The first ATV trip on my recent Colorado trip was to the Cloverdale Mine, located west of the town of Silver Cliff. One of my friends, Howard Bonser, had a personal connection to the mine owner and had visited the area several times. He recommended this trip.
Known locally as Trail 198 or the Rainbow Lake Trail, this route is very rough and rocky as are most of the western Colorado trails. Although only about 9 miles long, low-range operation is the rule of the day and getting up to 5 mph makes you feel like you are flying. Most of the route is 2 – 3 mph tops.
Here are a few highlights from this route.
This was one of a few old mine structures in the area, but not part of the Cloverdale Mine which is a bit further up the trail. Other mine ruins were in the area as well.
I rode to the end of the trail before heading back to stop at the Cloverdale Mine.
These next few photos were taken at the Cloverdale Mine site, still privately owned. The mine was active until about 1960. Copper, silver, and lead were the main products although there was a small amount of gold taken out as well.
A few cabins remain at the main camp located downhill and across from the mine portal.
While I have several more photos of the area, I think I better quit while I am ahead.
Returning back to The Lot, I took this after-the-rain photo looking across South Park.
This concluded my full-day riding of trail #198 to the Cloverdale Mine. In my next post I will combine two trips, the first over Cumberland Pass into the town of Tin Cup, and the second a visit to St. Elmo and my trip over Tin Cup Pass into Tin Cup.
I do have a sad note to add. JoJo, our second-oldest dog, passed away in the early hours of Saturday, August 9th.
JoJo (Auburn Jo) had joined our family in the fall of 2011. A rescue dog, she had a great heart and loved to run. RIP.
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
Pam’s Penny
Two of my rescue friends, who knew JoJo throughout her life, summed up Jo’s personality very well. One said Jo was always a pup at heart. The other observed Jo was a great sister dog to the rest of the pack. Both comments are so true. Jo lived to be 14.5 years, a good lifetime for a (mainly) springer spaniel.
While Jo was in some distress, her final hours of discomfort were limited; her symptoms progressed quickly. Jo was as comfortable as I could manage (without after-hours vet care, rarely available in rural Iowa and certainly not during fair season, when the vets are working with fair stock). One of my wishes for all our animals is to have them die peacefully at home. Jo was with us and the other dogs and cats, a comforting place to be. We buried her in the garden.
Happy Trails, JoJo.
So Sorry for your Loss!!
The worst part of having a pet!!
Sad to watch pets deteriorate, sad to watch them pass, sad to bury them, sad to have the daily reminders of how the now-departed pet fit into the fabric of daily life. When dogs get into their teen years, the countdown begins.
The last two dogs we’ve had cremated and that has helped me alot….To hard for me to bury the body….This way we get a urn which one can bury or just keep in the house….It was nice with my favorite Mesa, where we went into a room and they put her to sleep first and then after awhile gave her the shot that killed her…Very peaceful from the first to second shot… the nurse told us her heart stopped, we couldn’t tell!!! But we’ve always had another dog, so that helps a little…Thinking that Sully might be our last and that will be a hard day and after because of not another dog!!!
You are opposite from me. I hate the euthanizing scenario. I’ve had to make that decision with literally dozens of cats and multiple dogs. I prefer burial. (Blondie was, however, cremated. With any luck, her remains will join my remains.)