Trying to get a song stuck in your head with this blog title. Do you remember who sang the song?
We went up on Cripple Creek. And it really is an up. It’s a climb around the back side of Pike’s Peak with a lot of the the road in the range of 9,000 to 10,000+ feet above sea level. Cripple Creek itself is in a valley but at about 9,500 feet. We have been a mile high or higher for a few weeks now, but it still seems like we are catching our breath with any physical exertion.
Gold was found in Cripple Creek in 1890 and it was the last great gold rush in Colorado. The population of Cripple Creek swelled to over 35,000, but by the time of World War II, Cripple Creek’s mining days were largely over. Cripple Creek became a virtual ghost town and in order to try to revive the town, casino gambling was approved in 1991. The casinos are located in the buildings of the historic downtown with several of them sharing multiple store fronts. And open pit gold mine is also operating in the area.
By the way, the song, “Up On Cripple Creek” was performed by The Band.
We enjoyed Cripple Creek too. But we were on the Harleys and got stuck in a thunder lightening storm getting back to Woodland Park and almost drowned!
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