CALIFORNIA EMPIRE GOLD MINE EXPEDITION!

On one of my visits to see relatives Out West, my cousin, Ron, and his wife Claudia, took me to see their town's most popular visitor attraction, which is the Empire Mine State Historic Site (www.parks.ca.gov).  I took this photo of the couple at one of many scenic photo opportunities, available  within the location.  

 

The Empire Mine State Historic Site is located in Grass Valley, California, and the massive rocks lining the steps at the visitor center (the former carriage and automobile house of the estate), are very appropriate, since Empire Mine was a source of gold that is from a process called Hard Rock Mining.  This is a different process of mining from "panning" for gold in a flowing stream (called "placer mining").  Both processes were taking place simultaneously in northern California, after the gold rush of 1849.  

  After a visitor pays the small admission fee to take the guided tour, they can explore the entire park, including the manicured estate grounds of the Bourn family, that includes this picturesque fountain.   It is a coincidence that this cousin ended up in a town known for mining, because our mutual grandparents also hailed from a town known for mining---Lead Hill, Arkansas.  At one time, the northern Arkansas location was mined for its lead deposits, although all that remains of any old lead mines there, have been covered up, when Bull Shoals Lake was formed, from a dam on the White River.  

These "A Frame" structures in the garden area, provide a growing platform for the formation of an outdoor arbor.  

Because of its neatly manicured shrubs, intertwined with brick paths, some visitors are reminded of being in a formal English-style rose garden.  

The entire tour group was able to sit on a covered porch, as the tour guide pointed out details of the construction of the property, including the type of stone used throughout.  

The guided tours are led by volunteers and if one goes to the website, there is a disclaimer with the statement showing the hours that tours are offered, that says if there is no volunteer available, there is no tour.  I have done some volunteer work at a state park near me, and I know the important role volunteers play in our nation's park systems, both state and national.  

My cousin Ron is looking over an antique stove that is in the kitchen area of the home.  Ron and I share the same paternal grandparents, and can recall some of the old-fashioned cooking methods they used on their farm.  In fact, one of my memories is when family members gathered to work all day on the slaughter, skinning, chopping, and grinding of a hog, the family raised for food.  I remember there was a giant kettle of boiling liquid, that I was told to stay away from, because they were in the process of making lye soap, from the fat rendered out of the hog.  I remember my parents brought home a congealed "substance" they called souse, which was used as a protein source, as long as it lasted.  Souse is made up of bits and pieces of leftover hog parts, including the organs of the animal, the collagen released during the boiling process, serves as a binder to congeal the substance after it is cooked.  Since we ate it straight out of the refrigerator, it was our form of "cold cuts"!  (Nutrition research now shows that collagen is very beneficial to our health, but since many more people now used processed meats, rather than fresh meat, collagen is deficient in the American diet.  Hence, it is being marketed as a separate powder, to add to one's food or beverage).  Any memory of my maternal grandparents cook stove, includes standing beside my grandma as a little girl, and asking her how she knew when the lard she was heating to fry up the chicken she had just butchered, was hot enough to put the raw chicken in.  She said she spit into the hot grease, to see if her spit sizzled.  Not knowing she was kidding me, I immediately spit into the frying pan of hot grease!  The only thing that sizzled was my rear end, after I was spanked for such unladylike behavior! 

Since my husband was a hunter, the idea of an animal mount adorning the walls of a home seems perfectly natural to me.  However, all of our trophy mounts are white-tail deer, bear, fish, and pheasants, whereas this California family room, shows moose and elk head mounts. 

The Visitor Center of the Empire Mine has what is called "The Secret Room", because it was known only to the mine company's owner and board of directors.  The room contains a 1938 scale model, of the 367 miles of underground shafts that lay beneath our feet.  It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to go to work in the very deepest of these shafts, and spend hour after hour, hammering  away at the solid rock.   The placard told us that about one inch represents the current mine tunnels that one can still enter.  Furthermore, anything below two inches, is now flooded, because of the high water table in this part of Nevada County, California.  The tunnels went deeper than 1,200 feet, which was considered the maximum, during the time the mine was operational.  During that period, it required constant pumping, to keep water out of the lower tunnels.  

One can also tour the abandoned mining equipment and out buildings, that surround the visitor center.  In addition, there are 14 miles of hiking, horseback riding, and biking trails on the 856 acres of forested land that comprises the park.  

