Are those harps I hear?

We left Napa valley and got to see many many more vineyards on the way out of the valley. We also saw smallish trees that I suspect were nut trees like almonds etc per the conversation we had with the couple we road to the top of the St Louis arch with. I had expected for some reason that the Napa Valley would have been more green and lush. But then again we were there in the fall and I dont get the feeling there is an immense amount of rain and more irrigation. But all supposition on my part.

Next stop was Angels Camp in California Gold Rush territory. Those of you who have read my blogs may remember I am a “Gold Rush” TV series fan and have an official Gold Rush Panning outfit. So I am ready to start panning and seeing the gold country and towns of the California Gold Rush era.

The trip there was uneventful until we hit the town of Angels Camp and had to drive down an old gold rush town street that was no wider than in the gold rush days lol and the roads out of town and into town ran along the rivers and valleys with very narrow and curvy roads. But we made it to our RV campground and got a very nice side hill terraced site and set up camp.

Angels Camp did not have anything to do with heavenly Hosts but instead named after Henry Angell from Rhodesia Island who started a tent camp for the miners. Initially placer gold which was found in the rivers was plentiful but soon ran out. The town dwindles until gold bearing quartz was found and the town bustled again with stamp mills processing the stones to extract the gold. These mills did what the name implied and pounded the stone rather than grinding. According to Wikipedia when the last mill shut down it was so quiet the townspeople couldn’t sleep!

I am not one to assume anything so despite the rumors of placer gold (gold that has broken away from its source and been deposited in a waterway) being depleted so I decided to find a waterway and we went off the first afternoon to find water. After a long drive around winding roads and incredibly deep ravines I gave up. For that day at least.

The next day we struck out to se Murphy’s another mining town north of our campsite. What a cute town that except for electricity appears much the same as I imagine it was during the 1800’s.

Murphy’s was started by two Murphy brothers as a supply tent camp for miners in the area. One of the Murphy brothers developed a lucrative trade with the native Americans where he gave them blankets and supplies in return for Gold. He left town about a year later with as much gold as 6 mules could carry and never returned. He moved to San Jose and married a survivor of the Donner Party Virginia Reed. For those who dont know the history of the Donner Party (also known as the Donner-Reed Party) you should read about their harrowing adventure where to survive being trapped in the Mountains by cannibalism. Yup no McDonalds or Walmart Supercenter back then.

After a bit of shopping we headed north of Murphy’s to the National Forest where I heard there were accessible streams. I stopped at the Ranger station to confirm it was legal to pan in the forest and she said it was and unlike the White Mtn Forest in NH I did not need a license. So with Jo being a good sport we headed out. And found the river.

I spilled most of that coming back up the rocks but it wouldnt have been enough to pay for the $5 per gallon gas I spent lol. But I do love seeing the flakes.

We headed back to camp to have dinner and relax before hitting the road for Yosemite.