I was up at first light this morning, about 5:30 AM. The bluebirds were already at work feeding their young. A large gray bird came by. The little male bluebird took off after it. He drove it away from the area. Mama bluebird came and sat on the side view mirror. We looked at one another for awhile before she was off in search of another bug for her babies.
These little birds work tirelessly and selflessly to care for their young. There is no bickering about who is doing more. There is no strife about needing “their space”. No divorce for whatever reason. They are dedicated to raising the next generation. I wish humans had the same dedication for their young today. Humans are more concerned with their own needs and “being happy”. As I sat only a couple of feet away looking into Mamma bluebird’s eyes, I could see she was a very happy bird. She seemed to be telling me she was happy we took an interest in her family.
It is clear from observing all of God’s creation that man is the only one out of step with the rest of it. As much as we hate to admit we are fallen and rebellion against God, our actions are a testimony that it is true. I believe God created us to live the carefree lifestyle of the rest of his creation. We were not satisfied with what He provided. Now we have to strive with our own hands to provide what He freely gave all His created beings.
I counted 36 geese coming up out of the lake into the field to feed. A jackrabbit hopped right up into our campsite. I was scrambling to find the camera when a young gobbler turkey joined the rabbit in our campsite. He fanned out his tail and gobbled. Then he set off for the geese in the field. Being a young male he probably finds it difficult to attract the females so a goose will do in a pinch. It was funny to watch him fan his tail and gobble at them. They were uninterested, of course.
A deer passed by. Then several ravens settled into the field below us to feed on something in the grass. Soon several jackrabbits were bouncing about the field below. This has been the best campsite for wildlife so far. A couple of young boys have started out across the clearing for an early morning hike. The animals seem to take it all in stride. I guess they have become accustomed to all the activity of the campground.
Many of the campgrounds we choose are dry camps. Most National Parks, National Forest and Corps of Engineers campgrounds provide no services. You just have a site in the midst of the woods. Usually a picnic table and fire ring are the only amenities.
Commercial campgrounds serve a purpose when you need unlimited water and electricity for laundry and cleaning. But you are spaced only a few feet apart from neighbors and there is virtually no wildlife to be seen. Dry camping gets you out into nature. That is why we prefer it.
With dry camping you have to be conservative with resources. Water is the biggest of those resources. You have to learn to take a bath in a quart of hot water. It can be done. You just have to learn the proper order to wash the various body parts. You don’t want to start at the feet, if you get my drift. You can run your generator during daylight hours most places so you can keep your batteries charged without problem. Water, however, is in short supply most places. We fill our tank whenever possible.
We stopped and visited with the campground host for a few minutes. She and her husband have been full time RVers for years. She gave us lots of tips on things to see.
We stopped to get some groceries in town. The man checking us out asked where we were headed. I gave him the same answer I give everyone, “I don’t have a clue.” I saw a flash of envy in his eye. It certainly is a privilege to be able to just go where you want.
Sometimes our plans change at the next intersection. If something looks interesting we turn and go that way.
I have read many books about the various gold rushes in the early history of the country. Our nation was molded and shaped by the mass migration of gold seekers.
Today we traveled Rt 49 through the placer country. All along Rt 49 there are gold mines. Some still in operation today. I don’t think it was by chance this road is 49. It is named for the 49ers who staked claims along it.
The small village of Coloma is the location of Sutter’s Mill. It is where gold was first discovered in California. A man by the name of James Marshall was the crew boss of a gang of men sent into the wilderness to build a saw mill for Sutter. John Sutter’s settlement was at the present location of Sacramento.
One day Marshall was walking down by the mill race when he saw something shiny in the water. He picked it up and went and told his men, “Boys, by God, I believe I've found a gold mine.” That was on January 24, 1848.
The men spent half their time working on the mill and the other half looking for gold. They were able to fill their pockets by just picking it up off the ground.
Word about the gold discovery was slow to spread. Many who heard of it thought it was just an exaggeration. That is until the day a man walked the streets of San Francisco waving a sack of gold hollering, “Gold, Gold, Gold in the American River.” The rush began. People flocked to what is now Coloma from all over the world.
There was a large population of Chinese who came having heard of the discovery. They opened shops and businesses to meet the needs of the miners. Two of their stone stores still stand today. Coloma became a city overnight. Every tree was cut for lumber, firewood and sluice boxes. All the town burned down a couple of times. There were fancy hotels, restaurants, dance halls and gambling establishments.
Few struck it rich. The merchants probably came away with most of the gold. The gold rush was the making of California. It also was responsible for the territory becoming U.S.A. property. The mass migration of Americans forced Mexico to give up claim to the territory.
The State of California bought the sight of Coloma in 1942. The site was excavated and many items were preserved. The remains of Sutter’s Mill were buried under mud. Everything above ground was burned or washed away in floods. They were able to reconstruct the location of businesses from old photos of the valley taken way back in the hay day.
The village in its entirety is now a state park. They have constructed a museum which houses many artifacts found along the river and in the village. Gold mining methods are depicted along with the tools of the trade.
Rt 49 is a very twisting, winding, uphill and downhill road. There is a length restriction on it. It is not a drive in an RV for the faint of heart. I enjoyed every mile. Darlie said she would look over at me and I always had a big grin on my face. I can handle this thing like a sports car now.
The road follows the American River. It is a clear cold stream much larger than I imagined. Many people were enjoying riding the wild waters in rafts.
Darlie and I are in love with this area of California. It is hilly with open meadows and a sprinkling of trees. The weather is pleasantly cool which makes it even more desirable for Darlie. She says she wishes we moved here 32 years ago instead of Florida. I think I would have to agree.
We made some turns here and there and found ourselves boon dock camped next to the North Fork of the American River. Our location is high in the mountains near Donner Pass. There is snow in the shaded areas all around. There is a small waterfall right next to the RV. The sound is beautiful.
Donner Pass is named for the unfortunate family that was emigrating west and got caught in the mountains by an early blizzard. Many of the members died. The survivors were forced to eat the dead to stay alive until spring. As I look around the mountains before me, I can only imagine how terrible it must have been. Just a few miles west and they would have been home free.
For those wondering what we are paying for gasoline we find it to be about the same everywhere with a few exceptions. The cheapest was in Texas at $2.49. Utah was the highest. The regular grade there was $3.39 but it was only 85 octane. The MH requires a minimum of 87 octane so I had to buy the middle grade at $3.49. Utah is the only place we saw that 85 stuff. I don’t know what is up with that. Here in California we have paid as much as $3.39 and as little as $2.88. It seems to be cheaper out in the country and higher around the cities. I don’t pay any attention to what it costs. We need it. We buy it and forget it. If you are going to stress about the cost of gas you might better stay home. When it is all taken into perspective, this has not been a very expensive vacation. Just try to do what we have done with an airplane, rental car, restaurant meals and hotels. You would spend in a week what we have spent in a month. I think this is a great way to travel even with the price of gas.
Darlie got a photo of a coyote as he passed by our campsite.
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