Running Why?

A week before our Ashland trip I got an amazing e-deal from the Running Y Resort that included a round of golf. We've wanted to check out this central Oregon resort for a while so the deal was too good to pass up. And I thought it was just a short drive from Ashland...

As it turns out, because you need to cross the mountains the drive wasn't all that short, about 90 minutes, but it was pretty. The resort changed owners this year and is in a period of transition. Not everything was open but we enjoyed the facilities that were. It was very uncrowded compared to Sunriver or Black Butte. The golf courses, both regulation and putt-putt, were challenging and well-maintained.

The downside is that the property is situated next to a marshy wetlands area so mosquitoes were present in abundance. Especially near the putting course.

More pastries please...

We started our day by visiting the Ashland farmer's market. I love to do this when I'm traveling as it gives me a true sense of place for the area. For example, at farmer's markets in Madison and Orange County we've savored maple syrup and fresh avocados, respectively. These are items that we don't find at our local Oregon markets. Because the four hand pies we found at the market weren't quite enough, our next stop was Deux Chats bakery. This ranks as a don't miss for Ashland alongside the Earl Grey infused chocolate chip ice cream from Mix Sweet Shop.

We wandered back up to Medford and a bit west to the small town of Jacksonville. Jacksonville is a well-preserved gold rush town from the 1800's and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. We didn't have a lot of time and it was HOT but we did enjoy wandering around town a bit.

The highlight of the trip was attending a performance of Pirates of Penzance at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Everything about the performance was outstanding including the atmosphere of the outdoor Elizabethan theatre, stage decoration/props, the music, the acting, the audience participation... I could go on and on. The actors don't use mikes but you can still hear them quite well. We are already planning another trip next year.

Unfortunately we were lazy and didn't take any photos today so you'll have to settle for some puppy pictures. This is my parents' puppy, Trooper. He is a five-month old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. He had a fun time in Ashland too enrolling in doggy day care for the first time with his big sis Hi-D.

The Rogue River valley, as we like it

Finally, after many years of threats and promises we made our way south to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Mom and Dad Snootypurse joined us with their RV.

We started our visit with a Backstage Tour offered by the OSF. These tours are led by members of the acting company and are highly recommended. I learned on our tour that OSF is a unique example of "repertory theatre" meaning that multiple plays are showing simultaneously. This presents exceptional challenges for the set crew because they have to reset the stage for each new play. Sometimes twice a day!

The photo above is of the open-air Elizabethan theatre. This is the most well-known of the 3 OSF stages in Ashland. We have tickets to see Pirates of Penzance here tomorrow night!

In the afternoon we drove north a few miles to Medford; the headquarters of Harry and David. We took a guided tour of their factory. This picture shows the production line for packing peaches. We also saw them assembling a signature "Tower of Treats" and brewing up some Moose Munch. Since I work in bits and bytes, it was interesting to see a factory where things are actually made. The samples after the tour were good too!

The last photo is taken in the lobby of the packing area of a giant inlaid Riviera Pear. Harry and David are famous for these pears but we think the pears from our local farmer's market and Hood River are a little better.