July 5, 2015, Sunday, Avon, CO
Day 66

Car trip to Leadville about an hour drive along a winding mountain road and across Tennessee Pass, elevation 10,424, which just thrilled Rosemary. Visited the Leadville National Fish Hatchery, founded in 1888. After looking at lots of trout, we took a nature walk at the hatchery of about a mile.  Walk took about 50 minutes and ended in the rain, but we are never without our umbrellas, a habit formed in the desert states.  After lunch, we visited the Healy House Museum and Dexter Cabin. The house dates from 1878, built by a silver mine owner, was donated, furnished, by Miss Healy in 1936.  The cabin was a lavish log cabin owned by millionaire, James Dexter (another rich mine owner), where high stakes gambling took place. Next was the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum which did a good job telling the history of the booms and busts of Leadville.  Initially, a town developed as part of the gold rush.  That fizzled.  Then, silver created a boomtown of 50,000 people.  That ultimately fizzled too.  Today the population is about 3,000.  At an elevation of 10,200, it claims to be the highest incorporated city in the U.S. Our last stop was to the Temple Israel Frontier Synagogue & Museum. A synagogue established in 1884 by the 300 Jews in Leadville.  The building is now a museum and no longer used for services. It claims to be the oldest synagogue west of the Mississippi.  Today only 100 Jews reside in Leadville, none of which are descendants of the original Jewish settlers. On the way back to the coach, we stopped to take some photos of Camp Hale, the WWII alpine troop training ground.

July 4, 2015, Saturday, Avon, CO
Day 65

An early trip to the Avon Farmers Market found exorbitant prices thus, no purchases. We did hear that the fireworks malfunction injured 9 but everyone was treated and released (incident was reported on CNN).  Next was trip to Vail about 5 miles east to the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. The exit to Vail was backed up bumper to bumper.  All parking lots were full and so was all street parking. With no place to park within 5 miles, we headed back to Avon. Shopping at Walmart for a few groceries and Home Depot for a quick fix on the coach. Afternoon we hooked up with Jeff, Sheila and Eli at the Beaver Creek Village Resort.  A pleasant afternoon and evening listing to live music and exploring the village topped off with fireworks.

July 3, 2015, Friday, Avon, CO
Day 64

Departed Carbondale and arrived in Avon, CO after an interesting 65 mile drive on I-70 following the winding CO River and through a couple tunnels. After lunch, hooked up with cousins Jeff, Sheila and son Eli, at their Westin Hotel patio overlooking the valley and mountains. Supper at the Blue Plate restaurant and yes I had the Blue Plate special, rotisserie pig.  And they meant “pig”.  Mounds of pork meaning enough for lunch tomorrow.  Rosemary had salad, with chicken.  An evening fireworks show in the park was going fabulously for 15 minutes and then an explosion on the ground and 2 fireworks went horizontally into the crowd bringing an abrupt end to the show.  We were not near the affected area.