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02-10-2012, 07:15 PM | #1 |
On a Ride
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The Rockies
Moto: Two Wheels
Posts: 104
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Chris, others, if extremely bored on a winter's night, waiting for the two wheeled season to arrive, can watch a recording or two at the hosting site for the book's video's... http://rmridervideo.com
And/or, just take a stroll through time, then and now. Standing where the photographer stood many years ago. I didn't always get it right... rushed pics, different lens, and other excuses, but hey, there was always a bike pausing nearby or idling underneath! They do, or can, cause moments of reflection. The mining community of Apex in the late 1800's, having a 4th of July parade... Apex today, a semi-ghost town about five miles NW of Central City... Bonanza, as in "It's a bonanza boys!" flared when a rich gold vein was discovered nearby. President Ulysses S. Grant visited upon reports Bonanza could be the next Leadville... The gold was mined and fires swept through the close proximity structures (A common fate of many frontier towns... wood heat, wood structures, no 911)... Tracks were laid over the Boreas Pass summit to haul ores from Leadville to Denver... The tracks were pulled up in the 1930's, and in the 1950's a road was placed on the old rail bed. Riding friend Rick cheesily agreed to place himself where the train was... The Cathedral Spires along the North Fork of the South Platte... Two rails then, two wheels today... The pastoral Dedisse Ranch above Evergreen... That pastoral Bear Creek above would turn demonic when its raging waters would crash through towns below after heavy rains. The dam creating Evergreen Lake had me off to the side for the "now" pic... The Bradford Junction community in the late 1800's would gather at this ranch for all things social... dances, celebrations, etc. Perhaps this was a July 4th gathering. Bring your best attire was often the unstated rule... Today, busy U.S. 285 passes by the same place near the town of Conifer. Had the elevated highway not been present, could have relocated for a better comparison... Gold Hill is the location of one of Colorado's earliest gold strikes. An image from around 1890... In a way, not a lot has changed. Well, there are more trees... less need to cut down the nearby woods for structures and heat. Colorado's oldest continuously operating school is here. The massive Four Mile wildfire of September 2010 licked the edges of the town off to the left, but a valiant firefighting effort spared the historical buildings. If you have a BBQ sandwich at the general store, a pot bellied stove is a main source of the heat and the bathroom is about the size of your coat closet... A thrilling road just for owners of new fangled cars was built above Golden around 1920... Today the Lookout Mountain road thrills for owners of two wheeled transportation devices. The sun kindly obliged and a rider was caught just in time on the far left... An 1890's hacked out road just south of Ouray... Today's famed Million Dollar Highway... Cripple Creek and Victor pumped out so much gold, the amount was greater than the California and Alaska gold rushes combined. Back then Victor had a population of 5,000... Today about 400 call Victor home. Most downtown structures are empty... |
02-12-2012, 12:00 AM | #2 |
Trip's Assistant
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Imported from Detroit
Moto: 2009 HD Street Classic
Posts: 12,149
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WOW man... those pictures are amazing!!!
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02-13-2012, 10:47 AM | #3 |
SFL Expatriate #2
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Raleigh, NC
Moto: CBR1000
Posts: 2,043
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02-14-2012, 04:26 PM | #4 |
On a Ride
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The Rockies
Moto: Two Wheels
Posts: 104
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faster... Sometimes the lighting, the shadows, the quality of the image, etc. can influence perceptions. On one hand, I'm not sure the Cathedral Spires and her rocks have seen much change over the last 100 years, but then again, there sure are a lot of car sized boulders in the river... some of which we probably tossed there during the construction of the tracks.
The D,SP & P narrow gauge on a run up the North Fork of the South Platte... The bike on a run down the North Fork of the South Platte... Around the corner of the above pics there was a train stop at the resort cabin community of Ferndale... Another stop is made 100 years later.... |
04-12-2012, 12:15 PM | #5 |
Keyboard Racer
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mile High City
Moto: Old Superbikes
Posts: 1,016
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I got two riding friends and two non-riding friends to buy your book. It really is terrific. Now you should do one on Utah or on the Colorado Plateau.
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04-15-2012, 05:15 PM | #6 |
On a Ride
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The Rockies
Moto: Two Wheels
Posts: 104
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John... Thanks and enjoy. There is the invitation to apply the same formula to other states/riding areas. Something to think about.
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