Ashland Daily Photo
Ashland Daily Photo - A picture a day from beautiful Ashland, Southern Oregon USA in the Rogue Valley
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Hank the cat

Another contribution from my daughter. She took this one in April of 2007. My daughter is a pet lover. I am not. Every chance she gets she volunteers to watch the pets of others while they are out of town, etc. So this is “Hank,” a cat of a friend who spent a couple of days and a night at our house. My only memories of Hank include his walking over my face during the night while I was trying to sleep and the dozens of pictures my daughter took of him.

A view from the SOU stands

Photo taken in September 2008

As the sun set, SOU had the lead 11-3. Darkness was not good to the Raiders as they went on to lose the game.

For some views looking from the hills in the distance back towards town see the last couple pictures in this entry.

The Welcome Swing

Photo taken in September 2008

On the corner of Terrace and Ridge a property owner has turned the edge of his private property into a little public park with a couple of swings, one saying “Welcome” on it. Ashlanders like to walk this part of town because of the challenge of the hills, and this spot is a favorite for a rest.

Rogue River Gorge

Photo taken in August 2008

The Rogue River Gorge is spectacular. You can walk the Rogue Gorge Trail for several miles and be treated to amazing views like this.

The trail is easy to find off of Highway 62 just north of the Union Creek Campground. Look for the Natural Bridge Viewpoint parking lot on your left. If you miss it you’ll know you have once you see the river on your left. But you probably won’t because the parking lot is clearly marked and quite large (and empty every time we have been there). If you are going to Crater Lake from Medford this is right on the way.

House remains

Photo taken in August 2008

I’m not sure what happened here, but it looks like a fire completely destroyed what was once a house on East Main Street. It probably happened while we were gone for six weeks beginning in June or I probably would have heard of it. There is something almost peaceful about a burned out house for which nearly nothing but the foundation and the chimney remain.

SOU volleyball goes for the block

Photo taken in September 2008

It doesn’t look like this block was successful, but look at the vertical leap of the girl on the left (Mia Wortel, one of my students). She looks to be two feet off the ground jumping straight up. The building interior in the above picture is the McNeal Pavilion on the SOU campus.

Ashland Loop Road

Photo taken in September 2008

This past Monday morning we dropped the kids off at school and headed up Tolman Creek Road to Four Corners. From there we hopped on our bikes and road for about 20 miles on most of Ashland Loop Road (Forest Road 2060 or Horn Creek Road on Google Maps). The above picture is from about four miles in from Four Corners at one of the two Ashland Creek forks one passes on the road. Both of the creek’s forks eventually drop into Reeder Reservoir. I’ll have a picture or two that actually include water on a later date.

After about 10-12 miles from Four Corners there is a fun bit of single track on your right called Horn Gap Trail if you like real mountain biking. At the end of the single-track portion of Horn Gap be sure to turn left even though it seems like you should be turning right. When you end up at a T in the road (with a Horn Gap sign behind you) turn right to ride the last few miles downhill into Lithia Park.

I’ve done this loop before from my driveway and have to say that it is much more enjoyable from Four Corners. From my driveway to Four Corners is about 6 miles of all uphill. In just 6 miles you gain 3,000 feet of elevation. Needless to say, the next 20+ miles isn’t so enjoyable after such a climb. You feel like you’ve accomplished something but you are in agony most of the way. If you start from Four Corners it’s fun the whole time.

Another great thing about this ride is the lack of people. In my 50 or so miles doing it on two occasions I’ve yet to see another human being. I have seen a couple of bears and other wildlife but no humans.

SOU Football

Photo taken in September 2008

We went to the football game last Saturday night. SOU lost by one to Humboldt State University. The setting was beautiful even if the outcome wasn’t.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Photo taken in August 2008

Sign board on Pioneer Street between the three theaters and next to the Green Show area

Lithia Park bandshell

Photo taken in August 2008

The city band plays under the bandshell on Thursday nights in the summer. Sometimes there are other events here like “Ballet in the Park,” other concerts, and high school graduation. SOU’s graduation ceremony took place here until 2002.