The Historic Air Base In Cheyenne, WY

From Estes Park we traveled east alongside a rushing river through scenic, rocky Great Thompson Pass. It was a fairly short trip to Cheyenne, WY and the F.E. Warren Air Base. The latter is an old U.S. Army Cavalry post with 155 nostalgic, brick buildings built between 1885 and 1933 plus a large parade field that General Patton would have loved. The old barracks and elegant senior officers’ quarters look like they must have appeared 100 years ago. The old fireplaces and solid oak floors are still intact. History and architecture notwithstanding, the winters are harsh with high winds and average temps in the 30s during the day and into the teens at night. Average annual snowfall is 52 inches beginning in September and not ceasing until May. During the spring and summer, thunder storms are frequent along with hail and tornado warnings. During the three days we were there, it rained daily, and at one point one of the two roads leading to the RV famcamp eroded to the point that it was closed.

In 1949 the old fort transitioned into an air base and now holds the distinction of being the Air Force’s oldest continuously active installation. It was home to the first ICBM, the Atlas missile in 1958. In the 1960s 200 Minuteman I missiles replaced the Atlas. Currently 150 Minuteman III missiles are controlled by units at Warren and are on alert 24/7. They are deployed over a three-state area. The 20th Air Force Headquarters and 90th Missile Wing make their home at Warren.

On our second day at the air base, we made our way 50 miles south to Greeley, CO to visit Gloria’s cousin, Nelda, who is doing great at age 80. She and her late husband, Howard, were accomplished professional violinists and played in the Fort Collins Symphony among others. She is attractive and in excellent physical/mental condition. Nelda prepared a wonderful dinner for us, shared many family photos--all neatly organized in albums--and assisted Gloria regarding numerous genealogical questions. She also helped us identify an old photo we were carrying. It happened to be an early picture of Gloria’s paternal grandmother.

As we returned from Greeley to the Air Force base, Jerry was wheezing, coughing and suffering shortness of breath. After a sleepless night, he made his first trip ever to an emergency room. Evaluation was swift, and the diagnosis was bronchitis, which improved markedly with a breathing device and medication. Regrettably, the symptoms would persist for the next two weeks long after our departure from Cheyenne. Gloria would escape the dreaded virus, but only for a couple of days. We departed the base the next day and drove several hours to reach Gillette. Ah but at last, we had sunshine the entire way. It seemed obvious why Wyoming is named the Cowboy State.

Rocky Mountain National Park

From Leadville, we traveled to I-70 and then turned east toward Denver for a few miles before reaching scenic Route 9 that parallels the Arkansas River. Turning north, we headed toward the famous Rocky Mountain National Park. There were no big trucks, and the weather was ideal as we hugged the blue winding river that had overflowed its banks in places. Wonderful rolling terrain ranches, replete with Black Angus and Hereford cattle—there were also sheep ranches--provided a glimpse of what western rural life is all about. We wondered about the ranch wars of the old days when the open range was the setting of many a conflict.

Eventually we reached Rt. 40 which connects to famous Rt.34 near Lake Granby and Grand Lake. Route 34 is also known as Trail Ridge Road. It is the real corridor through the national park and is closed in the winter due to ice and snow. It is the highest paved highway in the United States. When we reached 12,000 feet pulling, our 34 foot trailer, we suddenly realized that we were the only RVers on the newly opened road. There was much snow on the sides of the shoulders and considerable road construction. At one point we were detained for nearly a half-hour. We passed small frozen lakes, a striking part of the alpine tundra. Finally, we reached the Alpine Visitor Center. It was a great time for dessert and a delectable cup of hot coffee. Again, ours was the only RV in the huge parking lot. The swirling wind was cold, and the sky was gray. There are no phones at the visitor center, and cell phones do not work. There is no electricity at the center except what is generated. We wondered how the explorers of old ever survived in harsher, more primitive times.

