Scenic drive along Dead Indian Memorial Road and Green Springs Highway

On our last day staying in Ashland (a Saturday), we took a scenic drive along Dead Indian Memorial Road and Green Springs Highway (OR-66), along the historic Applegate Wagon Trail, through the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

An interactive map of our route, traveling clockwise (with a fuel stop first, then a stop at the “Boat Launch” waypoint; the other waypoints are just to force the route:

We really like the Ashland area, and Dead Indian Memorial Road is one of the favorites, the kind of terrain we enjoy.

Some interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks along Dead Indian Memorial Road

A bit of wildfire smoke in the area:

View from Dead Indian Memorial Road

A glimpse of Mount Washington, a 7,795 foot peak in the Cascade range:

Mount Washington

Smiley face on a tank:

Smiley face on tank

We stopped at the Sunset Day Use Area of Lake of the Woods for a picnic lunch:

Lake of the Woods

Another angle of Mount Washington across the lake:

Mount Washington

Lake of the Woods

A dog with shark fin, carrying a stick:

Dog with shark fin

Selfie

Ducks:

Ducks

Duck

Back on the road, on highway 140 W:

Highway 140 W

Upper Klamath Lake:

Upper Klamath Lake

Reservoir:

Reservoir

OR-66:

OR-66

A nice drive.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival

We attended a couple of performances of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.

Back when we had a homestead, we used to be members of OSF, and did annual visits to Ashland to attend performances and enjoy the town. (Though we do plan to be back in Ashland next year, and probably every year, so we could resume our membership.)

This time, we attended a performance of Jane Eyre, and of Much Ado About Nothing.

“Allen Elizabethan Theatre, America’s First Elizabethan Theatre”:

Allen Elizabethan Theatre

Before each show they have a “Green Show” musical performance outside the theaters:

The Green Show

Into the theater:

Theater

A view of the Green Show from the theater balcony:

The Green Show

Inside the theater; yes, it’s open air:

Theater

Another day, another Green Show:

The Green Show

A larger crowd:

The Green Show

Selfie:

Selfie

A little different set dressing in the theater:

Theater

Sunset:

Theater with sunset

Audience:

Audience

Theater

Ashland food

Some samples of food in Ashland, Oregon.

Firstly, an ice cream snack from Zoey’s Cafe & Artisan Ice Cream:

Ice cream

After the cabaret (which also had food, covered previously), we went to an old favorite, Louie’s of Ashland for a small dinner creekside:

Louie's of Ashland

Salad and truffle fries:

Salad snd truffle fries

Before a play, we had a fancy dinner at Chateaubriand 36:

Chateaubriand 36

Appertizers

Mains

Dessert menu

Absinthes

I enjoy absinthe (Jenn doesn’t), so I got an absinthe drip:

Absinthe drip

David with absinthe

Desserts

Finally, before another play we had dinner at Cocorico (which used to be Amuse):

Cocorico

Front dining room

Selfie

Appertizers

Mains

Desserts

Tasty stuff. Our only regret was that we missed the delightful breakfasts we used to be served when staying at Ashland Creek Inn each year. Now that we live in a motorhome, we don’t have that particular pleasure anymore.

Ashland wineries: Quady North & Belle Fiore

While staying in Ashland we visited a couple of wineries that we’ve enjoyed in the past: Quady North & Belle Fiore.

Firstly, Quady North:

Quady North

They used to have a tasting room in Jacksonville, but recently moved to a building at their winery:

Quady North

We did a couple of tastings, which included some bonuses, along with a charcuterie platter for our lunch:

Quady North

We bought several bottles, plus a box of wine:

Quady North

Another day, we went to Belle Fiore Winery, another winery we’ve liked:

Belle Fiore

A somewhat fancier building:

Belle Fiore

We did the Reserve and Chateau tastings:

Belle Fiore

I admit it, we mostly go here for their truffle fries; this time since this was our dinner we also got a charcuterie board, though I think we would have preferred just getting a full-sized order of fries (this was the small):

Belle Fiore

We didn’t buy any bottles from here; after doing the tastings, we decided we didn’t particularly enjoy any of them enough this time. Their wines are too tannic for us.

