August 31, 2008 ~ GOLD COUNTRY; THE MOTHER-LODE!
Greetings from Gold Country! After a brief detour for some RV maintenance, our first stop after leaving the coast was at Jackson Rancheria Casino/Hotel & RV Park owned by the Jackson band of Miwok Indians. The RV Park is a new addition, open only for 6 months. It has all the amenities you would want, including 24 hour shuttle service from your site to the casino & restaurants. We made our donation at the slot machines, and then headed for the buffet. While in Jackson, we took a drive over to Indian Grinding Rocks State Historic Park where the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America can be found. From Jackson, we continued north up historic Highway 49 passing through the small towns developed back in 1849 by the original gold rush pioneers. After twisting and turning, driving up and down through foothills and canyons, Roxy was huffing and puffing and her brakes needed a rest. Fortunately, we arrived in Coloma where Marshall Gold Discovery SHP encompasses most of the town right along Highway 49 and the American River. It was a perfect place to stop and rest, have lunch and take in some more of the local history. Just north in Auburn, we opted to head east on I-80 in lieu of the 49er trail. We picked up 89 north in Truckee, and then back onto 49 and into our next destination, Sierra City. We got settled in at Sierra Skies RV Park in this tiny historic gold town on the Yuba River. The Yuba runs along Highway 49 for miles in this area. The park is very popular with modern-day fortune seekers who arrive equipped with dredging machines, gold panning gear and prospecting equipment, and can be seen up and down the rivers searching for riches. We tried our luck at gold panning… hey, if you’re here, you have to! Yes, there is still gold in dem dere hills and rivers!! The scenery here is beautiful with lots of trees, mountains, lakes and rivers. And because of the mountains, trees and remoteness, there is no cell or internet service, so calls and emails will have to wait until the next stop. Just a short drive from the park is the Lakes Basin, a collection of small alpine lakes, volcanic rock outcroppings and lush green forests, where recreational activities include fishing, camping, kayaking, hiking, and biking. Guests of the Salmon Lake Lodge get whisked away from the Salmon Lake dock by pontoon boat, the only access to the lodge and cabins. Twelve miles west of Sierra City nestled in a forested canyon is historic Downieville, one of the best preserved gold rush towns in California. Take a photo tour of these sites by visiting the "Gold County-Sierras" album. Our vacation ends today and we’re moving just an hour northwest to Quincy to start work again for 6 weeks. Another historic town and the Plumas County seat, Quincy and the surrounding area is also located in the Sierra Nevada mother lode, so perhaps we can continue our search for gold!
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