3 June – Ashland

First thing in the morning we headed into the nearby town of Medford to the Jiffy Lube to get the RV a check over and oil change. In true Jiffy Lube fashion it was all done and dusted in about 20 minutes. We then headed on to Jacksonville historic town (and wine route). Jacksonville was lovely. Very quaint, lots of old buildings. The town was founded during the gold rush, when some prospectors who were heading to California to join the 49ers gold mining areas, camped by the side of Daisy Creek. One of the mules went lame overnight and when the prospector cleaned out his hoof, lo and behold there was a gold nugget stuck in the mules hoof. Needless to say they unpacked the mules and set up camp. Within a few months there were 3000 people in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville became an orcharding town, and survived the depression by the residents tunnelling under the town for the gold that still exists today. The bank was interesting. It operated until the owner’s death in 1915, then the doors were closed and it was left intact until it was taken over by the historical society in the 60s and preserved exactly as it was found. Apparently over $2M in gold was weighed and on the bank records in the day when gold was $12 per oz. 

We first visited the South Stage Winery for tastings (very nice Chardonnays) then to a sushi place for lunch. After lunch we took the trolley tour of the town, really interesting facts and history of the town. One of the stories was about a local resident, One Eyed Charlie. He drank, cussed, fought and was generally a very disagreeable person, but was great with animals so was employed to break horses and manage cattle. When Charlie died, the undertaker found out that he was really a woman, and therefore the first woman to vote in America - at that time only men had to vote and Charlie had voted in every election. 

In the afternoon we drove along the Appleyard Wine Route and took in tastings at Fiasco and Longsword wineries. We saw hang gliders landing on the river flats behind the vineyards. Back into Ashland for dinner at Lark Restaurant at the Ashland Springs Hotel. Very nice! We started with martinis – ginger pear for Ros and raspberry for Steve. We had mussels and tempura garlic shallots, sockeye salmon and rib eye steak, then flourless choc cake with caramel ice-cream and vanilla choc cake. All delicious! Then back to the RV Park for the night.