Saturday, September 8, 2012

Ely, NV

Ely, NV    High 80  Low 51  

Happy Birthday to the Love of my Life!

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Covered 205 miles today and it was 205 miles of nothingness. This was the scenery or the entire drive along the Great Basin Parkway.

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We’re at the Prospector Hotel, Casino and RV Park. Definitely nothing to write home about but $15 a night for full hook ups, works for us.

After getting set up, we drove out to the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park.

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In 1872, Thomas Ward discovered silver near what's now Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park. To fuel the smelter, six 30'-high, parabolic charcoal ovens were built in 1873. The beehive-shape reflected heat back into the center, while three rows of vents around the base allowed for fine adjustment of temperature. It took 13 days to fill, burn, and empty a 35-cord oven. Each cord of wood produced about 30 bushels of charcoal. Eventually, the nearby timber was depleted, making the ovens less economical to use, and the smelter shut down in 1879.

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The charcoal ovens were made of quartz that was quarried nearby. After their function as charcoal ovens ended, they served diverse purposes, such as sheltering stockmen and prospectors during foul weather and even serving as a hideout for stagecoach bandits.

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We also stopped at the Ward Cemetery. I find it fascinating to wander through the grave sites and think about the people buried there and what their lives were like.

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Time to make Jim some Szechwan Chicken for dinner.

23 comments:

  1. happy birthday Jim!..hope you had a lovely day!!!

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  2. Hey Jim, happy birthday! Hope you had a good one!

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  3. Wishing Jim a very happy birthday. Interesting post about those ovens. Bet you could smoke a whole lotta fish in there!!

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  4. Happy birthday Jim! Looks like a neat State Park!

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  5. Happy Birthday Jim. Enjoy your birthday dinner.

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  6. Happy Birthday, Jim!!! Those charcoal ovens look really interesting. Where's everyone at? It looks like you two are the only ones around for miles.

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  7. Happy birthday to Fisherman Jim!

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  8. Great pictures, love it when the rabbit brush blooms! AND there are white fluffy clouds!

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  9. OH, Jim is a September birthday too--happy birthday Jim! You find the coolest things to see Sandy!

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  10. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Looks like a good catch!

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Karen and Steve
    (Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com

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  11. Belated Happy Birthday Jim.

    I like graveyards too for the same reasons. Who were they and what kind of life did they have.

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  12. Happy birthday to Jim! Haven't been in that part of Nevada but have seen lots of similar scenery. Those casino RV parks can be great stops, especially on the pocketbook if you don't like to gamble.

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  13. Happy Birthday Jim !

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  14. Happy Birthday Jim,wish you many more happy birthdays,laughs and joy.

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  15. Happy birthday, Jim - you're lookin' good!

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  16. You gave Jim two fish for his birthday? That is a funny present, for sure! :c)

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  17. A late Happy Birthday Jim!

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Thanks for visiting today. I look forward to reading your comments. Have a beautiful day.