Day 97

I love all my yoga friends.  Lovely Andrea has hooked me up with her brother Philip and sister in law, Teri, in Ashland. They have offered me to stay in their home and look after me for a day.  I have been looking forward to meeting them.

After devouring a home cooked breakfast I was chauffeured around Medford and Ashland by Teri.  She has been very helpful, phoning around looking for shoes for me.  I needed to replace clothing,  my stove that uses too much fuel, broken poles, and most importantly, shoes.  No luck finding my Altra Lone Peak runners.  I am going to have to try something else in the meantime.  Paul has ordered my Altras online and will mail them to me.  But I must keep hiking.  In the meantime I’m going to try Hoka shoes, another popular shoe with thru hikers.

Teri and Philip’s home is in a community surrounding a Buddhist temple and retreat centre.  They have lived here for 30 years.  When you look out their windows, all you see are hills of oak trees moving with the breeze.  The only other building you can see is the top of the colourful temple, that Phillip built, on a hill in the distance.   He also built their family home.  It is solar powered and they have their own well for water.  They try and leave as small a footprint as possible.  This is a special place.  I’m relaxed and loving this.

Teri and Philip were so kind and generous.  Teri is a whiz in the kitchen and I enjoyed her home cooking.  It was nice to cuddle with their family pets, cat, Caitlyn, and dog, Koda.

Teri dropped me off at the trailhead at 7am.  I feel as though we have been friends for a long time.  I’m not sad to say goodbye, because I know we will see each other again. Thank you Philip and Teri for your kindness and generosity.