After an hour respite, we drove on through Estes Park, the primary resort town near the park. The altitude was lower, and it was good to feel warmth and see sunshine as we entered the Jellystone Campground about four miles from town. A stately Elk stood peacefully across the road from the entrance. We took a short hike and then turned in after a rather tense day of driving on a high, winding, seasonal road. The next morning we headed back to Estes Park and recalled a time long ago when we rode horses out on a scenic ridgeline and enjoyed a cowboy breakfast on a picturesque trail. Shopping in this immaculate little city was fun, as the prices were fair considering the good quality of the merchandise. However, we most enjoyed buying stuff at a high-end thrift shop. For lunch, we bought sandwiches and drinks and consumed them while sitting on a park bench alongside the banks of the rapid Big Thompson River, which rushes through town. The charming Riverwalk, featuring unique, busy boutiques, follows the Big Thompson for several blocks

In late afternoon, we drove up the hill to the elegant, white, historic Stanley Hotel. It was built by tubercular Freelan Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame, who came to Colorado for his health. When it opened in1909, It boasted having electricity, hot water, and telephones. It has catered to rich and famous notables such as Theodore Roosevelt and John Philip Sousa and inspired Steven King to write “The Shining.” Myriad ghost stories are associated with this magnificent edifice, and many weddings are held here. A stunning 1909 Stanley Steamer is the focal point of the vast lobby. These unique, environmentally friendly cars were manufactured from 1902 until 1924. We played the role by enjoying a wonderful, relaxing cup of coffee and a panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains from the grand balcony of the old hotel before departing for our campsite. The next morning we said goodbye to the magnificent Rocky Mountains and headed for Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Lusty, Lucrative, Leadville, Colorado

After three days in Colorado Springs, we traveled west on sunny, scenic U.S. Rt. 24 to reach statutory Leadville. Tour guides claim this is the highest incorporated city in the U.S. at an altitude of over 10,000 feet. It is sometimes called “Cloud City” and “Two Mile High City.” Once the second largest city in Colorado, next to Denver, Leadville has a fascinating history that should entice every Old West history buff. Fabulous old brick buildings in the Historic District have been well maintained, and the lovely Victorian architecture is reminiscent of a bygone era filled with intriguing legends. We arrived in early afternoon to find the Campground USA RV Corral a bit primitive but adequate. The manager warned that the nightly crowd in the nearby old saloon could become boisterous, but such was not the case.

Leadville was once a rough and tough silver mining city of over 40,000 people in 1880. (Today the population is less than 3000). Gun slingers like Jesse James and Doc Holliday were legendary as were brothel madams and bar room dancers. The quaint Silver Dollar Saloon has operated since 1878. Perhaps the most prominent family was that of Horace and Augusta Tabor. They built the famous Tabor Opera House, which seated 800 in plush seats; it is still in business. Horace became a successful prospector, businessman, Colorado State Governor, and U.S. Senator. Augusta, first hearty pioneer woman to reach the area, was known as the First Lady of Leadville. In 1859 this couple with their little boy Maxcy made their way from Maine to Kansas for a couple of years and then on to the Rockies in search of gold. They battled Indians, rattlesnakes, floods, frigid weather, hunger and sickness before finally striking it rich in silver near Leadville in 1879. Horace became politically astute and wealthy; he loved to spend. Augusta was frugal and did not want to upgrade their lifestyle nor even her attire. Soon inspirational Horace, the “Silver King,” no longer faithful to Augusta, found comfort and excitement in the arms of mistress Baby McCourt Doe, a beautiful, married, well-proportioned young woman with dreamy big blue eyes. She was a middle-class, Irish Catholic figure skating champion from Wisconsin and had been referred to as the “Belle of Oshkosh." Her ne’er do well husband, William Harvey Doe, from the same state, had been given a deed to a mine in Central City, CO by his father. Hoping to gain a fortune, the couple never achieved success, and Elizabeth was tired of arduous mine work and impoverishment. The ogling miners of Leadville had never seen anyone quite as alluring as “Beautiful Baby.”

After a lengthy, steamy, illicit affair, Senator Horace Tabor and Baby Doe were married at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. in 1882 following a scandal that rocked the country. A Catholic Priest performed the ceremony; the bride, 25 years younger than the groom, wore a $7000 gown and a $90,000 diamond necklace. They lived lavishly for several years and produced two daughters. In the end, however, kind fate was not on their side. In the 1890s Horace’s fortune vanished as the result of the U.S. government embracing gold instead of silver as a backup to the dollar. He was eventually reduced to a laborer job hauling slag for $3 per day, but one year before he died of appendicitis in 1899, he was appointed Postmaster of Denver. The Tabors' mansion, furnishings, jewels, and elegant carriages had all been sold at auction. Widow Baby Doe was still a “looker” but was once more broke. She and daughters, Lillie and Silver, moved to Chicago to live with relatives, but Baby Doe and Silver soon returned to Leadville. Silver formed liaisons with several men in Leadville, Denver, and Chicago while seeking solace in booze and drugs. She was murdered in Chicago at age 25.

