Black Diamond, Black Heart!

We went to Black Diamond Mines searching for the remains of a long dead coal mining industry and the mining towns that grew around it. At one point around 2000 miners (all the men of the town including boys 8 years and older) spent their days in tunnels under these hills. When the coal mining industry died (due to the low grade coal found) the families couldn't sell their houses because the company owned all the land so they packed up the entire house, structure and all and moved it. Mostly what is left is a graveyard and some tunnels that people like us can go poking around in, that is if we could find them.

There wasn't much around except dry grass, dead trees and the abusive sun. Oh! and some kamikaze crickets that would viciously hurl themselves at us with unheard of speed.


Those distant trees are the cemetery.




We spotted a rare wild Dani who followed us the entire day. Because they are known for their good luck and well, honestly, Andy and I grew fond of our little companion we decided to wait for her to catch up during the rough parts of the hike.


Hey wait! Where are we? Our map would not tell despite having marked our path in peanut butter. At this point our party suffered a crushing defeat. Due to our dwindling rations and the sinking morale of our wild Dani we were forced to turn back mere feet from the elusive Prospect Tunnel (our own personal gold mine.) Damn You Black Diamond Mines!


I have now studied the map in detail and have realized our mistake. I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the East Bay Regional Park District and their sorry cartography skills. Now, I am a woman possessed, I will see the Prospect Tunnel and "Jim's Place" for that matter. Black Diamond Mines we will conquer you!


The Little Dani that Could

A strange salt deposit. In the middle of nowhere, at this point I think we heard our first coyotes


Nothing like a hard hat to lift broken spirits.