November Sunrise

Sunny Fall Day

Grand Teton National Park

Cripple Creek Colorado

Cripple Creek is an old mining town on the southwest slopes of Pikes Peak. It has evolved into a gambling town, but the mining history is still very evident. While wandering around on the hill above Cripple Creek near the Cripple Creek Heritage Center I snapped these pictures.

It was a beautiful late summer day with just a small nip in the air bringing thoughts of fall with it. In the distance I could hear the whistle on the Cripple Creek-Victor Narrow Gauge Rail trains. The crisp snap of insects going about their lives punctuated the quietness.

Two guys working on a project behind the building very graciously gave me a mini history lesson. I failed to get their names so here they are referred to as Bob and George :-)

According to Bob tunnels run all over under the town. The tunnels are now closed off and it is apparently illegal to use them, but Bob says in the old days the mayor would use the tunnels to get to and from his rendezvouses with prostitutes.

Up on the hill you can see a mine head. From this area the miners would descend deep into the earth to retrieve the gold. George said that many of the mines along this area are interconnected.

This is the world famous Mollie Kathleen Mine which is the country's only historic gold mine tour. 

The grate in the bottom right of this picture is an old mine air shaft. George dropped a rock down it to show me how deep it was.....and it was pretty deep. When the rock finally hit all we could hear was a muffled thud.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Mr. Magoo

A Drive East of Town