Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Castle Dome

Tuesday: (03/15) Leftover pancakes and sausage for breakfast. Lou packed sandwiches for lunch and we were off  toward Castle Dome. Castle Dome is in the Kofa National Wildlife Reserve Northeast of the Yuma Proving Grounds and our camp at Imperial Dam.

Views At Castle Dome Views At Castle Dome
We took the Road to Castle Dome from Highway 95 then a right at a sign "75" and headed out Southeast to the end of the road, about 15 miles on a 4wd road.

Views At Castle Dome Mine Cabin At Castle Dome
At the end we hiked up to a cabin and mine, possibly the Big Eye Mine.

Mine Cabin Showers Castle  Dome Fixer Upper
The showers for the cabin were in an outbuilding and made of tin. The building on the right seems to need fixing up.

Castle Dome Mine Shaft Castle Dome Mine
The mining removed about three feet on a slanted shaft like a slice taken from inside the mountain, not really a shaft but a slice. The timbers look cute but couldn't begin to really hold up the mountain. It's a good thing the mountain is cooperating by holding itself up. On the right is a view of the mine cabin from up near the mine.

Upper trail To Castle Dome Mine
The trail from the mine also served as a water collection ditch for the cabin.

Road To Castle Dome Mine
We stopped for lunch under a huge palo verde tree just down the road a ways. On the way out and back we explored a few other mine sites as well. Back at camp it was rather hot so we relaxed outside in the shade of the RV. Dinner was tortellini with leftover roast and some fresh asparagus.

Wednesday: (03/16) Corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast. I tinkered at the computer all day while Lou was busy with her dolls, working on her sewing machine, and took a tour of the Army Proving Grounds. Lunch was a spam salad (peppers, onions tomatoes, olives, and spam). Dinner was more leftovers. Asparagus was added to the spam salad and served with the roast beef pasta dish leftovers. A clean fridge is a happy fridge. We took a walk out to the beaver pond and had a beaver sighting. The bats were also busy cleaning up the few mosquitoes that weren't buzzing by our heads.



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