Town sign over Raton. Note the "evil" pentacle.
I awoke in Raton the next day to find a town at a crossroads. The old west and contemporary America mixed with interesting ease. There were many historical buildings next to newly built fast food restaurants. Pickup trucks from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s are abundant and apparently in running condition. However a new Toyota dealership stands near the motel. No other place I’ve visited so far has had such an interesting mix of cultures and Americana.
Street in Raton, New Mexico. Old style theater playing Hancock. This place is a mix of old and new.
Interesting homes in Raton.
A large, castle-like bed and breakfast.
An extremely pink bed and breakfast. Note: I did not spend the night here...
A train car standing near my motel. The ultimate toy!
Ha! Cigarette butts outside a store.
After leaving Raton I crossed the Colorado border, which led into a number of rolling hills and alternatively, flat valleys. In the distance I could see the beginning of the Rockies, and YES I was very excited. Mountain climbing, here I come.
First sighting of the epic Rocky mountains.
Heading into Colorado.
A farm on Colorado's eastern plateau.
Some farmland in Colorado. Yes, I actually think this is cool.
There can never be enough pictures of trains!
The city of Pueblo presented another snapshot of American history. The massive industrial works of the Rocky Mountain Steel Mills define this city. This represents an industrial past when America was a world leader in steel production. For many decades this made Pueblo one of the economic centers of Colorado.
Driving towards the Rocky Mountain Steel Mill.
However Pueblo’s industrial base fell on hard times with increasing foreign competition during the 70’s and 80’s. Countries like Japan revolutionized their steel production industry and many of the great American mills closed down for good. Pueblo was no different, and its steel production went into decline after the crash of 1982.
Another shot of the Mill. Known in its heyday as the Colorado Fuel and Iron steel mill, it has since fallen on hard times.
Due to foreign competition and labor disputes, few operations still go on in the mill. The main blast furnaces and stoves sit unused.
Today the steel works are a shell of their former self, mostly engaged in scrap recycling. Little of the massive workforce remains after numerous layoffs and labor conflicts. Driving around the local area one can see that these economic conditions have had a very derogatory effect. While the city seeks to diversify its economic base, the steel mill stands as a constant reminder of a bygone era in America.
Old style pickup truck sitting in front of residences nearby. The city struggles to find a new economic foothold.
Driving northwards, I noticed the area around Denver to be sprawling with small towns, suburbs, apartments, and miniature cities. This was obviously the heart of Colorado, and I could imagine being from “Denver” could mean a number of things.
Denver in all its glory.
One of the numerous settlements around Denver.
Tune in later for my adventure in the Denver downtown area.
Cool old school roadster on the road to Denver.
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