It’s early February, but Spring is definitely in the air!
Amy and I have finally been able to get out and explore off the beaten path here at Wilbur the past few weeks, and there are tremendous amounts of really interesting finds for those willing to get their boots a little dirty. Flowers are beginning to bloom, the growth of thicket hasn’t propelled itself out of the dormant phase quite yet, and many historic sites are easy to spot.
Recently, we were tracking some bobcat prints to see where it may lead us, and just upon a nice little knoll, we came across an interesting oven that we are excited about reading on some more. It was obviously used for smeltering, and each brick was stamped individually, making it an even more interesting piece in our early explorations of the property. A friend showed us a link to a website at Chico State University that contains numerous photographs of this area during the mining period, and it’s simply fascinating to come across relics from that day and age.
Recently, Wilbur Hot Springs procured a tandem bicycle, and now we’re seeing couples everyday enjoying the preserve by bi-pedaling out to see the sights. This great mode of transportation is easily becoming a fan favorite, and every day I embark on a preserve visit, there is always a couple with the tandem bike parked while exploring the uniqueness of our humble little 1,400 acres!
I’m sure I am being lured into a false sense of seasons, and that Old Man Winter will hit us again, but until then, I highly recommend a visit to our preserve on your next Wilbur excursion, enjoy getting the bikes out to the preserve, and come back with your photos and stories of all the exciting sights you discovered! Until then, enjoy the coming of Spring!