Malakoff Diggins

We worked 7-11 today -- mostly cleaning up after the busy weekend.  It was the first weekend with nice weather Friday, Saturday and Sunday so the campground was nearly full.  We worked Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  BBQ'd ribs on the open fire last night and man were they good!  Even Diana complimented them and she's not really a rib fan.  I put them in the crock pot for about 6 hrs before painting them with sauce and placing them on the grill.  I should have taken a picture of them...


Saturday morning we had the opportunity to run out to Malakoff Diggins to attend "Humbug Days".  We never could figure out the significance of "Humbug Days", but we did enjoy all the activities. According to the web site, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park is the site of California's largest "hydraulic" mine. Visitors can see huge cliffs carved by mighty streams of water, results of the gold mining technique of washing away entire mountains to find the precious metal. Legal battles between mine owners and downstream farmers ended this method. The park also contains a 7,847 foot bedrock tunnel that served as a drain. The visitor center has exhibits on life in the old mining town of North Bloomfield.


Here, Diana and Isabel were just starting the process of making handmade candles.  The candles finally came out looking great, but I'm not sure we would have done it had we known it would take over a half hour.

They offered wagon rides around town.

Here's a photo of a kitchen scene inside the town museum

We spent time in the town park playing a number of old fashioned games and panning for gold.  Here, Isabel is skunking me in a game of marbles.  I was only able to knock one out of the ring to her dozen or so.  I think Sadie is laughing at me.

Here's a photo of Isabel and I enjoying the view at the overlook.  It really was beautiful after all this time even though mining this way caused a lot of destruction.  I'm sure it didn't look as good as it was happening.

Sewing is still a central theme in our thoughts and I couldn't help thinking about someone asking me to fix this sewing machine!  This sewing machine was used to sew several layers of canvas together.  The machine itself stands about 4 feet tall and 6 feet long.

One of several houses in town.  We love the architecture.

Here is one of the cannons they used for hydraulic mining.  

After returning to the trailer I was refilling Sadie's food container, but she couldn't wait...

And Finally, the wildflower of the day.

With all the rain, then sun, then rain, then sun, the fish are confused and currently refuse to be caught so Isabel still leads the fishing derby.  She is leaving now to temp them with worms and Diana and I are contemplating joining her later this evening.  Wish us luck.