Destitute Baby Doe remained faithful to Horace’s memory for 35 years after his death and moved to a shabby cabin at the abandoned Tabor Matchless Mine, due to the generosity of the owners. After a severe cold spell in 1935, her frozen body was found on the floor of her stark, messy shack. She apparently had run out of firewood, but some say she died of a died of a heart attack at age 81. Her “roller coaster” life story has been translated into books, articles, plays, a movie, two operas, and a one woman show. Augusta never remarried. Thanks to her generous divorce settlement, she lived comfortably for several years in the Tabor mansion in Denver and eventually in the Brown Palace Hotel owned by son, Maxcy. Due to health concerns, she moved to Pasadena, California, where she died in 1895 at age 62. The Tabor love triangle reads like a Russian tragedy. All three members are buried in Denver; Horace and Baby Doe rest together. Somber Augusta is still alone, but she died a revered and wealthy woman. She left $1.5 million to her only son, Maxcy.

Two days are probably adequate for touring Leadville, although we did not explore any of the old ghost mines. We enjoyed the two and a half hour scenic train ride, but it does not compare with the one in Durango. The other main attraction is the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum founded in 1897. It includes myriad displays of mining memorabilia and fascinating old photos of life in the mines. A teacher’s corner urges students to understand and appreciate the importance of many mined minerals necessary for human life. Plaques adorn the walls honoring scores of former luminaries in the mining industry, including the Tabors and President Hoover.

We met a likeable, interesting old miner named Frank during our stay. He still drives the rusty 1951 GMC pickup truck purchased new by his father. He is clinging to rumors that the old Climax Mine may open again. Before departing, we visited the Twin Lakes area, located 20 miles from the city, and consumed a strawberry-rhubarb pie alamode dessert at a quaint coffee house across from a two-story log home.

Colorado Springs & Pike's Peak

We are on our way to the International Airstream Rally in Gillette, WY, having left our home in the North Texas Airstream Community on June 2. We stayed overnight in an RV/trucker Wal-Mart parking lot in Childress and then camped the second night at a free city RV park in Dumas, TX. Nothing cheap about us. After traveling through a little corner of New Mexico, we arrived at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs on day three and remained in the famcamp for three nights. On Saturday we had lunch and fellowship with friends, Dick and Ann, who used to live in Northern Virginia near us. Ann was one of Gloria’s favorite teaching pals.

On Sunday we worshipped at the famous Air Force Cadet Chapel, an architectural marvel. We then chugged our way around many treacherous switchbacks and up the precipitous paved and gravel, 19-mile road to the stately summit of historic Pike’s Peak, which reaches over 14,000 feet. Midway, we stopped and enjoyed sunshine, brisk breezes, and a sumptuous picnic packed by Gloria. The higher we climbed the colder it got. Remnants of snow adorned the surrounding cavernous mountainsides.

Gold was discovered in a volcanic cavern on the side of the great mountain just before the 20th Century, and this sparked the last gold rush in the lower 48 states. After the Native Americans, early explorers, and miners groped their way up the scenic mountain on mule back during the 19th century. A cog railroad was added in 1891 and is still operative. It has thrilled millions of passengers who have viewed spectacular vistas, thousands of acres of aspen trees, and cascading streams on their way to the summit. This is the highest reaching cog railroad in the world and operates year-round.

Pike’s Peak is called America’s Mountain largely because Katharine Lee Bates traveled to the top via carriage in 1883 and was so enthralled by her view of the Rockies and rolling plains that she wrote the words to “America the Beautiful” in 1883, which was actually a poem meant to celebrate the 4th of July. There are two huge plaques at the visitor’s center on top of the mountain commemorating her words and acknowledging her achievement. The tune is attributed to Samuel A. Ward. This hymn has remained popular through the ages and is sometimes highlighted at sporting events instead of our National Anthem.

The weather changes rapidly on Pike’s Peak and winds can reach 100 mph. Huge black clouds gathered as we took our last photos, and we were glad to get down off the mountain before the rains came.