We picked up Jim tonight at his home in Nederland, Co., and tomorrow morning we leave BASE CAMP campground in Black Hawk for a 3-4 hour drive to Salida, Colorado in lower South Park (high plateau) and a visit with another of Jim's good friends Jaime.Tom, the owner, and his Aunt and Uncle Sally and Dave have been wonderful hosts at BASE CAMP. They only purchased the campground this past winter and have alot of work to do all of this summer to bring it up to the standard they want it to be rated at by Woodall's and Rand McNally. Looks like they are off to a good start but much is still to do.
Today we drove down to Idaho Springs to do our laundry and tour a bit of the town.
The dude at the left literally founded this town when he and his buddies discovered the first gold in the Clear Creek Valley. And as the caption says, the rest of the Colorado gold fields followed.
Bridal Veil Falls, now across I-70 from the town, has been a beautiful sight for the miners and then residents of the valley for a long time. Hard to see in my pic to the left is the water wheel at the lower right of the falls. This is the largest wheel of its kind in the US.
The sign to the right greets all who visit Idaho Springs. But you can find such signs in many former gold rush towns. Yes, there is still gold to be found. Yes, even more than has been taken out since 1859 is waiting to be found. But no, its not easy, and very few make enough from panning, or digging, to live very long or well on their takings. Its the huge mining conglomerates that can afford to try.
But I found a treasure more precious than gold to me.Yes, I've always had a thing' for the Ford Mustang and this beauty was sitting on Main Street just waiting for me to ask it for it's portrait.
-Ken
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