Ashland and rain

Actually, the weather has been ok. The rain has mostly been drizzly, with short periods of heavier downpours. Today, we hiked all over Lithia Park, a fine cith park next to a fairly large stream. Oaks, big leaf maples, ponderosa pines were everywhere. Kate saw a belted kingfisher fly over the river. I missed it, but I know they are here. Tomorrow, we may try to get to Siskiyou Mountain Park, depending on weather.

This town is a mixture of science oriented folks ( Scienceworks Museum is similar to S.F.s Exploratorium, ut lots smaller. We also enjoyed the nature center in town. There is also an affluent/New Ageey feel to things. Heard on the street today: ! told her to ground her life by focusing on the Ancient Feng Shui masters. (huh???) There are flyers for groups where you can explore your ancestor's relationship to the constellations and how this effects your ability to love, and some attention paid to a spiritual master who apparently vouaged to earth from the Pleides. I'm lost here, but still enjoy the town.

Oh yes, restaurants are expensive, Many offer steak dinners in the $39 range. Most also have some veggie options, like rice and risotto for $18, We're doing fine cooking in the house where we are staying.

We are in another Air B&B. Our hostess, Andrea is visiting her family. Her husband, Josh cooks gourmet breakfasts. We share travel tales...he lived on a kibbutz in Israel where when you took your cloathes to the laundry, you often got a whole other set of cloathes in return. He has other great stories. My favoriite is how he was in Ireland for Christmas, and was going to catch a plane. the next day. There were no hotels, the airport was closed so he couldn't sleep there. He stood in front kof a churgh with s sign saying he needed a place to stay. A family took him in and gave him too much to drink... but an experience and then some.

We hope to hike tomorrow if it's not raining... check in.