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Ashland and beyond...

After calling the PCT home for 36 days and 440 miles, a return to civilized life has its challenges. Ashland is a perfect spot for wanderers taking a pause. One passing hiker had described it as "four square miles surrounded by reality." Perhaps, but the formula worked pretty well for us. In a sweet little golden valley, it's a cute old town with great food and friendly people. The forgiving attitudes towards absent-minded jaywalking and out-of-practice hygiene help soften the post-hike culture shock.

We didn't manage to take in any of the Shakespeare Festival, which is a good enough reason to return. I'm also eager to explore the many trails of the Ashland watershed, which link Lithia Park downtown to the PCT and other sites. Nothing's better than being able to hike directly into and out of town, and Ashland's definitely got this to recommend it. Probably a much prettier way to get to town from the PCT than the road walk to Callahan's that we took.

Since this was our first ever trip to Oregon, we were pleased to also have a chance to pay a visit to Eugene to see my brother's show. Heading back south, we rewarded ourselves with a trip down the coastal highway, along the rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, all the way to California to get excellent donuts in Crescent City and see the giant redwoods. Someday we hope to join up with the California section of the PCT and then find our way to Los Angeles.

Always too soon, it's time to go home and get busy with our autumn endeavors. Thanks to everyone who helped make this trip possible, and those who helped out along the way -- Sharon, US Forest Service, PCTA, Halfmile, Marilyn, Joe, Joel, Tess, Warm Springs Tribes, Jane, Rick, Jenny, Big Lake Youth Camp, Walt, Lloyd Gust, Nick, Ron and Don! And our congratulations to the 2010 PCT hikers; it was a pleasure meeting you all.

We solemnly vow to hike again! D&J

Day 36 (September 21)

Mount Shasta -- very big!

Clear skies as we emerge from our last PCT slumber to greet our last PCT morning. Our post-breakfast load has never been lighter: out of coffee, food, and fuel. Couldn't have planned it better.

This section of trail isn't much celebrated by the locals. Before the PCT was established and needed a route between Mt Ashland and Hyatt lake, there wasn't a major hiking trail through here at all. Maybe we're just lucky with the lighting, but it's pretty grand to us. Mt Shasta hovers over us in the southern sky as we stride along the low hills and ridges towards Pilot Rock, the sides of the trail thick with dewy thimbleberries. Just a few miles to go.

Ashland's down there somewhere

Around noon a thick fog rolls into the valley, completely covering our destination. It's pretty from above, but as we descend the last hill and dive below, it makes for a dreary sky. Within an hour we're standing under Interstate 5 at a crossroads of mixed feelings -- here the PCT heads west past Mt. Ashland and into California, and we head north to town. We'll miss the trail no doubt, but we're excited for what's to come.

The first thing to come, we hope, is lunch! After a short road walk we arrive at Callahan's Lodge, a hotel and restaurant highly praised by hikers for hospitality and cuisine, and the southern outpost of Ashland. We'll be meeting our friend Sharon here, ending our hike, and commencing our temporary Ashland residence.

Sharon greets us with good cheer and bad news: Callahan's isn't open for lunch during the week. Thus begins the harsh grind of civilization. Luckily there are about a hundred places in Ashland that are open for lunch, so no need to shed tears. We toast our arrival in proper Oregon fashion with responsibly-ground burgers and prizewinning microbrews. For dinner we feast on cheese and wine from the excellent food coop. With great effort we even manage to stay awake until 10, hard work, but there's so much to eat...

Day 35 (September 20)

No camp breakfast this morning -- we take a couple miles detour up the west shore of Hyatt Lake, which has a great cafe. Chicken-fried steak and eggs with biscuits on the side -- wow!

Finally a beautiful clear day, and we can see the little town of Ashland beckoning below, also a great view of Emigrant Lake. Unfortunately there's no way to hike right down into town from this side, so we have to continue circling clockwise as we descend. Not far to go though; we'll hit the outskirts of town tomorrow. We make our last camp in a scenic spot just above Little Pilot Rock.

The Dr Pepper stove cooks up our delicious final dinner: Vegetable curry and potatoes, assembled from the Fish Lake and Hyatt Lake hiker boxes, plus some surplus from Ron and Don. Goodnight, PCT!

Day 34 (September 19)

The Dr Pepper stove is cooking up our morning oatmeal -- look at it go! And just in case the HEET runs out, Ron and Don donate a little fuel canister for the gas stove, plus a few choice foods. Thanks, guys!

We brave the rain and head south once again. We're leaving the wilderness now, descending from the high mountains through scrubby forests and fields of sage. This is mostly BLM land, which is used for grazing, and the trail crosses several fenced-in areas. It's still pretty wild though -- the only things we see grazing are deer.

Day 33 (September 18)

A morning of beautiful smells, starting with a hearty Fish Lake breakfast. Hike over Brown Mountain is damp and fragrant with fruit and flowers.

We opt for a short day in order to dodge the rain again, shacking up in the Brown Mountain Shelter just offtrail. It's not fancy like the Maiden Peak Shelter, but it's a cozy little room with an old wood stove and a generous supply of firewood. Ron and Don, who are hiking north to Fish Lake, drop in to help us light the fire. Very warm in here! No need to try out the Dr Pepper can tonight since we can boil water by setting our cup right on the stovetop.

Ron and Don are friendly guys with a lot of wit and booze to share. We all tuck away into a warm pleasant slumber while the storm pelts the tin roof all night.

Day 32 (September 17)

Out of fuel! Breakfast is bars and cold coffee. We'll be at Fish Lake by lunch; hopefully there'll be some fuel in the store or hiker box there.

The morning air is pretty much smoke-free, and there's no sign of any trail closures. Good news, we'll probably never know the story. We can finally see the imposing Mt McLoughlin up close, but no time for a trip to the top today.

Down the trail down to Fish Lake we go. It's a dreary spot -- or maybe it's a cute little spot on a dreary day. Lunch is okay but pricey. We can feel a storm brewing and decide to take a cabin here for the night, expensive and shabby. (They also have slightly cheaper and much shabbier accommodations targeted at through-hikers, but so depressing I'd have rather camped and lugged the wet tent.)

The hiker box has lots of food and Coleman fuel but nothing that will work with our stove. The store is very small and has no fuel of any sort. But they do have one shelf of auto supplies with a tiny bottle of HEET, which is renowned in the ultrtalight hiking set as the ideal fuel for alcohol stoves. Following the wisdom of the internet I manufacture a capable alcohol stove from a Dr Pepper can. With an inch of HEET it boils our cup in about 10 minutes, should make hot dinner a snap. It's a true mobile internet and Swiss army knife success story!

Tonight, though, we dine on Fish Lake steak and fresh veggies, with a view of the heavy storm pounding the lake.