Blue Ox Mill, Eureka, Ca

Monday: (05/17) Cereal with bananas and yogurt for breakfast. We were off fairly early to do our explorations. We looked around Almquists Lumber in Arcata. They are a full service wood workin lumber store with all sorts of wood working equipment, exotic lumber and plywood. With all these excellent hardware, woodworking and craft stores around here we may just have to move here. The fact we haven't seen the sun since we've been here does suppress the thought some.


Our next stop was our main destination for the day, the Blue Ox Millworks. Historic Park and School Of Traditional Arts. We toured the place many years ago and enjoyed it a lot and have passed many times since intending to stop by but not. Our tour guide was the same guide we had 30 years ago, the owner, Eric Hollenbeck, A very talented and resourceful fellow.


The millworks is the only remaining millworks that can take a log and turn it into millwork. All the others mill lumber not logs. The only do specialty mill work mostly for restorations of Victorian buildings. They replicate moldings, do really large turnings, gingerbread or anything else. They make their own stains and finishes, the old fashioned way. In addition to the mill, they also make plaster castings, do old fashioned printing and have a ceramics shop with a huge wood fired kiln.


As if that weren't enough, they also have a school teaching these arts associated with the local school district. And the also have a couple of oxen and other critters including some nice cats.


Their own saw mill is shown above. Doesn't look like much but it works.


The blacksmith shop is above left and a bunch of old skid buildings that make up a real lumber camp above right.

After our visit to the mill we stopped at a nearby China Buffet (1835 4th St) for lunch which was very good. After lunch Lou dropped me off and explored her thrift stores while I meandered all around town looking at outdoor shops, environmentally friendly building materials shops and whatever else I stumbled upon. I ended up in Old Town where Lou picked me up.

It rained most of the day today.

For dinner Lou fixed chili rellenos.

Tuesday: (05/18) Lou's off early to take the car to be seen by a mechanic due to too many red lights staying on. I used the complimentary sanitary dump at the casino and then met her downtown. Our three days here at the casino have come to an end. the rainy weather hasn't, yet so whether we go North to camp or remain here is undetermined yet.

It turns out the car is a hypochondriac and the problem is the lights. Lou and I did the laundry while the car was being worked on. Lou fixed hamburgers and coleslaw for lunch.

Our next stop was at Winco to get some groceries. Then we were off headed North. Since it was late we stopped in Trinidad at the Cher-Ae heights Casino for the night. For dinner, Lou fixed some tri-tip noodles and artichokes.