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My next group of friends from Sacramento to show up were
Scott and Heidi, Dee and Sharon, and last but not at all least, Mark and
Linda. With the exception of Linda everyone has been to Gold Point many
times. In fact they were all there for our New Years eve party.
I have talked to Linda once or twice and have heard about her from Mark at
other times but had never met her. Why it took her so long to
get to Gold Point is anyone’s guess. Mark, her husband, has been coming up
for around 14 years now. Maybe it's because we have dust
and don’t have room service. Anyway, I thought I would play a trick on
her.
I got some information from Mark about her, ahead of time. All six friends
showed up together. While we were chatting and saying hi,
Mark introduced me to Linda. I mentioned something about meeting her
before somewhere but couldn’t remember when or where. Mark said something
about the past like her school. I said, “that’s it” to Linda. I know you
from high school. Don’t you remember me? “No?” Linda said. Isn’t your last
name Scoville? ‘Yes it is” she replied. You went to Encina High School
right? Again she replied “yes” .
You
don’t remember me? We had gym class together. This really threw her. She
was really puzzled now. I had to give her the line
now. Oh back then you knew me as Helen. I’ve had a sex change since then.
That got her and we all had good laugh. Mark particularly
liked it.
By late evening most everyone was here.
Other
friends from Tonopah and Goldfield came by Saturday and Sunday. Heather
Kelly and her camera crew from Coveredge showed up also.
They
were doing a documentary on Nevada Ghost Towns and wanted to interview me
and go on some ghost town tours Saturday. They hope to get it aired
sometime in the fall on the Discovery Channel. I sure hope this works out
for them. Gold Point and the towns I showed them were a few for the future
hour long program.
They
also joined in on the fun Friday and Saturday evenings. They sure missed
out on the surprise visit Sunday though. More about that later.
I left the die hard party people around 2 a.m. I had to get up at 4:30 to
take the film crew out to get some early shots of the first ghost town of
Stateline.
Then get back and help my friends get breakfast cooked...
The cooks/friends/volunteers are my regulars, so all I really do is get in
the way and test the bacon. Pat, Jeff, Mark and Heidi cook-up
bacon, Sandy’s sourdough hotcakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, bacon, fried
taters and did I mention bacon for the multitudes? I like bacon
so I have to make sure they cook plenty and do it right. My record is 36
strips at one breakfast sitting.
I
usually wash the bacon down with Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill which Mark
always brings up. I believe that particular fine domestic wine helps
neutralize all the bacon grease/fat. Don’t you agree?
After breakfast, we loaded up the trucks and headed out into the desert.
First stop was the old ghost town of Stateline. This was a
booming town once back in the 1880’s. Then again back during the
depression. There are still over 2 dozen rock building/foundations left
standing along with a couple of wood structures.
Now
the film crew took more video with all the looky loos around.
Next we went southeast about 11 miles to Old Camp or Oriental which is
nestled in the pinions on Gold Mountain. It’s called Old Camp
because it’s the oldest in the area going back to the mid 1860’s. Some
really good gold specimens came out of this area. Some were on display at
the Worlds Fair back then. Now there’s only a crumbling old wood building
that was the old Post Office and a few stone foundations to explore.
Just down the road from Old Camp we stopped at the old Wonder Mine where I
took everybody on a nice "cool” tour underground.
From there we went up to the Indian Petroglyphs overlooking Sarcobatus
Flats. We saw one rattlesnake in the shade of the rocks.
We left him alone and headed back to Gold Point so everyone could clean up
and get ready for dinner.
This time it was Dean and Paz doing the
cooking on the barbie. I took Pat’s suggestion
and marinated about 70 lbs of tri-tip in 2 part
soy sauce and I part each of pineapple juice
and orange juice for 4 days in the refrigerator.
As Furby says it was yummy to the tummy. I
suggest you give it a try. I froze the leftovers
that we didn't have to cook and they are still
coming out delicious. With that we had baked
potatoes and corn on the cob, with cupcakes
for dessert.
Then it was time to go up to the saloon for live
entertainment and the champagne christening
of the newly expanded Hornsilver Saloon.
We had Johnny Colmus sing and play country
and western music both nights. We also had
the Blue Canyon Gang from Sacramento up to
do some shoot outs with themselves and our
gang, the High Desert Drifters.
After some dancing and skits it was time.
But now is not the time. End of part 6
Happy Trails and Sunsets,
Sheriff Harold T. Stone and/or Red Dog Lil
Part 7
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