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[sfarson]

If no objection, this report was from the bike sold recently to help fund the CVO.  It was a memorable ride.

Maybe it's more years on life's odometer. Maybe a look back helps me face forward. Maybe it's just kinda nice taking ride down alongside a scenic, lonely, and wild river, one a train used to take visitors to over 100 years ago.

Perhaps old images can be found, and we stand near where the photographer stood. Explore some. Find the spot. Frame the image. Examine change. Be whimsical then live with gusto.

A ten mile, 106 year ride report. Images loading below, showing then and now.

A brief 2:30sec ride video here: http://www.farson.com/video/flriver.wmv with a two minute Doobie Brothers instrumental "Flying Cloud" accompanying. But the images below are the tale.

Oh, once made a video (Mary Chapin Carpenter - "10,000 miles") coming the other way on the GS:
http://www.farson.com/video/alongriverb.wmv

Map of the journey, SW of Denver...


First stop is at the town Pine, historical name is Pine Grove. In 1900 it was a popular narrow gauge train stop with travelers from Denver enjoying a day or days in the mountains...


And today. More trees is one change. Local residents not cutting them down to build structures... and heat them...


Continuing to the small town of Buffalo Creek, a nice road to get there...


And turning around, the old train bridge crossing the river. Can see the grade...


First of two old 1900 images of Buffalo Creek...


And today (Interesting cloud)...


This is where we will be heading towards, the rocks and river in the distance...


The same structures remaining today, including a Catholic church, the old Buffalo Creek train depot, and a home...


Had to do a little 700lb dirt biking to get to the place above...


OK, this is where the onboard video above starts, at the old Buffalo Creek train depot. Used to be a town around this place, but a fire in one structure quickly spread to all the other tightly packed structures and the town literally went up in smoke. With wood heat in the winter, wood structures, adjoining walls... this is how many small towns met their fate.  Wonder how many business and home owners felt like reaching for the Colt 45 when their neighbor let loose a fire...


First stop in the river canyon is the resort cabin community of Ferndale. A half dozen cabins for rent in the trees on the hillside on the right. This is before cars.  Yesterday it was the train...


Today it is this horse...


One would have to cross the walk/swinging bridge to get across the river in 1900...


Same is true today, but the bridge you see here was rebuilt ten years ago when a flash flood blasted the previous one away...

[sfarson]

Let's turn back the clock and visit the cabins and people of 1900...






Gather your friends and family for a picture...


In front of one of the cabins...


And today. Difficult to see, but this is where the photographer stood 106 years ago. Same cabin...


Leaving Ferndale in 1900...


Leaving Ferndale in 2006...


Continuing down the river canyon on the old train tracks bed, with the Cathedral Spires the backdrop...


Today...


Then...


Now...


Pausing for a glamour shot. The rushing water here is the location at beginning of the ride video above...


Got to love the name of this rock coined back in 1900... Peterhead Rock. Admired then...


Some things never change...


Approaching the conclusion of this ten mile, 106 year old ride. The town of Foxton on the river in 1900...


Today...


Handwritten on the back of the image here..."In Platte Canon below Foxton, Sept. 1, 1901. Coupling broke between engine and tender and locomotive ran ahead of train. Tender jumped track and whole train derailed."


OK, could only find a 1971 image of what was at the time, the Foxton Post Office...


Not much of a going concern today, but the electrical wire looks unchanged in 35 years!


Unlike anything else, collecting memories on the two wheels.

[BADBUD]

Great job!!!!! I really enjoyed your pictoral. It had to be a great ride.
  Bud

[bisounours]

Thanks to share these pics and this ride !


Best regards

Jacques

[Screamin]

You always do a great job showing off your state and putting the historical perspective to it. Very neat. Thanks a lot.

Went looking for your V-rod ride of a couple of years ago and couldn't find it. Any chance it, and a link, still exist?

[erniezap]

Great job!  Love the history lesson!

[naitram]

as others have said, i really enjoy the history lessons. where do you get all of those old pictures?

[110tHunDer]

If no objection, this report was from the bike sold recently to help fund the CVO.  It was a memorable ride.

. . .

Objections?  Are you kidding me?  These reports you do are absolutely amazing!   The old/new comparison photos are very interesting to see.  I noticed in the other recent report you did how many times the railroad tracks had been converted to paved roads and I see the same thing here.  Pretty cool to see the same perspectives as the old b&w photos.

Thanks for taking the time to post for us!

[EAGLE1]

incredible, great pic's  
you got a couple that will be hard to beat in the 2007 pic of the year  

[Tros]

A very nice Easter present! Thank you sfarson. 

[RJ749]

Now that is some very cool stuff.  Thanks for a walk through time

Got my wheels turnin' as to what to great way to figure out a vacation around Washington.

[Hoist!]

Excellent historical pictorial and great the way you framed the shots to match the old! This is the second thread you blew everyone away with! Great job man. I vote for sfarson for Club Historian, Archiver and Photographer! Hoist!

[RedDevil]

Once again another outstanding journey through history.  Thank you so much for sharing that...it's amazing how in some respects, some things never change.  It's great to see that there's still places where they believe in the past and keeping it that way.  Thanks again...these "rides through history" are always welcome.

Cheers ,
 

[Fired00d]

Excellent report and pictures. I don't know what your occupation is but the state of Colorado is sure missing out on a great individual for Director of Tourism. Reading your report and seeing the pictures sure makes a person want to take a trip there.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[cuthbertss]

sfarson:

I want to echo what everyone else is saying...
this is an amazing thread...  and reminds me on this cold, snowy crappy Easter Sunday why I live here in Colorado...
there is so much natural beauty and history right at our finger tips....  this might be 45 miles from my house and i had no idea it was there..

Thank you my friend keep up the excellent posts!

Scot