Chuckles

[W. Gray]

I would like to add an item about the Arkansas River.

Several years ago, the wife and I went up to Leadville, Colorado.

People seem to marvel about Denver being the mile-high city.

Leadville, though, is the two mile-high city.

Above Leadville, I managed to hop across the Arkansas River at its source.

The Arkansas River is also at the bottom of the Royal Gorge.

There is plenty of white water river rafting on the Arkansas River in the mountain areas.

[flo]

Waldo, Marvin and I took the train trip out of Leadville a few years ago and the beginning of the Arkansas river was one of the highlights, but we didn't get to jump across it.  It starts on a mountain close to where the train began it's return journey.  Couldn't hardly believe it was just a little "creek" for most of the trip up there.  Also, Denver is the mile high city, but on this trip we seen the highest point in Colorado and it was called Elbert Peak.  I'll always remember that name, cause that's an uncle's name.

[W. Gray]

That railroad, the Leadville, Colorado, and Southern, was purchased lock, stock, and barrel by the current owners for $10 back in the 80s.

The line was originally the Denver, South Park and Pacific and Colorado and Southern narrow gauge but replaced by standard gauge, I think, in the 1940s.

Burlington Northern owned the line and was going to include in their abandonment plans. A husband and wife team approached the railroad company and came away with a sweetheart deal, at least for purchase.

Running and maintaining it is not cheap.

They got tracks, freight and passenger depots, engine houses, and rolling stock wrapped up in one package.

I bought the best railroad cap I have in the passenger depot.

The only disappointment, from my perspective, is that the engine is not steam.

It is also a little strange to have a caboose with flashing lights and diesel horn blaring leading the way up the mountains.

[flo]

running and maintaining are not cheap and neither are the tickets, but after all it's a "tourist" attraction and in my opinion well worth the price.  Have often wondered if the picture the magazine photographer took of Marvin and I ever made it to print.  It was some travel magazine and he took all our information like where from, our opinion of the ride, the scenery, etc.

[Teresa]

Made you feel all important like.. huh...

I had someone that wrote for a horse magazine talk to me for the longest time a few years ago..
I was at a western reenactment and he told me how photogenic I was and how I was this and that.. took all kinds of information and took about 40 camera shots of me with the horses....
Said I would be in a magazine.. ( can't remember which one now) .. but I doubt it ever came to light
.. or I think I would have been contacted and would have had to sign some release forms or something.
But he suuuure had my head filled with fluff for a few days..

[Diane Amberg]

 Thank you all for the information and stories about the Arkansas River. I  love Colorado too, and have been there a number of times before and after they started rescueing the old trains. We've ridden the one at Cripple Creek, also the Cumbres and Toltec and the one at Georgetown that takes the nifty Georgetown Loop up and out of the crease between the mountains. My mother's grandfather had a silver mine 'way up in the Mts. near Georgetown long ago. Apparently he and his brother would summer at the mine, and when it got good and cold they would go elk hunting (no, not THAT elk!) butcher them, toss the meat in their buckboard and head back across Kansas.

[Wilma]

I think THAT elk is still wandering around in another thread.

[flo]

yes, Teresa, it was great to THINK that someone would want to see us hanging out the train window with those great big smiles, but like you, doubt that we made it past the film in the camera.  story of my life 

[Teresa]

Well Flo... You are important to all of us..
THAT is better than a dumb ole' magazine anyway..

[Teresa]

Here's a good anaerobic strength builder:
As if  doing massages and carrying Mason around most of the day isn't enough.


  Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room
  at each side.

  With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from
  your sides and hold them there as long as you can.

  Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.

  Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit
  longer.

  After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks.
It is a little more difficult, but you can do it if you concentrate!

  Then try 50-lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can
  lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more
  than a full minute.

(I'm at this level now) 


  After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.