8/9/2023
Section: Milepost 1731.1 to 1719.7
Total Trail Miles: 1219.7
Distance: 11.73 Miles
Moving Time: 04:28
Elevation Gain: 1224 ft
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Today we woke extra early to capitalize on our time in Ashland. Our path on the 11 mile sprint to our NERO day picked up where it had left off in the Soda Mountain wilderness and traversed almost due west towards I-5. Along the way the PCT passes south of Porcupine rock and north of the enticing Pilot Rock before descending a long, steep grade to I-5 at the Siskiyou summit. The stage ends on route 273 (Old Hwy 99) which is traveled northwards for about a mile, under I-5 to where the PCT continues west.
We were up and walking by 6:30, enjoying the cool of the morning. The path, like much of Oregon, was flat and easily traveled and the miles flew by. We were met along the way by epic views of Soda Mountain and Pilot rock not to mention 15 or so NOBO’s telling us stories of how amazing Ashland was. It had been 15 days since our last sleep in a bed and, while we were getting very used to our mesh and fabric sheltered evenings, we were both excited for a shower and some clean sheets. Along the way we also made friends with a Rosy Boa!
We eventually weaved our way down a steep grade, after talking with a group of about 20 boomers, and reached Old Route 99. From here, we worked our way north, under I-5, to where the PCT picked back up heading south. Here we called an Uber and sat down to wait. As we sat there in our reverie, a well-loved van pulled up with a couple and about 5 kids. They jumped out and some of the band started getting their things together to start walking. We talked to them for a little while before realizing that this was the family we had heard about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail this year. The Mom’s name was Queen Bee and the dad’s name was Spreadsheets, a variation of my own name. They were originally from the midwest but had been living in Chad for the last 10 years as doctors associated with, if I understood correctly, a mission in the country. We talked for a little while before the mom and two oldest boys started off slackpacking up the trail. As they explained, this was how they were doing some of Oregon. Slackpacking certain sections with some of the kids and other sections with others.
Eventually, our Uber showed up. He had been heavily delayed because of roadwork on I-5 and apologized profusely. We loaded our things up and got in and he rejoined I-5 traffic headed north. About 35 minutes brought us into downtown, maybe a bit longer because our driver refused to follow the very deliberate directions layed out for him in the Uber app, but whatever - he got us there. At the hotel I had reserved, we got out, thanked him and went in. At the reception desk we discovered that our room was not quite ready and that we would have to wait until later that day to get in. Slightly let down, we walked down the street to get a burger at “Flipped” which we had seen on the way in. We both ordered the special, a Greek burger, which was phenomenal, but it was here that I realized I had made a mistake in directing our resupply package.
A few weeks prior, my Aunt Joni had asked if she could send us a resupply package. Delighted, we had said yes and provided an address to send it to. It was only as I was finishing the last crumbs of a second burger at Flipped, however, that I realized that address was actually all the way back at a lodge near where we had exited the trail earlier that day. Some hikers choose to not go into Ashland at all and instead stay at a lodge near Old Route 99 called Callahan’s Mountain Lodge at Siskiyou summit. Well, it turns out the address for the lodge is what I had provided to my Aunt without considering the fact that we would be going into Ashland and that the better option would have undoubtedly been the local post office. So, after putting down two amazing burgers at “Flipped” we called an Uber, who happened to be the same guy who had picked us up from the trailhead, to take us back down I-5 to Callahan’s Mountain Lodge where we were able to grab the package. While waiting for the kind lady behind the counter to go find our box I was dismayed to see a local tv station calling for a heat wave and triple digit temperatures coming our way the following day. She quickly returned and I was reminded that my aunt had actually sent two boxes, of which this was the first, weighing in at about 22 pounds. We returned to the Uber and once back at the hotel we were allowed in and turned the goods out onto our room’s bed, reveling in all the goodies that would take us south towards the California border.
After everything was organized we headed out into Ashland and got dinner at Brickhouse, an awesome meeting-hall style eatery on mainstreet. I enjoyed some examples of Oregon’s incredible brew scene and Amanda got a custom cocktail while we sat and reflected on our time since Cascade Locks. We were able to recreate each day, with each other’s help, and where we had stayed each night. After dinner we headed over to Ashland’s cinema to catch the Barbie movie which was excellent (not to mention the popcorn that I couldn’t stop eating) before returning to the hotel for some much needed rest.
