioneers who made it were granted a square mile plot of land where they could stake their claim and pursue their dreams.
A walk in Lithia Park through the shaded trails was a great treat from the heat. There were plenty of locals walking the trails and playing pickleball.
Lithia Park has the Sherwood Forest feel. Walking along the shady Ashland Creek Trail was a nice respite from the heat.
The Free Auto Camp, developed in 1915 at the upper end of Lithia Park, one of the first such facilities on the West Coast. We hear there were many on the east coast.
As Mike was tasting the mineral water from the fountain and making a face, a driver passing by was chuckling and told him that he should drink a quart a day....
Once we returned to Ashland, we found a coffee shop/brewery so we could use the internet and catch up on some things we had been neglecting.
Ashland and Lithia Park is also the original site of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival theater. Shakespeare Festival that runs all summer until October. They also have the Green Theater on Thursday evenings that is entertaining, free and presented by the local college students.
Our stay is Ashland was shorter than we would have liked. But we were glad that we made the stop and met somemore nice people along the way.