It is not surprising that this site has a well-stocked gift shop, with numerous precious metal and precious stones, some in the shape of a heart, that one can purchase as a souvenir of your visit.  It takes a tremendous amount of refining to get the tiny amounts of gold found in ore, extracted, then melted into a form that can be of use as jewelry.  Likewise, it takes a tremendous amount of refining to get ME, to abandon my bad habits and create a pure heart within me!  I am using all the sparkling silver and gold items, and HEART pendants, I saw in the gift shop, as a visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart."  Proverbs 16:3   

This visit to Empire Mine, with my cousins, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia

CRATERS OF THE MOON EXPEDTION!

Want to know where you can experience terrain resembling the moon's terrain, but never leave Planet Earth?  Visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho!

The invitation to "EXPLORE THE MOON" will be a definite eye-catcher to youngsters interested in becoming astronauts!
On one of my many solo driving trips Out West, my PLANS did not have a particular deadline for returning to Arkansas, so I took the time to make a short detour off the Interstate, to visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (www.nps.gov).  I knew nothing about the park (except for a scene I remembered from a movie), so I was thankful to be able to read about it, on one of the bulletin boards available to visitors (photo above).  A picture of the current visitor center is shown below:

 

The first cinder cone I climbed, provided the opportunity to get a wider view of the surrounding landscape, as shown in photo below: 

The park is huge, comprising 750,000 acres, of rugged volcanic landscape, amounting to 11 square miles.  

One can get a sense of the height of the cinder cone I climbed, by noticing how small the cars look, in the parking lot at the bottom.  One can PLAN in advance, to know the elevation change, from bottom to top, by studying the park information at the visitor center.  

With an advance PLAN, you can calculate your total mileage walked from the parking lot to the top, and back down again.  

The only trail marking on the ascent, is the pressed down cinders, from hundreds of visitors making the trek to the summit.  

To help frame a photo of the surrounding landscape, I eventually found a tree limb, to place in the top of the composition.  The black areas of the foreground and in the valley, show the extent of the lava flow, that helped create the park.  It was a result of The Great Rift, which is a 52 mile long fissure in the earth's crust, that developed over 15,000 years ago.  

This is a photo of me by the aforementioned tree, where I had used one of its limbs, as a "frame".  The tree has to be a hardy specimen, to survive the harsh growing conditions on the top of a cinder cone!  Likewise, I was feeling like a "hardy specimen", because I had successfully made the climb to the summit!  So, of course, I wanted a photo to prove it!

I set my camera on "automatic" so I could get a view of the other side of the summit, from the previous photo.  I also took a photo that showed the 7-mile loop road that visitors can drive through, but it does not show up in the photo.  

I was not the only one who wanted a photo at the summit, to commemorate the accomplishment!  This couple also wanted proof of their summit location!

I took the photo below, of a couple shielding themselves from the hot sun, by using an umbrella!  They obviously established their PLAN to prevent sunburn, before they started their walk!

The reason I capitalized the word "PLAN" in these paragraphs, is because I am using these photos as a visual aid, to help me learn one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your PLANS."  (Proverbs 16:3)  Although my original PLAN only called for visiting relatives in Oregon, when I realized I was retracing the wagon wheels of pioneers on the Goodale's Cut-Off section, of The Oregon Trail, (www.OregonTrail.org), I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the hardships they experienced.  I had visited one of my elderly cousins who lived in Dairy, Oregon, and he was a wheelwright, who repaired wagon wheels.  I had read that the volcanic stone of this part of the trail was extremely wearing on wagon wheels, and resulted in many abandoned PLANS, so I can imagine someone who knew how to make and repair wagon wheels would have been very important! 

I am thankful that the LORD established a PLAN for me to be able to visit Craters of the Moon, because the experience gave me a visual aid for a wisdom Bible verse, and "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia 

COLER PRESERVE EXPEDITION!

Coler Bicycle Preserve is located in Bentonville, Arkansas, and is a wonderful location for numerous types of outdoor activities.  It is one of many properties in Northwest Arkansas, made possible by the philanthropy of the Walton family, whose patriarch, Sam Walton, founded the Walmart Corporation.  A bicyclist who assisted me in finding the preserve (after the navigation system in my vehicle could not locate it), advised me I would have two choices of where to park.  He advised me to try to park in the lower parking lot (probably after seeing I was of the "senior citizen" class), because parking in the second available lot, would result in a challenging (for me) uphill climb on the way out.  I took this photo as I was exiting the parking lot he recommended, because it was completely full.  Then I followed the road shown in the left of the photo, and found the second parking lot he mentioned, which still had plenty of spots available.   

There was a very nice pavilion at the parking lot, which had electrical outlets, tables with chairs, a water fountain and restrooms.  

The concrete sidewalk I used, was only one of the ways a visitor could explore the park.  Notice the elevated ramp on the right of the photo, that bicyclists can use.

