Day 12

5/26/2024 – let me just say up front, I got a little wordy in this one.

Cerro Gordo here we come!!!

Today we arranged for David, Maureen, Ryan, and Kevin to meet at the campsite around 9:00.  I was up early, writing, drinking coffee and then wammo, they were here, and I was late.  I don’t usually like being late, but I just lost track of time.

So, this was the second day that I was behind the eight ball.  But with Denise’s help, dogs in, clothes on and ready to hit the road by 9:30.

David rode with us and Ryan followed with Maureen and Kevin.  Turns out that David and Ryan had tried to make the journey more than 10 years ago but didn’t make it to the top.  This was my 4th trip to the old ghost town, and I was ready.

On the way up, I tried to point out the sites that Mom had pointed out just about 1 year ago.  Bittersweet, but beautiful. 

As many of you know, Mom and I made a similar trip across the country last year.  We hit Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakoda, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and back to Tennessee.  We were gone for 86 days.

While in Owen’s Valley, we took the trek up to Cerro Gordo, where Mom’s Dad, Ralph, ran the mine.  On the 1st day we were just going to test the waters to be sure we could get up there with Christina and Michael the next day.  But we ran into a guy who asked us to take his bike battery to the top.  Mom and I looked at each other and said why not.  So up the hill we went.

Mom pointed out sites and talked about her own adventures up at the mine.  It was wonderful.  And when we got to the top, we got her up to the deck of the museum/store where she sat at a huge picnic table while I parked.  It started with just 1 young man at the table, but when I got back from parking the car, there were 3 people gathered at the table with Mom.  Before long the table was full and there was standing room only.

Mom had captivated them.  She was such a good storyteller.  When she was done, she got up and introduced herself to everyone, shaking each and every person’s hand.  Then, they took her over to the cookhouse and set up for an interview.  When she was done, she gave us the “cut” sign and away we went back down the hill.

The next day we arrived again at the top of the hill with my cousin, Christina, and her husband, Michael.  This time we were greeted by a huge crowd of people and Brent, the mine owner, joined us.  As I stood back at watched, Mom took Brent by the arm and flirted unmercifully.  He took her into the Gordon house, which Mom knew as Grandpa Ralph’s office.  He took her to places that were off limits and the whole time there was a large group of people trailing behind, hoping to hear what she had to say.

When Mom asked Brent if we could go to the elevator, where the miners descended into the mine, he said yes, but he couldn’t take her down into the mine.  Mom said, “that’s ok, I never go underground without Ralph Adams” and they laughed.

While inside, she told stories of Smitty the elevator operator.  Truly one of the most trusted men in the operation.  But he was a card shark.  He sat at the shaft with a mirror and a deck of cards.  When Mom first met him, she said he asked if she could play cards.  Noooo…  Would you like to learn?  And that’s when Grandpa stepped in.  Smitty was really good at cards and had been kicked out of Las Vegas, Reno and a few other places.

We all shared stories that we had heard from Mom, her brother David, Dad, Grandma & Grandpa about the mine and the days they had spent there.  Wow, what a great trip.

This trip was to be for a different purpose.  My brother Charlie had a plaque made and I was to ask Brent if he would put it up in Mom’s honor.  When I saw him, I just hugged him and cried.  They had done so much for Mom.  And after she passed in September 2024 he did this video tribute:   https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=ul920dQFDeDfqdj&v=_q4vyHWfoyQ&feature=youtu.be.  Funny that I didn’t get it until Christmas day.  It was like getting her back for a moment. 

Brent agreed and will send me pictures once the plaque is in place.  Love that guy!!!

Each time I’m up there, I meet wonderful and interesting people.  This time was no different.  Cecile Page Vargo and Roger W. Vargo were there.  They are historians, published authors and had been caretakers of Cerro Gordo.  They took care of us while we were there, and we swapped many stories.  In the end Cecile and I decided we were to be sisters.  It was an amazing trip.

If you ever get a chance, Cerro Gordo is a must see!!!  And from the looks of it, the hotel will be finished soonish? 

Lovely place, great people, wow!!!