Then and Now Images

[sfarson]

FWIW, something different.  A ride report over many years.  Then and now.  Standing where the photographer stood many years ago.  I didn't always get it right... rushed pics, different lens, and other excuses, but hey, there was always a bike pausing nearby or idling underneath!  They do, or can, cause moments of reflection.

The mining community of Apex in the late 1800's, having a 4th of July parade...


Apex today, a semi-ghost town about five miles NW of Central City...


Bonanza, as in "It's a bonanza boys!" flared when a rich gold vein was discovered nearby.  President Ulysses S. Grant visited upon reports Bonanza could be the next Leadville...


The gold was mined and fires swept through the close proximity structures (A common fate of many frontier towns... wood heat, wood structures, no 911)...


Tracks were laid over the Boreas Pass summit to haul ores from Leadville to Denver...


The tracks were pulled up in the 1930's, and in the 1950's a road was placed on the old rail bed.  Riding friend Rick cheesily agreed to place himself where the train was...


The Cathedral Spires along the North Fork of the South Platte...


Two rails then, two wheels today...


The pastoral Dedisse Ranch above Evergreen...


That pastoral Bear Creek above would turn demonic when its raging waters would crash through towns below after heavy rains.  The dam creating Evergreen Lake had me off to the side for the "now" pic...


The Bradford Junction community in the late 1800's would gather at this ranch for all things social... dances, celebrations, etc.  Perhaps this was a July 4th gathering.  Bring your best attire was often the unstated rule...


Today, busy U.S. 285 passes by the same place near the town of Conifer.  Had the elevated highway not been present, could have relocated for a better comparison...


Gold Hill is the location of one of Colorado's earliest gold strikes.  An image from around 1890...


In a way, not a lot has changed. Well, there are more trees... less need to cut down the nearby woods for structures and heat.  Colorado's oldest continuously operating school is here.  The massive Four Mile wildfire of September 2010 licked the edges of the town off to the left, but a valiant firefighting effort spared the historical buildings.  If you have a BBQ sandwich at the general store, a pot bellied stove is a main source of the heat and the bathroom is about the size of your coat closet...


A thrilling road just for owners of new fangled cars was built above Golden around 1920...


Today the Lookout Mountain road thrills for owners of two wheeled transportation devices.  The sun kindly obliged and a rider was caught just in time on the far left...


Marshall Pass about 70 years ago...


And today...


Narrow gauge trains/rails were used 100 years ago because, well, they were narrow and could squeeze between canyon walls and rivers.  Denver passengers often took weekend trips into the mountains on these trains.  Not far from Buffalo Creek...


The aptly named Peterhead Rock today.  Could have climbed higher for a more accurate "now" image, but I risked life and limb just getting this high!


An 1890's hacked out road just south of Ouray...


Today's famed Million Dollar Highway...


Cripple Creek and Victor pumped out so much gold, the amount was greater than the California and Alaska gold rushes combined.  Back then Victor had a population of 5,000...


Today about 400 call Victor home.  Most downtown structures are empty...


Looking west towards Westcliffe in 1900, towards the dramatic Sangre de Cristos Range...


Well, someone has surely came along since then with some seeds or seedlings!

[stromgal]

I remember you doing this some years ago, Steve; good to see more!  Do you bring along prints of the photos, or a laptop, in order to get the alignment correct?

[bluepoof]

These are fantastic!   Absolutely awesome.  Thank you!

[Stargzrgrl]

What a neat thread!  I love seeing these before and after photos.  

Makes me want to bring along a laptop for reference now.  

[Justin]

Weren't we just talking about this a month or so ago?

Amazing. I really love before and after shots, and you are the master.


And I was just on the street you posted in Victor a few weekends back - https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GNckodfSsoo/Txxuu_RNMaI/AAAAAAAABMU/96oScFwqy2w/s800/IMG_20120113_171957.jpg

[DkKnight]

Awesome shots - glad to see your great photo work continuing  

DK

[jimmy]

Hey, that was super cool!!

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Very interesting! Thank you for taking the time to research the original shots (no need to thank you for going to get the "now" shots, as I'm sure it wasn't that much of an ordeal for you  


The only request would be the addition of a state in the description. Unless, of course, they're all in Colorado  

[Justin]

Unless, of course, they're all in Colorado  

Yes

[Mr.Black]

Wow. Fantastic!

[DNA]

Super nice - I love old Colo ghost towns.

Takes me back a lonnnng time.

Thanks

[Rincewind]

Awesome job, sfarson.  

[st2sam]

Thanks Steve.  

Seems like most of the now pics the roads were still dirt?
 What bike did you decide to ride for those pics?

[nevinfs327]

Very cool - thanks for posting  

[sfarson]

I remember you doing this some years ago, Steve; good to see more!  Do you bring along prints of the photos, or a laptop, in order to get the alignment correct?

Good to hear from you!  You know, sometimes I found the old pic after taking the new pic, but most of the time I saved then printed the found pic, bringing it with me as I enjoyed a kinda treasure hunt to find where the photographer stood long ago.

[sfarson]

Weren't we just talking about this a month or so ago?

Amazing. I really love before and after shots, and you are the master.


And I was just on the street you posted in Victor a few weekends back - https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GNckodfSsoo/Txxuu_RNMaI/AAAAAAAABMU/96oScFwqy2w/s800/IMG_20120113_171957.jpg

Justin, My fading memory is trying to remember if we had this chat, but I'm going to defer to your steel trap recollections!  You're gonna have to tell me about that chilly looking bonus point in Victor you collected!

[sfarson]

Kindest of thoughts all.

In a way it is a ride report developed over many years (in more ways than one), and will probably continue to unfold as I use the great two wheeled thang to deliver other kinds of memories and adventures. Reflections do have their way with me, especially when I see people from the past, as if then was their time on the great stage of life, and now we're up on the stage before our act closes. May we say our lines well and with gusto.

A few more...

In the late 1800's the townsite of Tarryall, on the magical Tarryall Road (County 77 - Park County) sprang to life with nearby gold and silver deposits... but it wasn't a long "sprang".  The town also went by the unflattering name of "graball".  Guess the merchants, tradesmen, middlemen, etc. charged or took whatever they could from the miners.  The nearby county seat was named "Fairplay" because we "play fair" with the miners.  The "garden spot" of Tarryall in the 1880's...


A riding friend and I wandered all over the place trying to find the location of the above...


Back when inmates were sentenced to "hard labor", the nearby residents at the Canon City Territorial Prison constructed this amusement park like road called Skyline Drive.


I found the photo above after taking the photo below.  If ever in the Canon City area, ride this thing.  The one way road with its blind rises will leave you with your stomach in your throat if you gas it a bit!


Downtown Steamboat Springs 1945...


Now if I could have climbed to the second floor of the store behind me I could have come a bit closer!...


Berthoud Pass almost 100 years ago, 1915...


It is a gorgeous riding pass, in more ways than one...

[FJR-UK]

I don't know if it's the first coffee of the day or the photos, but I actually got a thrill reading this thread!

Thanks for that.

[Orson]

The Million Dollar Highway photos add a new perspective to its construction  

Thanks for the efforts in hunting all the places to stand for the new photos  

[Papa Lazarou]

Very cool. Well done for keeping the photos from your first trip.