please note all photos may be viewed larger by opening in a new tab (right-click)

Okay guys, this might finally be it -- the fabled "this is just going to be mostly photos" post. I think in general the posts I begin that way end up being some of the text-iest. I decide to look up just one thing but that one thing happens to be a very long rabbit hole, and whoosh! down I go. Taking you with me. 

These photos are from a little exploration adventure Erik and I had outside the town of Victor in Colorado. We'd seen some of the big ore bin from the road, and there was a convenient pull-off spot near it, so we parked and thought we would just see the one building. But once we were down there, we found all kinds of stuff. And then were too curious not to follow a closed down road to see where it might lead. Found some interesting things along the road, then rounded a corner and came upon a whole site with multiple buildings to explore. So the title of this post is one of the credos we try to live by in Colorado! You never know where you might end up even if you think you're just stopping to see one thing. Often, a whole little adventure lies beyond it. The worst is when we sense the adventure but it's too late in the day to follow it. Then it will eat at us until we go back and satisfy our curiosity.

I don't know this area so I have no idea what mines these could be associated with. This area was once chock full, literally hundreds of mines operating at the same time around the turn of the century and for varying lengths of time into the 1900s. I'm going to make a couple other posts about Victor itself and a public trail with lots of ruins, so I'll provide a little info about the area in those. In the meantime, I thought you might like to join me for a typical Erik-and-Shara type exploration. My arm is in a sling from shoulder surgery, so I could only just manage to take photos with my phone if I bent back into an awkward position. 

So this is the ore bin we glimpsed from the road. That pine tree seems to have made it his life's mission to grow taller than the bin! 

Some other buildings right near the bin.

Walking down the road, various machinery parts and this funky wood and metal wagon that I have absolutely no idea what it was used for. If you know, drop me a line!

Walking further, rounding a bend we came to a headframe. The mine shaft was half-heartedly fenced off. I looked closer and was surprised to see that the shaft did not appear to be collapsed in, as most abandoned mine shafts and entry tunnels are -- though we do occasionally come across ones that aren't. Sure, I was tempted to go closer and peer down the hole but I'm not quite a total idiot so I did not venture thusly. 

Other buildings and machinery near the headframe.

And some old vehicles whose traveling days are over.

Look at that -- no rabbit holes! Well not in text, anyway. I guess you can say our explorations are sometimes rabbit holes when we keep walking around the next bend to see what's there! So I hope you enjoyed a little afternoon adventure with me.

*

Read more articles about Victor

Read more articles about Colorado