On a lovely fall Sunday afternoon, I suggested that we go for a little hike in Empire Mine State Historical Park, about 15 minutes away. Lots of colorful trees, there, I heard.
Tom, as I think most of you are aware, is allergic to hiking. If it were possible to nod off whilst trekking through the forest, Tom would. It's just boring to him, somehow. So, why wasn't I suspicious when he put on his walking shoes and hopped in the car without comment?
First, we had a few things to pick up at the the hardware store. Then, we followed the some of the spectacular trees through Nevada City (one of which you can see here). Before I knew it, we were driving through the tall pines on North Bloomfield (hey, isn't EMSHP behind us?). But, it was still pretty, so on we went. So clever! He had turned a hike into a driving tour of the backcountry.
However, I think he must have forgotten that if one drives far enough (45 minutes, or so) on North Bloomfield (over lots of unimproved road), one bumps right into another State Historical Park! Ha! Malakoff Diggins SHP, to be specific. It's a large tract in the mountains that was rather unceremoniously literally washed away (by hydraulic mining) in the Gold Fever of the nineteenth century. It is one place where one can see how Gold Fever was really more like Gold Tuberculosis. Plus, they've left all kinds of rusted old machinery, flumes and piles of mine tailings. Still, it's quite beautiful, and, wouldn't you know, there are lots of hiking trails!
So we did a bit of hiking. Not too much. Tom decided there should be a photo of me, since I had taken a few of him (trying not to grumble). That's my slow-motion running pose!
Malakoff Diggins is really quite interesting
(here's the site: http://www.parks.ca.gov/DEFAULT.ASP?page_id=494)
but we were getting hungry. We continued to drive through the mountains, and decided to get back home a different way. That meant a long, twisty, bumpy, but gorgeous, drive through deep-green conifers dotted with bright-yellow big-leaf maples.
At one point, after having slowed several times to let squirrels (with the worst possible timing) cross the road, we were surprised by a black bear bounding across the road about 25 feet in front of the car. So fun! We're often surprised by deer running across, but this was the first bear we'd ever encountered this way (though I've seen their prints near the house).
The rest of the way was lovely, but not so exciting! So, we had a Minor Adventure which turned out rather pleasing to both of us, after all...
