Birthday Trip Day 2 Part 2!

After we left the canyon we headed for Old Bisbee, AZ to take the Queen Mine tour. Right outside the town is the now closed Lavender Mine where they used to mine copper and other metals. It closed in 1974 due to lack of production. It's both beautiful and hideous at the same time.  

The Lavender Pit Mine.

The Queen Mine tour was my favorite part of the whole trip. I loved going down the track on the cart and feeling the cold breath of the Earth on me. There were a few stairs we had to climb, but our guides were very patient and seemed to be in no rush. They never hurried me and that was appreciated. I want to go back again soon. We'll make reservations though because we had to wait for the last tour of the day. They book up fast.

They dress you before you get to go in the hole.

The old foreman got tired of walking all over the mine so they built him a special bicycle. The miners used to joyride it when he wasn't around and blame Headless John for moving it.

Our guide Benny explaining the bell system. It's small but mighty.

Would you ride in this elevator? I would!

The potty cart. Sometimes the miners would play tricks on each other with it. They would take off the brake and the victim would roll down the track with his butt hanging out. If they hit the wrong lever trying to brake they would dump the "load" and have to clean the whole track. Poor guys.

 This is the exit/entrance to the mine. A daunting yet beautiful sight.

This was the best part of my trip, but sadly most of my pictures inside didn't come out. It's so dark in there you can barely see with the lights you have, but it's a friendly dark. Next time we go I'm taking a flash unit!