The sidewalk meanders downward through a mostly deciduous forest.  The fact that there are no leaves covering the sidewalk, is an indication that diligent attention is being paid to blowing fallen leaves off the sidewalk.  I volunteer with the Arkansas Master Naturalists (www.arkansasmasternaturalists.org) in working on keeping area trails free of leaf build-up, so I know this task does not happen without effort!

At the bottom of the hill, I reached what is called "The Plaza".  It serves as a staging area for meet-ups, and photo opportunities.

The custom-made sign at the Plaza, is different from the one in the parking lot, because it has a map of the park, etched onto its metal surface, winding through the letters C O L E R.  

I visited on an unseasonably warm day, which was the day after Christmas, so not surprisingly, there were many families together, out enjoying the beautiful weather!

This colored arch way, is one of the "OZ ART" installations, and can serve as a landmark, for visitors wanting to mark their location.  

I liked the way the design of the metal roof and sides, to make this covered bridge, mimics the design of old-time wooden covered bridges.  

Although camping is not allowed anywhere you want within the preserve, there is a designated camping area that has received nice on-line reviews, for those who want to be the first on the trails, when the sun comes up!

The park is dog friendly, but of course, dog owners are asked to keep their pets on leash, and clean up after they "do their business."

One of the reasons I was eager to visit the Coler Preserve, is because I had read of its unusual coffee shop, that can only be reached by biking or walking.  No "drive through" window at this location!

One of the reasons I had trouble locating Coler Preserve, is because when I put Airship Coffee shop into my search engine, a downtown location was coming up.  When I phoned the number shown, the person who answered said there are TWO Airship locations, and I was phoning the one downtown, and  yes, it is possible to drive to the downtown location.    

The Airship location in Coler Preserve has clean restrooms, and water fountain, with adaptation for re-filling water bottles.  It has a ramp, making it handicap-accessible, for those using wheelchairs on the sidewalks, to get to the location.  

The roof top of the coffee shop, is set up to make a very nice out-door patio, with chairs and tables for guests.  

A kind, random stranger, agreed to take a photo of me, so I could remember the beautiful environment and weather, where I found myself, on December 26, 2025!

The area adjacent to the roof patio, is equipped with overhead lights, and additional picnic tables.  

The front of the coffee shop is equipped with big chair swings, so visitors can look out across the valley.  

I tried sitting in the swing, but decided that was a scenario perfect for spilling my coffee, all over my white blouse!  

From the rooftop patio of the coffee shop, one has a good view of the old-timey barn, of the original homestead.  There are placards that tell about the history of the family that lived in this valley, and how that history relates to the name "Coler".

The old barn has been retro-fitted, to make it a wonderful area for youngsters (and those young at heart!), to climb around on rope ladders, and explore the second story.  The facility can be reserved for birthday parties, and other special events.  

I really wanted to try to climb the rope ladder, but did not want to wait in line, to make the attempt.  (or at least, that is the excuse I told myself!)

Rope climbing is not the only activity one can participate within the barn.  This visitor was taking advantage of the electrical connection to work from his notebook computer!

The shadows made by the spaces between the boards of the barn construction, make for a type of "Shadow Art" installation!

Beside the barn, examples of antique hay harvesting equipment make another type of vintage metal farm equipment "sculpture".   It provides an opportunity where youngsters can learn that GPS-guided harvesters, were not available to the family that homesteaded this valley! 

In front of the barn, there is a concrete pad, equipped with bike-washing water supply, and other items one might need, to make minor bicycle repairs.

The Quiver mentioned on this sign, is yet another example of an outdoor activity that has benefited from the generosity of the Walton family.  It shares the same website as the Coler information, although The Quiver is all about archery opportunities.  

Just as the neon sign says on this re-purposed outbuilding of the farmstead, one may feel as though they are in "paradise", when they are outside enjoying all the natural beauty of this preserve!

I saw several different people enjoying this hammock beside the stream, and I cannot think of a better location for "live streaming"!

The stream that flows through the valley adds a wonderful ambience to the preserve, but for the original homesteaders here, the stream would have been a necessary water source for livestock and crops---not just something pretty to look at!

Reading this sign near the entrance, is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge about Coler Bicycle Preserve, and will improve your understanding of all the opportunities you can add to your life by visiting here.  

Furthermore, if you read and abide by these "Rules and Regulations", it will improve your chances of adding "accident-free" days and years, to your life.  Therefore, I am using this as the visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Through wisdom, your days will be many, and years will be added to your life."  Proverbs 9:10-11

This visit to Coler Bicycle Preserve gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia