Life is a journey, not always happy or sad but always interesting. Join me as we travel the winding road via this blog, on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/mabryatpinnacol), and on Instagram (@davidmabry).
Mr. Dylan's prophetic words certainly rang true this Labor Day weekend. Colorado saw temps from the 90's plummet to freezing conditions and snow. Wildfires raging in our state and those to the west brought flakes of ash that were soon replaced by snowflakes. And it was just the first week of September. I was fortunate, along with apparently the majority of the population of the front range, to spend the holiday weekend up in the Colorado High Country. From stand-up-paddleboarding at Twin Lakes to crowd-watching along the main street of Leadville there were tons of people everywhere. Fortunately the smoke where I was wasn't horrible until Monday when you would have thought there was a fire right next door. For the first time in my life I actually didn't ride my beloved bike because the smoke was so thick. It actually gave you a sore throat just breathing and the ubiquitous COVID mask actually served a secondary purpose as a filter against the wildfire particulates.
One of my nieces and her friend spent a couple of days with us but left before Monday's smoke. The picture above is my niece doing a handstand on her paddle board, something I, being the wimp that I am, did not even attempt to emulate. Then again, I know from first-hand experience how chilly the waters of Twin Lakes are even when the air temps head north of 80 degrees. They are both young adults and it makes one wonder what the world will be like over the course of their lifetimes. 2020 will forever be remembered for COVID but as bad as that virus has proven to be it may pale compared with some of the other things going on that my niece Payton and her friend Kaylee will be dealing with long after I'm gone.
Parts of Oregon that usually never burn are also alight
Colorado's wildfires have set new records for acreage burned
The Atlantic has seen 17 named tropical storms, a record for this time of year
Last month it hit 130 degrees (what does that even feel like?) in Death Valley
Phoenix, AZ hit records on Sunday of 112 degrees after seeing 115 degrees the preceding day. There hadn't been a day below 100 degrees since July 23rd
Siberia, not known for its balmy climate, saw temps of 100 degrees on June 20th
And, according to Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb "It's going to get a LOT worse" in years to come. There may even come a time, in twenty or fifty years, folks look back on the 2020's as the good old days. Hard to fathom that living in this moment, but who knows?
And while I can't match the list above with my own observations I can attest to the fact that the Colorado Aspen are starting to change color early this year (it seems I've been saying that for the last couple of years so maybe I am seeing a trend?). Don't believe me, just watch the video I shot this last weekend in one grove of Aspen near Forebay Reservoir above Twin Lakes. As Bob says, the times they are a-changin'.
I had promised to give an update once I was firmly ensconced in Cardiac Rehab which had been delayed for a couple of months when they shut down for COVID. Well, I've been going for about a month and a half so thought I'd share what it's like. The schedule is three times a week which for me means Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and each session is two hours long. On Monday's there's an hour-long educational lecture on healthy lifestyle choices, on Wednesday there's a cooking class on preparing healthy meals, and on Friday there's an informational video on everything from stress management to how to properly exercise. After the first hour we head over to the gym where we're hooked up to monitors and then we warm up for five minutes and then do 15 minutes of exercise within our target heart rate ranges. Then after the fifteen minutes is up we switch to another piece of equipment for another 15 minutes. Then there is stretching, cool down, and then we're done for the day. There are always exercise physiologists and RN's watching over us and due to COVID restrictions there's only 6 to 8 of us in each class. They also monitor blood pressure before, during, and after exercise. As each week goes by you do find yourself able to tackle substantially harder workouts. On days I don't go to Rehab I'm out on my bike for one to two hours or taking a long walk.
This last weekend I was up in Leadville and rode for the first time since April at high altitude (Leadville brags about being the two mile high city). We did the Mineral Belt Trail which can be as easy or as hard as you want to make it. I took it fairly easy and used as n excuse the making of the video below. Still, it felt really good to be back riding the "Belt". If you have never done the Mineral Belt Trail its really a special treat as it winds through the Leadville Mining district with lots of signage along the route sharing the history and fun facts of what you are seeing. As much as I appreciate Cardiac Rehab, I'll take riding the Colorado High Country any day! Plus it was a nice break from the heat down in Denver, with temps in the 70's when we were riding and hardly a cloud in the blue Colorado sky. Enjoy the video as you come along for the ride!
