Day 36: Zero(ish) Day 3

Today is a day off!!  I slept in a whole 15 minutes before forcing myself to roll over for another 30.  After that I decided there was no use pretending I wasn't awake and I might as well start the day.

I packed up my gear and had breakfast.  My plan was to head into town to check into a motel for tonight and then do a bit of exploring.  Sarah is going to hang out with her new beau and his sister and stay at the RV park again.  We'll meet up tomorrow morning on the way out of town.

I rode the short few miles to the edge of town where the Super 8 was located.  Even with my late start, it was still pretty early.  I was going that I would be able to check in early and drop my gear before heading to the center of town.  The desk clerk was very accommodating and found me a room right next to the parking lot door so I could get my bike in easily.  The rooms weren't ready so he asked the cleaners to start with my room.

I killed the wait time catching up on some blog writing, some thank you cards to folks who have hosted us and some grocery shopping across the street.  We would be stocking up on groceries for several days and getting Ferit to shuttle the bulk if it to Crater Lake for us.

Soon the room was ready and I dumped my gear and headed into town to see what there was to see.  It was a quick few miles to the town center.

Ashland is the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  There are signs and banners all over town.

Macbeth  and motorcycles...my kind of town

I thought it would be fun to catch a play.  Unfortunately it was Monday which happens to be the one day a week that the festival does not perform.  Bummer but I understand the need for an off day.

Closed...bummer.  Good excuse to come back.

I headed around the corner to a coffee shop.  I made a few phone calls and caught up on some bill paying.  I also purchased a plane ticket to start my next adventure shortly after the bike trip is done.  Now I had to finish because I am leaving for Hawaii on July 4th.

I took advantage of being in a larger town to have something different for lunch.  I found a really nice Japanese place and had a tasty sushi lunch.

More than two ingredients and no granola bars in sight

After lunch I browsed through some rare book stores.  I didn't find anything I was after but did think it might be a fun trip to come back to sell my collection (it is time to downsize).

It doesn't look like they know what to do on a day off

Back to the coffee shop to read my book for a while.  Eventually it was back to the motel for a nap and to meet Sarah and crew for the grocery hand off as they headed back to the campground.

Just across the street from the motel was a vegan pizza place.  I decided to give it a try and bring something back to my room.  I initially asked for a pizza without cheese.  The hostess talked me into their house made vegan cheese(like substance) which would help the toppings not burn.  I am not exactly sure what it was but it surprisingly had coconut as an ingredient.  It wasn't bad, it didn't taste like cheese and nothing was burned on top.  Success I guess.

Not cheese but vegan fire retardant isn't very marketable

While at the pizza shop, I got a note from Randy.  He had just made it to town and was also staying at the Super 8.  He was at the gas stations getting his end of the ride beers.  We agreed to meet at the motel lobby after a bit.

It was good to see him again but he looked tired.  He admitted as much and said that the I-5 riding was horrible for him also.  He ended up staying on the highway all the way into town which was slightly shorter but extended the suck.

He had similar issues: long day, hot, and ran low on water.  In addition he ran out of food.  The restaurant he planned on for lunch was closed when he got there and he doesn't carry extra food like we do.  He had been putting in really long days for the last week to catch up.  He had caught up but now he was wrecked.

He decided to take a day off in Ashland (which I highly recommend).  We talked about a few other things and then said our goodbyes.  I am not sure I'll see him again on this trip but I hope to run into him again at some point, he is a great guy.

I returned to my room to clean up my bike an get ready for the road again.  While enjoying a phone call home, I destroyed a motel washcloth cleaning and lubing the drive train.  A much overdue activity.

Not sure  the maid service is getting that one back

A warm shower and off to bed, tomorrow will be another long day.