And last but not least

 

This bittersweet Cripple Creek weekend was a long overdue family reunion.

This was the last time the cousins were all together-- June 2015. We were speechless. 

 Nova and Maya on the Molly Kathleen mine tour.

The Cripple Creek area has a long and complex history. It remains the richest gold mining district the country. The booming town of the 1890's had a population of over 30,000. 

As gold prices fell in the early 20th century, it morphed into a near ghost town-- the sleepy backward place I remember as a teenager. Our parents loved the close community and beautiful setting, so they retired in a little house they lovingly restored, now the site of this casino parking lot. 

 

 

 

We stayed in a historic airbnb across the street from where their house once stood. Yes, a rather sad view from the front porch, remembering all the old times. Anyway, after the approval of gaming, the town was forever changed once again as the big money arrived.

Cripple Creek lies at the bottom of an extinct, collapsed caldera. Every stone you step on has traces of gold and other valuable minerals.

 

 

And herein lies the problem. Above ground mining literally chews down entire mountains, destroying the natural habitat. Cyanide solution is sprayed over the huge heaps of crushed ore spread atop giant collection pads. The gold is leached out, leaving behind a wrecked environment. The scale of this has to be seen to be believed.

Anyway, the town still has tourist charms, like the roving herd of "wild" donkeys begging for treats.

The girls were thrilled, so were the burros with the granola bars.

They took the cog railway to the top of Pikes Peak yesterday (14,000 feet) and will enjoy a family vacation in Colorado Springs this week.

As for us, we flew home yesterday-- a 10 hour journey to Seattle. Cripple Creek is very remote. Travel, even when things go well, is pretty brutal.

The 9,500 foot Cripple Creek elevation took a toll on everyone and especially my sister, who worked the hardest making this memorial and reunion such a resounding success. She and my brother Dave are closing up the house this morning and will soon be on their way home.