Slogvik photo album #6

Janice & Jim Craig, Keith's sister & brother in law, graciously give us the use of their Nevada City "cabin" for a couple of nights. Einar finds an old gold pan and is ready to "strike it rich."

After exploring a bit in this gold country of the Sierra Mountains, Einar returns with his wealth. The 2 old golf balls are probably the most valuable.

Missing their "PC" who was left behind in Norway, Einar & Rotraud make friends with the neighborhood watch dog Sam.

We drive from the cabin in to Nevada City where Peg takes this picture of the historic Old Brewery which is now a modern brew pub.

Still prepared to find his fortune in California gold, Einar tries to find his way down to Deer Creek

Here Rotraud, Einar & Keith prepare to investigate the little Rotary sponsored and maintained "Miner's Trail" along Deer Creek by downtown Nevada City.

Walking up the hill to the other side of town, we pause across the street from the Nevada Theatre, reportedly the oldest building in the state erected as a theatre.

Then it was time to look around the Miners Foundry Cultural Center. The foundry that was located here helped develop the technology & hardware needed in the early gold mining activities.

Finding the Miners Foundry closed, Einar checks out the ore cart and plaques that tell more about this site, especially about the world famous Pelton wheel which was originally developed here.

Venturing over to the small but delightful Calanan Park by the main entrance to Nevada City, Einar inspects the large water canon used in the local hydraulic mining.

Einar & Rotraud take a break in Calanan Park while looking over some of the other interesting artifacts from the early gold mining days.

Still in Calanan Park, Keith & Einar inspect a huge rock core sample. They not only are puzzled by how this rock was cut, but also how it was handled once cut.

We drive the short distance to the neighboring town of Grass Valley where we visit the Empire Mine which is now a State Historic Park.

Inside the air conditioned interpretive center, Einar, Keith & Rotraud look in to the room where the 3 dimensional model of the mines is kept.

Now out in the rising summer heat, we get a tour of some of the major mine sites. Here is the head rig where the mine cars took workers to their job and brought the ore out.

This large piece of equipment was just one of many stamp mills that was used to pulverize the ore so that the gold could more easily be extracted. In the center with hat, is our guide; Einar is right foreground.

While Rotraud stayed back in air conditioned comfort, Einar & Peg ventured up the hill to look over the nicely manicured grounds of the mine owner's "cottage."

Behind the "cottage" Peg & Einar find some coolness under the arbor in the attractive formal gardens.

A fun lunch was had here at Grass Valley's Cousin Jacks Pasties. Pasties are a Welch food that was popular with the local Cornish miners. The woman who runs this fine restaurant is a proud descendant of these early local families, but most fun was meeting her husband & cook who descends from Norwegian immigrants!!

Back at the "cabin" Keith talks Rotraud in to posing by a manzanita bush. Manzanita was one of the wood samples Keith was sending to his friends in Norway.

Searching through the phone book, Peg finds a great place to eat this evening. This is The Owl Tavern in Grass Valley that specializes in Angus steaks. As this is the breed of cattle that the Slogviks raise, it was most appropriate. The meals were delicious and the table conversation was lively and centered on the different cuts of meat in our 2 countries.

After another good night's rest in this comfortable cabin in the California Sierra Mountains, we would be leaving the next morning to head down in to the valley, the higher heat & city traffic of Sacramento, but then on to coastal cool bustle of San Francisco.

The Slogviks visit the Wheelers - Summer 2002

PHOTO ALBUM 6