Saturday, April 19, 2008

Mining in Arizona







The last day we were in Benson, we drove down to a mining town called Bisbee. The mines are all closed and the town is a tourist/artist town. But the Lavender Mine may open again according to the news reports and that has some of the tree huggers really upset.The highway would need to be moved, the sewer system and electricity would also have to be moved. Plus there would be dynamite blasts every day.A real inconvenience if you are trying to concentrate on your art, I am sure.
This town is carved into the side of a mountain. You really have to be fit to get around, up hill, down hill, up the mountain, down the mountain.
The artist colony here is thriving with lots of weird sites.





We went to the Mining Museum and really enjoyed learning about strip mining and how it was done in the early years. Man, that was a terrible life, I think.I kept thinking about that song Sixteen Tons,remember that one?

I wish we could have stayed the night since the Ho's and Queens banquet was only $5. But it didn't start til late......It seemed to take us for ever to get back home. We drove miles and saw not one car! ( Guess every one was at the banquet, huh.)

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