Ashland, Oregon is truly a mecca for biking, hiking, and trail-running. The acres upon acres of watershed and hundreds of miles of trails that make up Ashland’s back yard are vascular in nature and number, reaching all the way to Mt. Ashland, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the watersheds of Northern California and the Red Butte Wilderness.  Oredson-Todd Woods offers direct access to this system in the Ashland and Rogue Valley watershed. 

The trails within Oredson-Todd are moderately easy (relative to the steep and technical nature of most of the surrounding trails), wide, well maintained, and easily accessed. Oredson-Todd can be reached via several different routes; however, the main trail head is at the turnaround atop Lupine Drive in Ashland, Oregon.  Healthy, mature, forest boasting broad-leafed deciduous and evergreen conifers (cone-bearing) protect the easy going trail that heads inward.  Oredson-Todd is considered the gateway wilderness: It behaves as both the access point for the rest of the woods as well as a great starting place for those who just want a taste.  

Oredson-Todd also provides impressive birding opportunities because of the riparian zone, open fields, and Manzanita fields.  It’s no rarity to find Pileated Wood Peckers, Winter Wrens, American Dippers, Cedar Wax Wings, Varied Thrush, Nashville Warblers, Mourning Doves and White Breasted Nut Hatches.  In addition, during the spring months in the Manzanita fields, one will find Rufus Hummingbird amidst their courtship flight.  The male will zoom up 20 or 30 feet in the air near a female and chirp, then zoom down and hover a moment before doing it again and again, higher and higher each time. It’s quite a sight to watch this tiny dance amidst the commanding vista of the hills to the east and south. 

Oredson-Todd Woods is perfect for a holiday stroll with the family, a lazy Sunday walk, bird-watching, or preparing for further exploration within the maze of trails beyond.

The first page of the Noble Coffee Roasting brochure reads, “Our vision has always been to build a temple to coffee”.  Many coffee connoisseurs understand this sentiment, yet the Noble Coffeehouse definitely walks the walk.  The smell of roasting beans tickles the crisp outside air on this October morning at the bottom of Fourth Street in Ashland, Oregon.  The sun is shining and the sidewalk tables are abuzz with bundled friends, smiling and chatting with caffeinated fervor.  The line is long – almost out the door, yet moves quickly.

A name is called and someone approaches the counter to retrieve their cappuccino as the barista decorates the top into a foamy work of art.  The concept is simple, yet beyond the scope of many trendy and stylish coffeehouses these days: organic, artisan, fairly traded, non-pretentious coffee served quickly and consistently.  If a regular cup of coffee is ordered, it is French-pressed or siphoned; “drip” is not part of the Noble lexicon.  Noble serves coffee as though there are inherent golden truths to each drink type and each one exists in the coffee pantheon in an inherent way.  A specific sized mug or glass will be used based on the type of coffee or espresso drink ordered, like red wine glasses in a fine dining restaurant.

Noble offers much more than quality coffee, however.  Noble, naturally lit and airy, is full of energy, and is a common gathering ground for Ashland locals.  Though many work and study, it seems the majority of patrons are meeting friends or at least stopping by to say hello to one of the Noble employees.  The mood is always friendly, upbeat, and sincere.

The roasting process occurs frequently in an adjacent roasting room and can be seen through the windows from the coffeehouse.  Noble brings a welcome, slightly urban feel to this somewhat suburban community.  The roaster today has his headphones on and wanders around, testing this and that, dancing to his own tune.

Noble Coffee Roasting offers a retreat on a windy Saturday morning, or a fueling station on the way out of town.  And for those uninterested in pantheons and temples and golden truths, most of all, Noble offers up a fine cup o’ joe.

Ashland Oregon Restaurants:
Ashland is the base for many of our Oregon Rafting trips and the restaurants reviewed are great places to visit before or after trips on the Upper Klamath, Rogue River, or Illinois River.

One last Note about Noble:
We serve Noble Coffee on all of our trips – these guys are passionate about coffee, their business, and the Ashland, Oregon Community  - we love them!!

 Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, residents of the Rogue Valley, Oregon find themselves within a cornucopia of Southern Oregon’s fresh local goodness. The Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market boasts all the features of a good local market yet is small, accessible, and beautiful against the backdrop of the dramatic Rogue Valley hills. It is late October and the market is still watercolor-worthy with the colorful fruits, vegetables, flowers, pastries, honey, cheese, and local art on display. The RV Market is from 8:30am to 1:30pm and runs from the beginning of May through the end of October or November (dates and times vary). Tuesday and Saturday the market is in Ashland, Oregon and Thursday the Market is in Medford, Oregon.

Southern Oregon residents frequent the Markets and many share the same routine: grab a cup of individually made Noble Coffee and a pastry from Pennington Farms and make a round gently filling a bag with healthy, tasty treats, greeting friends along the way. I personally head for Maria’s tamale stand as soon as possible and munch while I ponder my weekly list.

Aside from filling my basket and my belly with wonderful ingredients, I feel fulfilled every time I attend the Growers Market from the tangible community that it offers. One of the most outstanding things that I’ve learned about the RV Growers and Crafters Market is that they accept Oregon Trail cards (food stamps) as well as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program checks and Senior Nutrition program checks. There really is something for everyone.

