California, 3rd November, Harmony Borax Works and Mustard Canyon

Mairi had managed to blag free admission to the swimming pool and showers at the Furnace Creek resort so we drove back in that direction. First we stopped at the Harmony Borax Works, or remains thereof which lie just outside Furnace Creek. The mining of borax here did not last long, from 1883 to 1888, until the owner William T Coleman ran into financial difficulties and borax started to be extracted in other locations. It was taken out of the valley on very heavy wagons, weighing 17 tons loaded and pulled by teams of 20 mules all the way to the rail head near Mojave, 165 miles. All the water they needed had to be carted as well as none was available en route.
Around 40 men were employed here, the white men living at Furnace Creek ranch and the Chinese in rough shelters.





We had our lunch here, as usual we were alone while we were eating. We tried to use the sun awning which was attached to the car but unfortunately it all fell down so we decided not to bother again! After lunch we went to Mustard Canyon, on a bit of a whim as I had read that when it was sunny you could hear gasses in the rock popping. We drove through the canyon on a pretty good unmade road and pressed our ears to the walls and duly heard the chemical reactions going on in there, Strange! The sky was bright blue and contrasted well with the ochre of the canyon.








Back at Furnace Creek we went to the swimming pool and had a very pleasurable half hour in the warm water. It was busy in there and all the deck chairs at the sides were taken. After that a well needed shower, which I know we should have taken before getting in the pool. Then we were ready for new adventures.










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