Outdoor Adventure USA

John

As usual, GREAT run report. There is so much history to the Anza Borrego region and it brings so much of it to life, with your reports!!!


Steve, Daniel and Roger

GREAT pictures. It always helps to see how enjoyable all of the other runs were. It also makes me want to go back to see all that I missed.

Our mine run on Saturday was almost a complete success. In years past, we were able to see the 5 mines on this tour and get back to camp in plenty of time for happy hour. This year, however, was an exception, but for a good reason - there was so much interest in the mines we visited that we just ran out of time. We were fortunate to have two special guests accompany us, whose knowledge and experience, in mine history and geology, really helped to add a new dimension to the run. Leyland Fetzer, author of the book "A Good Camp" (a history of the Julian and Cuyamaca gold mines of the 1800s), accompanied us for the entire trip. Eric Augustine, a geologist, was with us as well and helped make sense of the many reasons why the Julian gold boom happened. Many thanks to Lee and Eric!!

Here are some highlights of the run.

Lee, taking a test drive in his new hybrid
There was a figurative gold mine at these sites in terms of historic mining equipment
Building that was used to store explosives
One of two original stamp mills that remain in the Julian area. This mill, however, is the only one that stands in its original location