Our California Mother Lode Trip
(May 23-31, 2009)
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A few weeks ago my sister Jerry Ann called me on the phone and asked
if I would like to go to the mother lode of California and pan for gold.
I think you already know what my answer was.
The last time I panned in California was in 2005 and I jumped at the chance
to do it again.
This time we scheduled a full week to sight see, explore, learn, pan, and
have fun.
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The mother lode of California is about 123 miles long and basically follows highway 49.
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We traveled to Reno, south to highway 4, then over the divide
which was slightly wet and cool on Memorial weekend.
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There was a surprising number of people out boating and biking so early in the year.
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Our base camp was in Arnold.
My sister couldn't have picked a prettier spot.
There was a small stream within feet of our patio door
and many of the trees were in bloom including a nearby dogwood tree.
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Calaveras county remembers Mark Twain's book about the jumping frog by holding
an annual frog jumping contest.
(Which we just missed. Oh well.)
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While sight seeing we just had to go to the Calaveras Big Trees State Park.
The tree described here is about 21 feet in diameter and was once used as
a dance hall
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Here is my sweetheart.
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There is nothing insignificant when it comes to these trees.
They grow to be 350 feet tall and live to be more than 3000 years old.
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To California Mother Lode page 2
(Pictures taken May 23-31, 2009)
(Page created June 4, 2009)