Redwood City, CA

Yesterday morning at about 7:30 AM we left Parker Dam, CA and drove 600 miles by car to Redwood City, CA arriving some 12 hours later. Daughter Chris had a few days off again so we decided we should make the trip and spend a couple of days with them again as we probably won't be back on the west coast for a couple of years. One of our reasons for spending the winter out here was so that we could spend some time with them. We went north on 95 to I-40 and then west to Barstow where we picked up US 58 through Bakersfield. From there it was north on I-5 to hi way 152. We then proceeded west to Gilroy and then north on US101 to Redwood city. This is somewhat the same route we traveled last month when we returned to Salome. We were amazed at the change we saw in the farming area around Bakersfield and north on I-5. The grape vines are starting to get new leaves and many different kinds of trees are in bloom. Coming west on 152 through the Diablo mountain range the hills were so green and the late afternoon sun shining on them only added to their beauty. After coming down Pacheco Pass just east of Gilroy the white blossomed cherry trees made for a very picturesque sight. I suppose after being in the dessert the green probably seems more pronounced and deeper. The temps are about 15-20 degrees cooler here that at Parker Dam so it is back in long pants again. It is only for a couple of days as we plan to return to Parker Dam on Sat.

Swansea Copper mine & Ghost Town

About 39 miles south east from Parker Arizona you will find the ruins of the Swansea Copper mine and former townsite of Swansea. To reach the site you travel about 10 miles on a paved road and then another 20 miles on what is called a primitive road through the desert and into the Buckskin mountains. In Arizona they have all of these roads in the desert that have a sign saying warning primitive road not regularly maintained travel at your own risk. They run from a fair road to just trails through the rocks. You can tell that they occasionally have a road grader go over them. Prospectors began working this area in 1862 when a small amount of silver was discovered. It soon ran out and then in 1908 a Welchman named George Michell and some French investors bought the claim for the copper. He built a blast furnace, smelter, power plant & water system. By 1909 it had a population of 500 and boasted saloons, post office, general store 7 even a movie house. The first trains arrived on the new railroad in 1910 and by May they were producing 50 tons of a copper a day. Unfortunately Mitchell invested to much above ground and not enough below ground in the mines and they declared bankruptcy a year later in 1911. In 1915 Ernest C Lane became manage and ran it successfully for different investors until the declining copper market of the great depression caused it to fail again. the last reported milling was in 1944. It was then dismantled for the steal that the mill contained. Today all that is there are the ruins and the workers cottages that are being restored.

River Lodge Resort Parker Dam, CA

Sat. March 1st. we traveled some 70 miles northwest from Salome to River Lodge Resort at Parker Dam, CA this will be our home for the month of March. We are on the California side of the Colorado River about 1 1/2 mile below Parker Dam. Our spot is about 50 from the bank of the river where it makes a bend so we have a view out our front and left side windows of the river. The picture is taken from right in front of the motorhome. The river has these rugged rocky mountains on both sides in this area making it a very pretty area. The weather here seems to be a little warmer than Salome, perhaps because the elevation here is 450 ft compared to 1600 ft. at Salome. It looks like there are several things here to visit so will have more to add as the month progresses.