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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Welcome back to school! A new year offers a clean slate ... Ticket Availability ... Chris Honoré: The road to Ragga and the GOP primary ... Welcome back to school! A new year offers a clean slate ... Ticket Availability ... Chris Honoré: The road to Ragga and the GOP primary ... LOCAL TAKE Has smoke affected your end-of-summer plans? Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:46 PM Updated Aug 23, 2015 at 12:47 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:46 PM Updated Aug 23, 2015 at 12:47 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Should the U.S. normalize relations with Cuba? • What did you make of the Republican debate? • Should boulevard median use artificial turf? • Local Take: How are you coping with all the smoke? » Social News It’s well known that time flows faster in summer, when you’re having fun — or are supposed to be. It stands to reason, then, that the last couple weeks of smoke took a year, right? Wildfire trashes vacations.  It’s hard to go to some lake or resort or hiking-camping adventure when you’re looking at smoke, no matter where you go. We try to get savvy with satellite photos and regional smoke reports, but things can change really fast. We’re finding out that the coast is no longer a gimme for clean air during wildfire season. Many minds are shifting to the idea that the best time of year for a summer vacation might be June or even May, before forests dry out. Now we're down to mere days before Labor Day and, omg, is that a vague sense of panic in the air that we’d better move fast and get that chill time in? Nah, that’s not what the Tidings found out when we asked Ashlanders if they have a bucket list for the waning Summer of ’15. What we found is that denizens of this town have already worked out the whole idea of “stay-cation,” right here in the coolest town on Earth. Vicky Helms — No, the smoke didn’t change my vacation plans. I’m just doin’ it, going to Washington and California for the motorcycle races. Nothing outdoorsy. I’ve had a fun summer so far and I’m going to keep having one. Oshana Katranides — For the rest of the summer, I will keep looking at smoke conditions online and trying to make some plans. But there’s no place better than where we live. I’ve lived here 40 years. I just came from a walk in Lithia Park. You can be on vacation here, but when it’s smoky, of course, you go inside and be miserable. Gold Beach looks clear, but you never know. At night, the smoke seems to drop down to the ground and it’s very smoky here. We’ve been fortunate though, because two years ago, the smoke filled the valley and it just stayed and stayed. Craig Chaquico — What vacation? Living in Ashland is a stay-cation. Why go anywhere else? I’m in my (music) studio practicing for the Raiders game in a month. I’ve got to have recreation and that’s built in here, with hiking and biking. Even a drive to the airport is inspirational, with vistas, lamas, horses instead of cars and concrete. The smoke gives me headaches, but even a smoky day in Ashland is better than a, quote, “clear” day in the big city. It’s a small price to pay to live in paradise. Kristina Lefever — I live here so I just have to breathe it. I have no plans for vacation. We went to the coast a couple weeks ago, fishing at Brookings. My husband caught one. Me, I’m working on lots of issues, like getting a pollinator garden in at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected].   By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:46 PM Updated Aug 23, 2015 at 12:47 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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