Date: 8/9/16
Miles: 13.0
Total Miles: 1715.2
On our first full day in Oregon, the destination was Callahan's Lodge, a small hotel next to Interstate 5 and only 10 miles outside of the town of Ashland. Home to both an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner and pancake breakfast and less than a mile from the trail, it's a perfect place to pickup a resupply package and wash away the layers of dirt I seem to accumulate every day courtesy of a trail bed that is typically very dry and dusty, and made worse by the occasional passing of a rider on horseback.
Reaching I-5 and crossing back over to its east side also completes what I've dubbed the "Great Western Swing" that began a week or two ago as the trail semi-circumnavigated Mt. Shasta. Giving it a wide berth throughout, the strange course of the trail has meant that this 14,000+ foot giant has been on display for large portions of each day.
As I relaxed last night while watching the Olympics, it felt good to be connected to the outside world for a few hours having been largely cutoff from the news for so long now. It also gave me a chance to take stock of all the exciting landmarks that lie ahead in the coming weeks: Mt. McLoughlin, Crater Lake, Three Fingered Jack, Three Sisters Wilderness, and Mt. Hood, where my Mom will be hiking with me until the Oregon/Washington border. The miles may go by in a blur, but the scenery will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.