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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Commissioners won't object to BLM road closures Jackson County pair jailed for murder of North Carolina motel manager Following Stafford's threads Ashland library hosting book sale Dog's death spurs protest Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Jackson County pair jailed for murder of North Carolina motel manager Klamath Falls man charged in DUII crash that killed Eagle Point woman Woman struck and killed by vehicle in Josephine County Retrial begins in botched murder case that helped unseat a judge Emergency Services Politics and Elections Ashland aims for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Oregon Legislature convenes, session starts Feb. 12 Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post Education State boosts class time expectation A wealth of experience Ballroom dance class is a hit with North Medford students Talent Elementary students learn to tinker Local elementary and middle school students qualify for state chess championships Environment Commissioners won't object to BLM road closures Mt. 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Darigold to shutter Medford plant, putting 29 out of work ... Klamath Falls man charged in DUII crash that killed Eagle Point woman ... Commissioners won't object to BLM road closures ... Darigold to shutter Medford plant, putting 29 out of work ... Klamath Falls man charged in DUII crash that killed Eagle Point woman ... MY ADVENTURE Great Pizza Adventure on the PCT Comment By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 12:01 am --> SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE The Mail Tribune wants to share your adventure. We’re looking for accounts of hikes, climbs, river runs, fishing trips, bike rides, ocean outings, camping trips, w... » Read more X SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE The Mail Tribune wants to share your adventure. We’re looking for accounts of hikes, climbs, river runs, fishing trips, bike rides, ocean outings, camping trips, wildlife encounters and anything else you’ve done outdoors. Email your 500-word story (and pictures if you have them) to Mail Tribune features editor David Smigelski at [email protected] . » Social News With the movie “Wild” bringing so much attention to the Pacific Crest Trail these days, I am reminded of all the outings I’ve enjoyed on this wilderness route as it cuts through Southern Oregon. My family and I have used it for pleasant hikes to see wildflowers and aspen trees on Mount Ashland. We were challenged by its steepness the day we veered off it to the top of Mount McLoughlin. And then, for sheer goofiness, there was our Great Pizza Adventure on the PCT several years ago. One sunny summer afternoon, we bought a pizza-to-go in Ashland, then headed up Dead Indian Memorial Road to hit the trail. My passengers — my wife, our daughter (16 at the time), and her cousin — were a disciplined unit. Not once during the car ride did any of them open the box and bite into a slice. Our lunch spot was waiting for us in the woods — a Forest Service shelter we had discovered earlier that summer, when the trail marker along the road tempted us into stopping the car and doing a little exploring. Our daughter had reacted to the find like a true teenager. “Wouldn’t it be cool to bring a pizza here sometime?” she asked. The idea had its appeal, I had to admit. Tranquil setting. Picnic table. We vowed that the next time we came this way, we’d have a pizza with us. The PCT crosses Dead Indian Memorial Road about 30 miles from Ashland, in the Winema National Forest. (If you come to Clover Creek Road, turn around and go back a mile or so.) It’s approximately a two-mile hike from the road to the shelter, heading north. This little piece of a very long trail — 2,668 miles, to be exact — features no breathtaking vistas, no breezy meadows, no gushing streams. It’s just a fairly level track through the trees, requiring minimal exertion. Try walking it, though, while toting a large, two-topping pizza with extra cheese. I was entrusted with this enormous responsibility. “How you doing Dad?” my daughter asked from time to time. “Fine.” At the start of the hike, I held the box and its precious contents out in front of me, with two hands. After awhile, I switched to carrying it up around my shoulder, balanced in the palm of my right hand. A stumble could have resulted in a lost lunch and demoralized family. I’d still be living it down to this day. “Is it still warm?” “Feels toasty to me.” If a bear happened to be hiding nearby, how was he liking his very first whiff of the best human food there is? The shelter is set back a bit from the trail. At the split-off leading to it, there’s a sign that points north to the Canadian border (889 miles) and south to the Mexican border (1779 miles). I admire those so-called thru-hikers who spend weeks backpacking the PCT, pushing themselves to the limits, as the woman portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in “Wild” did. But I know that’s not me. The movie of my proudest PCT achievement would be called “Cheesy” — with pizza, that is. When we opened the box at the shelter, we were thrilled to see that nothing had been joggled in transit. And just for the record, yes, the slices were still kind of warm, more than an hour out of the oven. If they hadn’t been, do you think we would have cared? Even cold pizza beats trail mix any day of the week. We have returned to this spot in the woods often over the years, bringing books and board games. It’s a great place to spend a few hours away from it all. The comments left in the logbook indicate that the wayside gets used quite a lot. But we have always had it to ourselves. The backpackers must arrive at the end of the day, when we are already back home, cooking dinner. I can imagine how elated they must feel to arrive at this rustic refuge, after lugging a heavy load for mile after mile after mile. Paul Hadella is a freelance writer living in Talent. Reach him at [email protected].       By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 12:01 am » 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. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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. 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