Galiuros Day 2 -- The Mines

After a somewhat sleepless night -- our water had ice in it the next morning and my feet felt like ice too -- we had gourmet pancakes for breakfast made by Alex and then were off to explore.  We headed south towards the Power's mine & the cabin they were staying at during the shootout.  Part way there is an old cabin and a pretty impressive ore processing setup including a big stamp mill and what I call (in my non-mining lingo) a ball crusher with several baseball size metal balls inside used to grind up the ore as the contraption turned.  There were even electric wires and what looked like an old generator that had been used to run the engine that turned all the gears.  The most impressive part though was that it was all solid, heavy metal equipment perched on the side of a hill.  The transport and installation must've been a bear.

We followed the road the Powers made down to their mine.   By now it's not much more than a trail but back in the day it was good enough for a wagon -- again it must've taken a lot of back-breaking work to put that in.  We poked around the Powers cabin and then their mine.  My horse was still having problems so Alex, Kelsey & I headed back to camp while Dad, Karina & the rest of the boys went on a few more miles to the Long Tom Mine.  Long Tom was actually not a person but rather a piece of mining equipment -- learn something new every day.  They had a good time exploring.  Meanwhile we limped our way back to camp and then took a nap -- it felt good.  Everyone was tired by the end of they day -- it made the jokes even funnier.  If anyone is wondering I think Alan is still selling snowcones.  We ended the day with a neat talk around the fire.  It was a sweet time together.

Alex the fantastic pancake maker.

It appears that Alan was a happy customer.

Jeff did a bang-up job at firewood duty.

Dad showed us his back exercises.  Jeff dubbed in whale sounds to make it more relaxing.  Alex, Julie & Alan (the rest of them were doing it too but we were the ones caught on camera).

I think someone called this the assayer's cabin.  It was by the first group of mining equipment we passed.

The cabin was occupied.

Karina checks out the ball crusher.

Kelsey.

An inside view of the ball crusher & the lovely Duane.

Here's the view of the cameraman (Jeff).

And yet another view.

Alex & I were a little late to the party and Karina felt threatened.

Alan, Jeff, Duane, Dad talking shop.

Karina

Jeff

The stamp mill with Jeff & Duane on board.

Riding the now not so existant "road".

Climbing up the last saddle before the Powers mine.  Kelsey, Karina, Alan, Duane, Jeff.

The Powers cabin.  Jeff & Kelsey consider moving in.

I think they decided to remodel first.

Alex, Julie, Kelsey, Jeff, Alan, Karina, Duane at the Powers cabin.

Jeff loves Kelsey.

The Powers mine entrance.  Alex & Julie

Duane, Alan, Dad, Kelsey, Karina, Jeff, Alex & what looked like an old compressor at the Powers mine.

One of the cabins at the Long Tom Mine.  Karina, Jeff, Dad, Duane.

Jeff.  Not sure what to say about this picture except that that is some exceptional chinking.

Alan & mining equipment.  This one was perched on the side of a really big hill.  Maybe this is the Long Tom?

The old rails and ore care were still functional in the Long Tom mine.  Karina & Alan check them out.

Watch out Dad!

There was only a small bench right outside the mine entrance and the rails ended at the edge.

A baby rattlesnake in the side of the hill.  The post it's on is about and inch in diameter.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . . I was snoozing.

Duane kept Karina and the rest of us politically correct and improved our venacular as best he could.

Karina, Alan, Jeff & Kelsey.  It must've been a good joke.

Jeff & Kelsey got the mountainhouse bag that said to see Dad for the prize.  I guess the prize got left at home so Dad stood in for it.

Powers Garden at sunset.