Its been a while since my last post and that's o.k. I didn't want to add to the cacophony of COVID-related hyperbole or the national debate on racism that I fear will still be with us long after the pandemic is relegated to its place as a historical footnote.
This blog will celebrate happier themes that still deal with life and death which, apart from taxes, seem to be the universal constants. Last night my wife and I took a jaunt up to Genesee Mountain Park to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I have now been married for 10,950 days or 262,800 hours but who's counting. That's 30 years folks, and best of all, all of them to the same lady who caught my eye and my heart so long ago. So long ago yet it seems just the blink of an eye. Like any couple we've had our ups and downs, our highs and lows, good times and bad times, for better and for worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health but I'd do it all over again. Don't ask me for any tips or secrets to making it this long when so many relationships fall apart along the highway of time. I have a dear friend, Cecelia, who is known to share words of wisdom and she often says the key to marital bliss is "Happy Wife, Happy Life." I can't argue with that but from the male perspective I'd perhaps amend it to "Happy Spouse, Happy House" since it takes two to tango. All I really know is that after 30 years I'm still very much in love with the same person with whom I've shared all the travails and blessings of a life spent together.
On a another note our family marked the passing of one of our own a week or so ago when my wife lost her father and my mother-in-law lost her husband of 55 years. Yes, that's a sad thing but he lived a life long and blessed and the night before he left us he was surrounded by his family, daughter and son, wife, and the apples of his eye, his four grandkids. I had almost preceded him back in April so while heartbroken at his leaving us I count myself fortunate to have been able to spend time with him I otherwise would not have had.
Back in April I had promised myself to try to live each day to it's fullest. I knew full well when I made that pledge it would be difficult to achieve that goal and so it has proven to be. But perhaps it's in the effort that the dream is realized. Maybe simply trying does count a little bit after all. I don't know. Still, it's all I can do. One of the folks I still admire to this day from my work life (and there are not that many still standing upon their lofty pedestals) used to say that showing up was half the battle. Simple words, but for me, I fully intend to continue showing up for as long as I can. And to my Sophie who apparently destined to be my partner in this journey called life, you've got a date for 30 years from now, same place, same time.
By the time you read this you’ve survived yet another 4th of July so congratulations. Some folks are not quite so proud of the good old Red White and Blue this year what with COVID and protests left right and center. Heck, there was even an article in the Denver Post pointing out that as professional sports get underway there will be intense pressure on athletes to kneel rather than stand for our National Anthem. No matter which side you come down on we can probably all agree that these are challenging times for a country celebrating its 244th birthday.
How was your neighborhood last night? Did it seem that there were a lot more fireworks going off than normal? At our house our two huskies were under the bed hiding from the whistling and booming from around noon until after midnight. Kudos to all those who felt obligated to fill in for the professional fireworks shows that were cancelled all around town. You did yourselves proud. One of the local T.V. Stations had their helicopter up after dark and you couldn’t have known that there were any cancelled fireworks shows what with all the ‘rockets red glare’ shooting skyward all over town. I should have taken out what was left of my 401(K) and invested in the local fireworks stand. Again, regardless of where you stand on the hot topic of fireworks, you’ve got to admit it’s incongruous that in most of the urban counties around Denver it’s perfectly legal to sell all manner of fireworks from your local stand but illegal to actually use them. But perhaps it’s fitting in this most unique of years that so much of the population chose to so blatantly disregard the law when law enforcement itself has lost so much respect.
Anyway, I really didn’t set out to write a blog about what’s wrong in America this Fourth of July, 2020. There are too many other folks doing that most capably. America may be 244, and some may say she’s getting a little long in the tooth, but I think this grand old dame still has some kick in her yet. For me, as I sit here writing this with two dogs still shaking in fear in the bright light of a new day, I’ll just offer up a far more mellow Happy Birthday wish to this land that despite its faults and foibles still represents one of the grandest experiments in the history of humankind. For those who have seen my offerings on Instagram you know I love to take pictures of nature in general and flowers specifically. Many of these are from my wife’s garden but some are truly wild flowers encountered this year in my wanderings and I think they are the best. So here’s to you U.S.A., have a flowerful fourth!
