My Wife and I live on a mountain pass in between two small mountain towns. Well, one town is about 5000 people, and the other about 500.
The road connecting the two towns was shut down last night for about 3 hours. It’s a two lane state highway that crosses the continental divide. Lots and lots of skier traffic.
Some loon in the smaller town had threatened some employees at the assessors office with a shotgun, and took off on foot.
About 7 years ago, some other loon killed the mayor of the small town. Shot him with a .45 in an AA meeting. He then stole the towns end loader and took out some power poles and telephone lines, effectively leaving the town in the dark. He then used the heavy equipment to attack the post office and the towns water supply. Flooding the streets in January, and making an ice rink out of main street. He then set his own house on fire and retreated into the woods with a .30-06.
Why did he do this? The town was going to force him to get rid of his outhouse and hook up to the new sewer line. So he killed the Mayor.
Some people need a little perspective.
Not sure what’s going on with our new boy running around with the shotgun. We got a reverse 911 (I was surprised we had that service here) call last night stating that he had not been caught, and we should stay inside. He was on foot. We live about 4 miles away and have two very alert dogs, so I’m not too concerned, though I did load my pistol last night. We’re pretty isolated around here, and there are only two ways out of the town. North or South. We are north.
I suspect he found a second/vacation home and is probably holed up in it.
Haven’t heard anything from 911. Nothing on the ‘news’. Not sure if they caught him or not.
Although I call them loons, I sorta feel sorry for these guys. Something just makes them snap.
Is this anywhere near Leadville? A few years ago, we went thru there and stopped for a walk thru town. Decided to have a beer or two. Head exploded, or so it seemed. Yeah, seems like you’d get used to it eventually, maybe a few months after your red blood cells caught up enough to send oxygen to the brain.
I have a theory that it’s the water that makes people in those little mountain towns go berserk. All those damn leftover tailings piles from the old mines, running off into the river.
You live in beautiful country enipla. I used to live in Steamboat, and I sure miss living in a mountain town. I envy you.
Caught and killed him as it turns out. About a mile from our house, across the valley. Seems he tried to wrestle a gun away from an officer. The house he was in was not his, so I guess he did break in, and someone noticed unusual activity in a house that is usually vacant.
The sky is very, very clear. And during the day it’s a much darker blue than you will find down lower. The winters are very long, but with 4x4’s and plow trucks, it’s not so bad. The worst is trying to cram things that need to be done (working on the house) into such a short summer.
Leadville is farther west. No real easy way to get there from here either.
At 10,400‘ Leadville claims to be the highest incorporated city. I guess the distinction is City/town because there are at least two towns I know of that are higher. One of which is Alma Co.
Altitude sickness is always something we watch out for. Seems to affect the young and the old. It’s not fun.
That’s the truth. Pretty much every bit of water is frozen until May or June.