GOLDEN, COLORADO HOME OF 2 HOUR VACATION

Preparing for a trip is a lot like preparing for an exam.  

There’s the homework part; and then there’s the requisite sleep needed to make the most of the trip part.  Jimmy and I had fallen short on both counts not to mention the late start that morning.

With time off for good behavior (see Trip of a Lifetime with Family) Jimmy wanted to see Colorado’s Railroad Museum.  We were both exhausted (feeding and caring for 4 grandkids will do that to you) but intent on making the most of our day off.  Ah, the old 'best of intentions' debacle again!

I know, I know.  Less than a month earlier we’d done Georgetown’s historic Loop Railroad. 
I did have a good time.  What can I say?  Jimmy loves  railroads.  I love Jimmy.

We just weren’t really feeling the love as the day unfolded.  It was a mistake to think the 12 mile distance between Denver and Golden would equate to a short, leisurely drive.  We were coming from Denver’s southeast side, which added another 12 miles to a trip I think we made with all of metropolitan Denver's 2.7 million people driving helter-skelter on I-25. 

Suffice it to say; by the time we arrived at our destination just before noon, food was looking more enticing than the rail yard posing as a junk yard for Colorado’s Railroad Museum.  We headed for Golden’s historic district for a bite to eat and Plan B: the Visitor’s Center where we
could review our options.

The love was coming back!

Golden’s charm and ambience began to take the edge off immediately.  The food and history at Old Capital Grill smoothed out the rest of the rough edges although the history was tastier than the food.  

Would you believe one of the quickest ways to my man's heart is through his stomach?

Apparently at one time Golden and Denver were both looking for capital status in the then Colorado Territory. You don’t say!  Sessions for the House of Representatives were conducted in William Loveland’s mercantile building, the same structure that now houses Capital Grill.  

Loveland was one of Golden’s earliest residents and mayor of Golden from 1874-1875. His building is  considered one of Colorado’s oldest existing commercial brick structures in the state.  The original safe built into an interior wall was on display in the restaurant. 

Better safe than sorry, right?!

We’d parked outside another rather distinctive building in Golden, the Armory. Built in 1913 with 3,300 wagonloads of stream-worn boulders from Clear Creek and quartz from Golden Gate Canyon, it’s the largest cobblestone building west of the Mississippi.  That must have been quite some wagon train!

This building looked like it just grew out of the ground.

We headed west for the Visitor’s Center we’d seen on our way into town, our casual walk up Washington Avenue the best part of our day thus far.  Fall was doing her colorful dance but history was taking center stage, from the buildings and murals lining the street

Not even the sky is the limit in Golden.

Golden was intent on serving history right along with the present. The fare was delicious.

to the larger than life sculptures highlighting life in the west. 

Colorado's version of Rodeo Drive.

Arapahoe, Ute and Cheyenne Indians were native to Colorado.

True to his showmanship and love of the wild west, Buffalo Bill Cody stood in the median, his granddaughter perched on his shoulders, welcoming visitors to Golden.  He’d traveled the world with his Wild West show, but he’d returned to Lookout Mountain just north of Golden for his final act.

Looks like Buffalo Bill might have done some babysitting with the grandkids too.

As we crossed over Clear Creek, once the lifeblood of this gold rush town, Jimmy and I spotted the Coor’s Brewery, established in 1873 by two German immigrants, Adolph Coors and Jacob Schuler, now Miller Coor’s Brewery.   Standing on the bridge in the middle of the beautiful fall day, we decided against an indoor venue to pass the time.  You see one beer brewery, you’ve seen them all.  Kind of like railroad museums; you see one railroad museum, you’ve seen them all, but don’t tell Jimmy I said that!

We could actually smell the hops down stream from the Miller Coor's Brewery.

Jimmy did his thing (explore our options inside the Visitor’s Center) while I went my usual route of serendipity via a stroll along Clear Creek.

I walked as fast as I could past this little guy. No grandkids in the picture for today!

We met up behind the Visitor’s Center at Clear Creek History Park where an 1800’s experience was free for the asking.  Many of the buildings and artifacts in this park depicting life during the Gold Rush of 1878 were originals from the Pearce Ranch in nearby Golden Gate Canyon. 

We were told Pearce relatives lived in this home until the late '90's, as in 1990's

I was hoping for a barn dance to finally shake our funky moods.

No recess today for all the school kids.

Not sure this pioneer woman came with the ranch too, but she did her best to look the part. 

She looks pretty in pink, but can she cook on that old stove?

Jimmy and I eventually decided with the afternoon slipping away to take a short drive up Lookout Mountain to see the Buffalo Bill Museum and gravesite, tomorrow’s blog. 

All in all, with this small town's self-proclaimed home of the 2-hour vacation, Golden delivered on her promise.  Have can you not feel the love with all this history and pride of heritage?!

Chief Locomotive having pow wow with Chief Woody.