In my last blog I had mentioned that there was a new gold mining operation going on just south of Leadville that is capitalizing on the leftovers of a dredging operation from a century ago. In the video below you'll see a bird's-eye view of the current placer mine. Today's dig relies on large dump trucks and front-end loaders to deliver the massive amounts of dirt and gravel to the trommel and sluice box that sort the material and collect the gold but a hundred years ago you would have seen a gold dredge at this site. I've seen and visited dredges from Fairplay to Alaska but knew next to nothing about the dredging operation along Corske and Box Creeks that are two of the myriad of streams coming down from the eastern flank of Mount Elbert, Colorado's highest 14'er at 14,440 feet.
On Sunday, October 10, 1915 the Derry Ranch Gold Dredging Company, owned and operated by the New York Engineering Company began operation of a dredge of their own design and manufacture first on Corske Creek and after 1923 on Box Creek. It would continue operating until 1926 when it was subsequently dismantled ultimately to be shipped to South America. The dredge was equipped with 6 cubic foot steel buckets electrically driven (power supplied by the Colorado Light and Power Company) and in its first two months of operation handled 142,900 cubic yards of gravel and recovered $69,552 in gold ($1.78 million in 2020 dollars).
Now, if you are not familiar with what a dredge actually is picture a floating barge with a digging conveyor belt of buckets at the front end (that can be moved up and down and side to side) to dig into the slope ahead of the dredge. In the middle is a revolving perforated cylinder and screen (trommel) which washes and sizes the material with the over-sized material being carried via another conveyor belt at the rear of the dredge where it is dumped and left behind as a tailing. The smaller screened gravel is processed via a sluice where the gold is actually recovered.
As the dredge moves forward in the pond (either natural or man-made) in which it floats it continues to process material from the front while discarding tailings from the rear so the size of the required pond remains relatively constant. A huge digging spud holds the dredge in place and can be raised when the dredge is moved forward.
Over the time period the Derry Dredge operated it collected 39,000 ounces of gold. At the time the dredge was operating the United States government set the price of gold at $20.17 an ounce. That equates to $786,630 in 1920 dollars. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics $1 in 1920 is equivalent in purchasing power to $12.82 in 2020. So those $786,000 1920 dollars would be worth a little over $10 million in today's world. Not bad, but consider this - unlike when the Derry Dredge was mining and the price of gold was set by our government, in today's world the price of gold is free to fluctuate based on demand. In June 2020 the price of gold is around $1,761 per ounce. Those 39,000 ounces at today's price would be worth more than $68 million. Thus the incentive to see if there is any gold in the tailings left behind by the Derry Dredge. One Colorado company, Titan AU out of Greeley, is betting there is.
In December 2018 Titan AU filed an application with the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board to commence placer mining in March 2019 with a proposed date of completion of 2044. The proposal indicated the land would be returned to rangeland and ponds after mining is finished. There was some local opposition to a large scale gold mine in the area but if the company truly reclaims the land as promised it will more closely resemble what it looked like before the Derry Dredge began operation 105 years ago. From a historical perspective one might not appreciate that the reclamation done by the current mine operators will also actually erase the signs of the Derry Dredge tailings. Once the reclamation is complete future generations may look at the site and have no real comprehension of what happened there. So if you are a history buff or simply interested in what a placer gold mine in full operation looks like, now is your chance. To get there, drive south out of Leadville on Highway 24 and then turn right onto County Road 24. I think the best views are from County Road 24A which parallels the south side of the mine. Bring the binoculars!
According to the Leadville Herald Democrat the Box Creek Placer mine sits on 950 acres including land leased from the City of Aurora and the Colorado State Land Board. The State Land Board is the second largest landowner in Colorado (the Federal Government is the largest) and manages their land in large part for the financial support of Colorado's public schools and other public institutions.
Lots of resources were used in writing this blog. History Colorado, the Denver Public Library, the Leadville Herald Democrat were all very helpful in doing research. Perhaps most helpful in learning about the early days of the Derry Dredge was a hard to find book published by the actual owners of the Derry Dredge, the New York Engineering Company, titled "The Business of Gold Dredging" in 1922. The book provides a wealth of information not only on the Derry Dredge but on the dredging business in general in the early 1900's. It's a fascinating and fun read for any history buff and can be found here.