Some of the vendors featured:
Barking Moon Farm
Blue Fox Farm
Deux Chats Bakery
Full Circle Bison Ranch
Green Springs Body Work
The Rogue Creamery

Ashland, Oregon is a lot closer to the coast than it seems. In fact, as the crow flies it’s only about 80 miles. If you’re wings are in the shop however, getting to Crescent City, CA is a lovely 2 hour and 40 minute drive that flirts among the National Forests of Six Rivers, the Rogue River, and the Klamath River. The latter part of the drive catches up to the Smith River: a clean, cool, blue-green oasis that offers a splendid break. Once in Crescent City, you are greeted by superb surfing opportunities, cozy lodging, and tasty restaurants.

South Beach in Crescent City spans 3.25 flat miles of soft sand that is perfect for beach-running, dog walking, family playing, kite flying, and surf spectating. With some of the best and most consistent surfing around, there are always a few surfers to be seen, though typical California crowding doesn’t seem to be a problem. Surfing South Beach is my preference, next to the tropical southern waters of Mexico and Costa Rica. The swell varies depending on what part of the beach you choose. Some waves are small and beginner friendly, some are larger and offer a more exciting ride. All waves are soft and merciful and break over sand so rocks are not an obstacle. As is always recommended, watch for about 20 minutes to decide which wave is calling your name.

Even in late October, a group of friends decided to grab a beach house for the weekend to exercise our surfing skills. After a five-minute search on TripAdvisor.com, we had a request submitted for a house close to the beach that slept six and would only be $55 per person, including the cleaning fee – another perk of northern California beaches: lodging is relatively easy and affordable.

The surf was excellent and we found some tasty and cheap eats: Perlita’s is a family run, authentic Mexican restaurant on Hwy 101 not too far from South Beach. Perlita’s has four stars on Yelp.com. Good Harvest Café is relatively new and offers healthier options than your run-of-the-mill clam chowder and fries and even has a vegetarian menu. We also opted to save money by buying groceries and cooking in the homey kitchen in our rented beach house.

Growing up in Ashland, I always considered the beach a vacation destination; however, my mind has been changed. Now when I have a day off, I often wake up early, pack the car, hit the waves, and am home in time for dinner.

Tucked in a small building away from downtown Ashland Oregon,  Wiley’s World Pasta feels like a friend’s warm and welcoming dining room upon entry… but with 10 small tables and a host. It is decorated with odds and ends gathered over the years by the owners and there is obscure, interesting reading material at the entry for all patrons to enjoy. Wiley’s is a locals’ hangout, which makes it even more appealing. It is located near the Ashland Shopping Center on Ashland Street, away from the hub and bub of it all.

Featuring organic ingredients, Wiley’s makes fresh, hand made pasta everyday and sports a simple, elegant, and extremely tasty menu. To boot: Garlic caper sauce pasta – “Whole fresh garlic roasted for hours in pure olive oil, then blended with Italian capers, served with a side of parmesan.” Basil walnut pesto pasta – “Organic basil, walnuts, garlic and olive oil, served with a side of parmesan.” Spicy Thai Peanut – “Coconut milk, cilantro, tamari, sesame oil, garlic and chilies, tossed with organic veggies.” Butternut squash and walnut ravioli topped with basil cream sauce – This one speaks for itself. All pasta dishes can be served with angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine and are served with an organic green salad with red onion-poppy seed vinaigrette dressing and fresh organic bread. The red onion-poppy seed dressing and the fresh bread are worth the trip alone. The salads aren’t messing around either. In fact, I often get the Chicken Salad with free range chicken, which is the kind of salad that one can’t make at home, or, at least not quickly or easily. And finally, the desserts. I will sum them up by admitting that my own mother bought the Double chocolate walnut brownie so often that she had an account at Wiley’s. All deserts can be served with the Homemade vanilla ice cream.

Wiley’s is very kid friendly; kids are adorned with crayons and a template once seated and, if their finished picture is chosen, it will be put on the wall and the next time he or she comes in, they are treated with a free meal or a Wiley’s T-shirt.

Prices are reasonable and actually reflect lunch prices at some of the more tourist-targeted establishments closer to downtown. All items range from $10.25 – $11.95, and $13.50 for some specials.

Wiley’s is the kind of place you can go on a quiet Tuesday night when the refrigerator is mocking you, or on a Saturday with a date to sit in a romantic corner over candlelight with a glass of local beer or wine.  Whatever the occasion, Wiley’s will welcome you and yours; for as the menu quotes, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda.

Ashland Oregon Restaurants:
Ashland is the base for many of our Oregon Rafting trips and the restaurants reviewed are great places to visit before or after trips on the Upper Klamath, Rogue River, or Illinois River.

We are really excited about a new event taking place in the Rogue Valley called Farm to Fork.  Farm to Fork was created to celebrate Oregon’s Farms, Wineries, and local food Artisans.  The mission of the FARM to FORK Dinners is to reconnect people to the true source of their food, to increase community awareness about the importance of supporting local & sustainable producers, to provide diners with an exceptional culinary experience, and to directly support local farmers, wineries and organizations that support small farms, food security, and greater accessibility to healthy, local food.

The dinners take place at farms that sustain the food on your plate or the wine in your glass.  Each event begins with a tour of the farm to highlight the farmers hard work and good, clean, fair food.  The  menu’s focus on seasonal harvest and are prepared by local chefs.  The proceeds of each dinner are directly contributed to the farmers and pro-food organizations.  The 2010 dinners will support Rogue Valley Farm to School and Friends of Family Farmers. Check out the 2010 Schedule to see which Dinners benefit which Causes.

For a full schedule of dinners throughout the summer check out Farm to Fork at http://farmtoforkevents.com/dinners/2010-schedule/

Another great way to experience some of the best Southern Oregon has to offer while also supporting a really great cause!