Oregon Cabaret Theatre: Legally Blonde, the Musical

While in Ashland, we attended a performance at Oregon Cabaret Theatre of Legally Blonde, the Musical. We’ve visited Ashland many times over the years, but this was our first time at the cabaret.

Oregon Cabaret Theatre

Menu:

Stage:

Stage

Our table was upstairs:

Our table

Other tables:

Other tables

Chandelier:

Chandelier

Jenn:

Jenn

Brunch:

Dinner

Legally Blonde dining:

Legally Blonde dining

Legally Blonde

Seat map

Downstairs:

Downstairs

Stage:

Stage

Of course I couldn’t take photos of the actual performance, but it was enjoyable.

U-Haul to move stuff from a storage unit to a shed

Ever since we started preparing for our current RV lifestyle, we’ve had a storage unit in the Portland area, somewhat near our old homestead. But paying for ever-increasing storage rental was getting old. So we bought a shed for home, and one of our projects during our annual visit home this year was to move the contents of the storage unit to the shed.

To do this, we rented a 15 foot U-Haul truck near the storage unit:

U-Haul pickup

At the storage unit, before loading the truck:

At storage unit

(Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of the loaded truck; it was full, just big enough.)

The truck at our shed:

At shed

Looking in the empty truck after we had unloaded it:

Empty

Not too hard. Nice to have our stuff at our Washington home.

Baseball: Seattle Mariners vs New York Mets

The second Seattle Mariners game vs the New York Mets, at the Mariners’ ballpark, T-Mobile Field was originally going to be an afternoon game, but was pushed back a few hours as it was featured on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

We were there very early, having done the ballpark tour beforehand, so had ample opportunity to sample more ballpark food:

Burgers and fries

Pizza

Julio Rodríguez exercising, having been on the injury list until this game:

Julio Rodríguez exercising

Marking the batting boxes:

Marking the batting boxes

Jenn with inflatable trident:

Jenn with inflatable trident

Pitching:

Pitching

Batting:

Batting

Cal on base:

On base

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball:

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball

Pitching:

Pitching

Run scores:

Run scores

Salmon Run:

Salmon Run

Salmon

Home run:

Home run

Two runs score:

Two runs score

Even though I’ve been in this ballpark more times than any other over the years, and had explored in the previous game, plus the guided tour, I still wanted to explore some more, to take pictures from other angles and places:

Exploring the ballpark

Seattle

Exploring the ballpark

“Hotdogs from heaven”, a Mariners innovation where they drop hotdogs on little parachutes:

Hotdogs from heaven

The wave:

The wave

Cal Raleigh is nicknamed “Big Dumper” (because he has a big butt), and they played on that by having him read out messages to dump people:

Big Dumper

The M’s did rather well:

Scores

Mariners win:

Mariners win

Mariners winning dance

Sweep:

Sweep

Cal interview:

Cal interview

Mariners win

Baseball: Seattle Mariners T-Mobile Field guided tour

We had a guided tour of the Seattle Mariners’ ballpark, T-Mobile Field.

But first, a stop at the team store for some swag:

Team store

T-Mobile Park home plate entrance:

T-Mobile Park

The tour started at the club level:

Club level

Press boxes and suites:

Press boxes and suites

Press boxes

Selfie:

Selfie

Mariners history:

Mariners history

Club level

A look in a suite:

Suite

Ramp up to the 300 level:

Ramp

300 level

Batting practice:

Batting practice

300 level

Cranes

Seattle skyline

Home plate entrance chandelier:

Home plate entrance chandelier

Mariners hall of fame:

Mariners hall of fame

Bullpen:

Bullpen

An interesting tour of T-Mobile Park:

T-Mobile Park

Baseball: Seattle Mariners vs New York Mets

While our coach was at home, we spent a couple of nights in a hotel in Seattle (across the road from the ballpark), to attend a couple of Seattle Mariners games vs the New York Mets, at the Mariners’ ballpark, T-Mobile Field (which I’ll always think of Safeco Field).

The first game was an evening one.

T-Mobile Park