Coloradans love their High Country. And each has their own individual reason. Some like to take in the grand vistas, some like to hike/bike/fish/camp/ski. I increasingly find myself seeking out the quiet peaceful places where I can look around, close my eyes, listen as the wind wafts through the pine and aspen, and get transported back to days long gone and long forgotten.
The High Country around Leadville is dotted with mines. The remains of most of them are almost gone but here and there enough remains to pique the curiosity of what they must have looked like when in their prime. With names like the Matchless, Julia Fisk, Young America, Painter Boy one wonders what significance those monikers had to the miners of those days. Some evoke sweethearts, wives, and loved ones. Others reminisce of countries, States, and towns hailed from or left behind. Others are aspirational while some make you scratch your noggin wondering what were they thinking.
The decaying wood and stone remains silent, giving no hint as to how meaningful those names were in the hearts of those men (and yes, a few women) who gave their blood and sweat in hopes of striking it rich. This time of year wildflowers share the stage with the remnants of mines that made Leadville the richest square mile on earth at its peak. Not so wealthy today though there still are active mines operating. One of the newest, just
south of town, is the Box Creek Placer Mine. This site saw dredging in the early twentieth century and the new miners, using modern techniques, are going through millions of tons of dredged up rock gleaning the gold that older technologies could not. Their claim lasts until 2044 and from watching the size and scale of the operations grow in the last year there is enough gold to be had to justify spending a lot of money and effort. Dreams of striking it rich are alive and well to this day.
For me, I'm content musing on once was as I sit among the beauty and solitude at 10,000 feet. Here's some of the view...
Are you getting tired of COVID? I am. That's not to say that I'm not still taking prudent precautions (wearing a mask in public and practicing social distancing) and I have yet to visit a restaurant or bar now that they are able to reopen. The gym we go to just reopened Monday and they put up some pictures of the occasion. Not a mask in site and social distancing seemed non-existent. Class size is however limited to a maximum of 9 participants in rooms that used to accommodate 30 plus. While that may be nice for the 9 folks lucky enough to get in it raises inevitable questions of the value of maintaining our memberships for the rest of us.
The Red line represents Google searches for COVID
The airwaves and social media are still crowded with COVID this and COVID that, but as tends to happen with any news item it inevitably is forced to eventually make room for other news events. Of course, the predominant other non-COVID item that is front and center right now is the phenomenon of the George Floyd death at the hands of police and the resulting, and continuing protests. Google statistics on COVID show the drop in people searching for COVID-related topics since the peak in March while those for George Floyd continue to skyrocket even surpassing, I'm sure to his chagrin, searches for Donald Trump.
Which will we be talking about a year from now? COVID, Floyd, or Trump? Or none of the above? I hope COVID is not still dominating the headlines in June 2021 and there's a chance that November might take Mr. Trump out of the spotlight. On the other hand, if in 2021 we're not still talking at some level about the repercussions of Mr. Floyd's death then perhaps shame on us.
Meanwhile life goes on. I'm still waiting, thanks to - guess what - COVID- for my cardiac rehab to begin. While miniscule in the grand scheme of things my little heart event in April was a big bump on my road through this thing called life and I'm treating the fact that I'm still alive as a second chance at living it to the fullest. I continue to be a walking fool as it's the only exercise (other than my wife's Honey Do list) that I'm ok'd to do. I've had the chance to get up to the High Country in the last week and surprisingly feel very good at 10,000 feet. In part its due to it being cooler up there than the hot temps Denver has been experiencing but I also think the repair they made to my heart by removing the 99% blockage in one of my arteries has actually made it easier for me to breath 'up high'.
And when I say it's cooler up there, yesterday we woke to four inches of fresh Rocky Mountain powder. The day before we did a 5 mile hike through the Leadville Mining District on a picture perfect Colorado day with temps in the 60's. Here's a short video recap of some of that walk (I'm not allowed to 'hike' yet so between you and me we'll just consider it a wee little stroll). There's even a short clip of a young lady participating in my favorite activity of mountain biking and perhaps from the clip you'll understand why I miss it so.
I had also put up a video detailing what actually happened to me in April that landed me in the Intensive Care Unit at Littleton Adventist Hospital. The video above is certainly a more happy subject but somebody might at some point go through what I experienced so thought I'd share...
I'm certainly looking forward to making more of the happy type of videos that I usually put up. If only 2020 will cooperate!
