[admiral]

Been itching to return to Mineral City to do some more snooping around since my first trip back in December. If you missed that RR you can view it here.

Arranged a ride with son's 2 & 3 for this past Monday to quench the itch. Been real dry here this winter with almost no snow or rain, so Sunday night I had the TW jacked up, axle nut loosened ready to take off the chains. At the last moment I changed my mind (gut feeling), left the chains on and tightened everything back up.


Edit: Photo and Video youtube if you don't want to scroll with some relaxing music.

Loaded and ready to head out

Loadmaster supervisor making sure we secured everything just right

Unloaded at the staging area and ready to roll.

Let's roll #3 in charge of most photo taking. Me with Georgie on back headed toward Brownlee Reservoir (can see in the distance)

and closer

Me and #2 at the reservoir

Nice shot across the reservoir looking at Oregon

Rocking M Ranch Lodge I believe

More to come

 

[admiral]

Rolled into Mineral and took a short break

From here, we gonna use our LPC's (Leather Personnel Carrier's) and go find a cache. But before we depart, I mention leaving the gun in the truck. 2 & 3 a little concerned.

We found a "Man Cave". #3 in cave entrance, and #2 glad he wasn't the one to go in. (Bear Watch Project)? Actually it's the cache site. The cache is missing and I knew this from reading the previous cacher's comments, but I wanted to go find the cave anyway.

Having fun with #3 now. Rigged up a "Miners Lamp" so he can see the hibrenating Bear's better.

View from the cave of Mineral down below.

More to come

 

[evan]

looks like a fun ride! Did you see anyone else during your ride?

 

[admiral]

After climbing around the mountains . . . in motorcyle boots, (Oofta), we take a timeout for lunch at this nice outdoor cafe.

Which is pet friendly believe it or not

unknown pump/stamp machine looking thing

Another mine processing building

More to come

 

[joeband]

i've never heard of that ranch, but it looks beautiful... and for sale. all for a measly $12 million.



that's just a few T-dubs worth....

 

[admiral]

Now gonna show 2 & 3 the corral area.

On the way there, more snow and mud. Riding on the snow wasn't so bad, mud on the other hand . . . almost like quicksand



Corrals

Ice House

Planned on riding up this road past the corrals for more exploration, but even with the chains on, going was gonna be slow so we turned around to head home



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoxE-0ww-ao[/media]



Road between Corrals and Mineral. Gotta be careful

More to come

 

[admiral]

Time to head back to the staging area . . . and a little fun on the way

More to come

 

[admiral]

Glad I left the chains on

After a long day of riding, hiking, and riding, we were finally done. And I mean DONE. It's two days later and I'm still pooped! Old I guess.



After 6 hours and 43 miles, we got a nice treat back at the truck.

THE END

 

[operose]

Very cool, and great to see you out spending some time with "the boys"



Keep on keepin' on

 

[admiral]

looks like a fun ride! Did you see anyone else during your ride?

Saw 3 other (not together) atv's. I assume they were hunting as they all had rifle's or shotgun's. Not bear though (officially, wink wink), as the spring bear season is more like April and May.



After I posted my geocache dnf, the owner of the cache disabled the cache and asked if anyone was interested in taking it over. I assume hunters keep messing with the cache and remove it, and the owner is getting tired of putting it back. But the cave was cool!

 

[admiral]

i've never heard of that ranch, but it looks beautiful... and for sale. all for a measly $12 million.



that's just a few T-dubs worth....

Yeah, the ranch is just outside of my financial resources or I'd snatch it up! giggle. I see the ranch come on and off the market from time to time, but my guess is that if anyone had the money, they would be able to get a nice place to own, whether it was on the market at the time or not. Mineral is actually on ranch property, and has a public access easement. I like that . . . for riding purposes at least!

 

[MrDNA]

Awesome RR! That's some nice looking country you got there.

 

[B-dub]

You're a wild man! I can't say that I enjoy playing in the snow that much, but that looked like fun. Any bear sign? Were those wild horses? The antique mining equipment and cave are interesting. Great that you could share your adventures with your sons. My son is into rock climbing now, and wants me to give it a shot.

Thanks for the great ride report; your reports are always enjoyable! Oh, and since you initiated a bear watch project, you might enjoy this.

 

[lower al]

Thanks for letting us go with yall by way of pictures an video

 

[admiral]

You're a wild man! I can't say that I enjoy playing in the snow that much, but that looked like fun. Any bear sign? Were those wild horses? The antique mining equipment and cave are interesting. Great that you could share your adventures with your sons. My son is into rock climbing now, and wants me to give it a shot.

No bear sign on this trip, but . . .



I didn't intentionally set up the boys, but when we stopped at Mineral prior to the hike up the mountain, I had mentioned that I forgot my gun in the truck. They asked why I needed the gun. I said a previous cacher had mentioned a bear at the cache (here's part of what the cacher said "It appeared to have some teeth marks from something fairly large (entire container appeared to have fit in its mouth). Probably a bear. Amazingly enough it was still intact and okay."). So, with that I wanted to bring the gun just in case, but forgot. Now, this got them a little nervous, hence them talking about bears in the clip. I thought it was funny. Then I recorded that bit while hiking to the cache. When I viewed it after we got home, the homemade look remineded me of the Blair Witch Project movie, which I've only seen clips of. So I named my clip Bear Watch Project. Funny to me anyway. I have a weird sense of humor!





I watched the link you sent. That there was funny. Oh, my knees are still sore from hiking around the mountain, rock climbing for me, not so much!

At first we thought they were wild horses, but they don't look scruffy enough. While the area they are in looks like wild horse country, the horses don't. But I'm no horseoligist so can't say for sure.

 

[STEVE IN SOCAL]

Looks like a good chukar spot...