My Mountain Trail

Jeepin’ and Ghostin’

It’s been a while since I blogged…  But we have been busy.

Last weekend we visited the ranch where we were married.  Our friends that own the ranch have been back East for the last month or so, and they needed someone to stop in and mow the lawn and check up on things.  This weekend they were expecting a group of visitors for another wedding, and they didn’t want any surprises.  We were happy to help.  No pictures yet because I shot them with film.  Maybe in a few weeks.

While we were there we slept outside on the deck and enjoyed the amazing stars (the moon was just a crescent), the coyotes singing, and the cows, well mooing.  It was hot while we were there, but still nice.  We gave the ranch its check-up, and then moved on to our next adventure.

Since work is a bit slow now, Jim and I decided we should do a company Jeep trip.  We decided to visit a remote mountain range in Nevada that is dotted with mines and ghost towns.  We camped at about 7600’ on a knoll with a view for miles.  Here is a sunset view from our campsite.

 I’m not sure this picture does the view justice, but I can’t see it clearly on this computer to adjust it properly.  Trust me when I tell you it is an amazing view and fantastic campsite.

 

The above picture is taken at 9000’ in Treasure City, NV.  Shown in the picture are Matt (Jim’s son), Jim, Cookie (aka 4-wheel Terrier), me, and Lori.  This mountain is laced with shafts and holes left by miners a hundred years ago.  Most of the town was built out of rocks, and it is crumbling with every passing winter.  

 

The picture above is in the town of Hamilton, NV.  These ghost towns are not parks, and they are not maintained, so they are slowly disappearing.  Scavengers collect building materials and historic artifacts from the towns and mines.  Unfortunately, this erases the past.  On the other hand, it also cleans up some of the mess left behind so many years ago.  

 

This picture is of Lori and me in one of the mines at Treasure City.  The mines are in hard rock, and mostly unsupported – and still intact.  Most are also pretty shallow.  We didn’t go very far in to any of the deep mines for obvious reasons.  We also didn’t go into mines that showed evidence of cave-ins (however slight).  

For the last four days we have seen two trucks pass by.  It’s been our mountain.  Now it is Friday and Jim and Matt left for home and we have seen four vehicles and two four-wheelers go by.  That’s not too bad, but it is a change from the solitude of this week.  

We have had a blast with the Jeeps.  It is amazing what they can do.  We have climbed 25% rocky grades, rolled over massive rocks and through wheel chomping gullies, camouflaged the jeeps with mud inches thick, rattled through a hailstorm, and wormed our way through tunnels of vegetation.  All without incident.  Very, very fun stuff.

And some more pictures…  These are mostly unadjusted since I can’t see them very well on this little computer.  But you get the idea at least.  I will add some comments at some point, but I am doing this on my cell phone, and the slow speed is killing me right now…