While looking for places to explore in Colorado, I came upon Leadville, Colorado. This small town, back in the late 1800s, had a very colorful past due to the silver mine rush. But unfortunately, once it's mines were depleted, it's population plummeted from about 14,000 to about 2,600.
Upon researching the town, I discovered a few interesting factoids such as the famous "Doc Holliday" and the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" once lived there and, believe or not, this quaint small town is the highest incorporated city in Colorado and North America.
I just love uncovering little pieces of history...yes, another little tidbit about me, I'm a history nerd and I also have a very vivid imagination. I could just visualize "Doc Holliday" in the Silver Dollar Saloon at a poker table gambling away with his gun on the table just daring anyone to make his day...ok, I just had to reference Clint Eastwood's character in the movie "Dirty Harry", just couldn't pass up on the opportunity, yes, I'm also a movie nerd. I could also visualize the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" sashaying around town in a fancy outfit while running her sassy mouth.
Leadville is a great place to choose for a one day trip. Here's how I spent my day:
I started out my day with a bike ride. I decided to take on the challenge of biking mineral trail, alright, truth be told, after my friends twisted my arm to do so. It is an 11.6-mile paved trail that loops around the town. I rented a bike at Cycles of Life for only $25 for a full day (includes a bike helmet). It was a top notch quality bike which probably helped in making it possible for me to accomplish this endeavor.
The bike shop isn't far from where the trail starts so you can bike to it from the shop and leave your car parked at the bike shop parking lot (for free). The bike shop will also provide you a map and show you how to get to the bike trail. TIP: Take the trail counterclockwise, trust me, you want to take that route, it is a much more forgiving route unless you're an advanced biker and are looking for an extreme challenge.
Take in consideration the high elevation when taking on this adventure. I would call myself an average biker and I still managed to do the entire 11.6 miles...I have to admit I was quite shock that I actually accomplished biking the entire trail especially at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. I found the first 4 miles and the last 2 miles the hardest, everything in between was manageable and my favorite section of course were the downhill areas.
The best part of this trail are the sights, there are many beautiful sceneries along the way as well as stops where you can read up on some historical information (there goes the nerd in me again...) about the area. So not only you get a bit of exercise out of this activity but you also walk away with a bit of knowledge too. If you're a big lover of nature and a history buff like myself then you'll really enjoy this trail.
After this arduous workout, I needed to fuel up my body...we decided to eat at a cool little pizza joint called High Mountain Pies in Downtown Leadville. I had heard through the grapevine that their pizza's are delicious and they sure were. Everything is made fresh, so it may take long to get your pizza but IT IS WORTH IT and definitely try their Square Pie pizza. I also found their pizza crust cooked to perfection...not an easy feat at such a high elevation.
A must see, the Silver Dollar Saloon, this place will take you back in time, original bar is still standing and I must say, I found it to be pretty grandiose, you have to see for yourself. This establishment is full of memorabilia from the 1800s, make sure to have a decent amount of time to look around and especially to read the historical material on the walls. Great way to end your day here...grab a seat at their awesome looking bar and indulge in a drink.
