Greetings from Montana City

Sunny and 60s makes for a great biking day in February, albeit a bit windy with a pending snowstorm (which dutifully arrived Monday). 22 mile loop to downtown on Saturday. 42 Mile loop through Highlands Ranch on Sunday. And 2 inches of snow on Monday.

This pic is from a newly and nicely reconstructed park along the South Platte river commemorating an early gold rush settlement named Montana City:

Montana City was the first settlement in what was later to become Denver, Colorado. It was established during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush on the east bank of the South Platte River, just north of the confluence with Little Dry Creek, in 1858. At the time, the site was in the Kansas Territory.

The site selected because it was adjacent to placer gold diggings along the South Platte River. However, the gold diggings at Montana City proved disappointing, and the site was soon abandoned in favor of the settlement of Auraria, a few miles downstream.

Interesting bit of history, and a nice rest stop.

~Dan