Lakeside and Lightning (August 10, 2013)

Written by ceddammit

Man, it’s taking forever to get through my 2013 Leftover Colorado trip. I need a vacation from that vacation. On top of that, last week’s post consisted mostly of exploring three ghost towns, and the post I was going to write for today was scheduled to be three more ghost towns. So, in an attempt to throw some variety into the mix, today’s ThrowBack Thursday is an interlude. I will post part five of the 2013 Leftover Colorado trip next week. Today’s post starts with a quick visit to Lakeside Amusement Park in Lakeside, Colorado. Walking into Lakeside Amusement Park is like taking a time machine to visit one of the “trolley parks” of the early 20th century. Check dis out…

Lakeside used to host actual automobile races. That ended long ago, but the sign remains.
Decorative structures like this one could be found in early Coney Island parks.
P.T. Barnum meets Art Deco
Light-covered towers like this were also found in early Coney Island parks.
Even the electric wiring is old school.
This place was built before many people had electricity at home.
Some people would come to the park in the evening just to see electric lights.
My favorite of the park’s art deco signs
The Cyclone is also my favorite ride in the park

Later that day, a thunderstorm rolled over the Denver metro area. Once it had passed my neighborhood, I got out my tripod and walked the few blocks to the Sims/Union exit of the 6th Avenue Freeway (U.S. Highway 6). I did a bunch of experimental photographing, most of which was unimpressive. But here are a few that I thought were pretty cool…

Downtown Denver in center; brand new (at the time) light rail bridge to the right
Downtown Denver, Colorado

Tune in next week, same Bat-day, same Bat-URL. There will be more ghost towns, and more excellent mountain scenery!

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