Thursday, March 13, 2014

My backyard view

I want to share
our backyard playground.


Our corner of Southwest Missouri is full of old mining trails, chat piles, and mining pits filled with water. 

Back in the early 1900's, our small town was a big and bustling mining town.  My father grew up here along with his 9 brothers and sisters, many aunts and uncles and cousins who all worked for the mining company.  They dug very deep pits, filled them with machinery and pulled out the lead and zinc.  


Then they left town and didn't put the earth back as it was. Leaving us with all of these mining trails, chat (ground up rock) and swimming and fishing holes.  I like to call them my backyard. I grew up here, riding horses, motorcycles, four wheelers, and going swimming anytime we wanted to.  


I crawl along in 3rd gear, ducking under trees and limbs.
The trails get washed out each winter, and trees fall, so a day with the chain saw will get these cleaned up.


My first Y in the trail, should I go left or right? I chose left this time as I was anxious to see the water.


Another Y in the trail, again I choose left as I want to head towards the fishing/swimming hole.


There it is!  I am almost there.


The water level is 20 feet below normal.  The water line was up to the tall tree last time I was back here.  This drought we are experiencing is getting worse.


So I turn around and head back up the hill and take a right turn.
Here you see the old mining debris that has been here since the mining company left town. Acres and acres of trails, chat piles, woods and water.

Now it is time to go fast and climb some hills, jump some gully's, and see how fast I can go through the puddles.

This girl is gonna get dirty today!

Thanks for stopping by!


7 comments:

  1. what fun and I loved our trip... a really beautiful trail to follow.

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  2. What a beautiful place!!! I would love to have THAT for MY back yard!!

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  3. to me, it looks big and beautiful!! how much property do you have there at your playground??

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  4. What a fun way to spend your day, Jackie. It is a lot better than the slag piles you see in PA where the coal mines have been. Love that you have all the water holes, etc. but sorry for the drought- how awful!

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  5. That sounds like a fun ride. My dad was born and raised in southern Mo, Alton. Are you far from there?
    Here, there were coal mines many years ago. Now, there is nothing but big mounds. Love your photos and those trails don't look too bad to me!

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  6. What an interesting place to traverse through. I do hope that the mines aren't exposed so people would fall into them. That would be scary.

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  7. Reminds me of the area around Pittsburg.
    Blessings,
    Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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Thank you for taking a peek and stopping by to visit!