Inquisitive Quest

Findings by the case

  The aromatic evergreen mountain shrubs endemic to California was botanically known as Chamacbatia Foliolosa and was prevalent in the lower Sierra beneath the Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir but was commonly referred to all as Mountain Misery.   Gary could tolerate the creosote like smell  and  gummy resin texture foliage,  but the adverse consequence of a dry dusty surroundings made for an uncomfortable carnal environment.   The only available water for cleansing at the family Sierra retreats prospective building site two miles from the  highway #88  way stop of Pioneer was from the free flowing spring exiting from the abandon mine about 200 yards down what was an old bulldozed logging road.  These first trips to the Sierra retreat to erect the prefab storage and makeshift sleeping platform were spent clearing the area of brush,  mountain misery and the never ending raking of years of accumulated pine needles.

Mountain Misery

Gary and his inherent sister Nancy were on a discovery  mission, the two gaining access, proceeding down the once navigable dirt road toward the abandoned mine noticing what appeared to be small storage structure somewhat hidden among some shrubs against the hillside bank, Gary having given it no notice in the past but this time pausing.  Approaching what appeared to be a small storage,  discovering it was an entrance to a four-foot opening accessing the hillside.  Having to stoop, the two entering the hillside cauldron,  disclosing what appeared to be the beginnings of a mine, but the recess abruptly ended, but what caught their attention were wooden boxes.  Upon examination finding the boxes accommodating several 1 X 8 inch paraffin covered tubes, Gary immediately suspecting in all probability it was dynamite. Having heard his parents talk about history of this parcel of land and a man named Dozier who was the owner, his family having inaugurated settlement in this area generations ago and was responsible for many of the mining endeavors and still resided  in the vicinity.

Remains from a previous era

The discovery filed away to highlight this venture when returning,  the two continued down pass the spring producing mine, deciding to follow a deer trail and behold they came upon the remains of a cabin,  long since removed from service and blending with the generations of wildness surrounding  it.   Most of the cabin long departed, but the walls of this domain still at attention, baring witness to its seasoned past. The cabin would be worth researching for evidence of its genealogical past,  acknowledging one person’s discard,  could be another’s treasure.  Gary, the 15 year old optimist knew that the cabin area retained refuse of yesterdays contents, and might be productive.  Before commercial logging was instigated,  gold was perceived to be the only presence of value in this domain, the teen having learned to recognized the billboard signs of  past mining activities.  The tale-telling sign of tailings,  which can be  easily deduced on the sloping hillside from their deposit embodiment.   He searched the foreground of the tailing at the cabin site looking for signs of penetrating or collocation activity in the hillside,  meaning  a  possible mine entrance and without a doubt now hidden, but a discovery on this first effort was illusive.

On the return back, retracing their ascent,  they stopped at their aqueous sourcing mine, indulging in the cool water.   Gary again taking notice what appeared to be rails sunken below the water that trailed  out of the mine, the rail ties having rotted away in by-gone-years.  He removed his footwear and enter the horizontal quarry,  without light he could only travel a short distance.  The blatant odor and darken dampness accounting from the mine presented a contemporaneous aura of deja vu as if expecting an encounter.   He paused straining  to visualize what lay behind the dark void, but to no conclusion.  Turning about, he would traverse another time with a light source and for now save the flow of  his compassion.

Gary concluded this first trip revealed the unlimited prospect for seeking the undiscovered.  He was well ware of those in the past, searching, hoping for financial redemption thru mineral acquisition.  The teen having come to reason, what was meaningful to him was not the expectations but the quest.

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