| 095 | Leadville | 2009-06-12 |
Leadville, Colorado is one of our feel good places. It is a very small mining town that sits at over ten thousand feet in the Sawatch Range near the head of the Arkansas river. The stores in the town used to have oxygen stations for tourists, like us, who were out of breath just walking around town. Much of the town still has the flavor of the mining town, even though the sprawl has attacked to the north.
We camp nearby at Turquoise Lake in a National Forest Campground. The views from the campground keep us coming back for more. Mount Massive dominates the sky with Mount Elbert and LaPlata peeping out to the south. An easy trail goes around the lake near the campgrounds making a very scenic way to stretch your legs.
In the town itself, there is Provin’ Grounds - a great coffee shop and wifi access, Mountain High Pizza - the best pizza anywhere around, Bill’s Sporting Goods store - that sells everything from camping gear to mining equipment, and Mazamas - a small outdoor clothing manufacturer. The town is not a happening place and is definitely not chic, but it is small and quaint.
Leadville is the home of the Leadville Trail 100 for ultra runners and mountain bikes. Runners and bikers from all over the United States to bust a lung trying to compete in the rare air.
We like Leadville most just because it is easy. No one seems to be in a rush, and we do not feel like we are in a rush. A great place to vacation, and spend some easy time.
We don’t know when we will be able to blog again. If the weather improves, we will have little time until about the 22nd of June.