Need oxygen, altitude is 10,152 feet

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Geo: 39.2508, -106.293

We started Thursday with a little medical emergency. I was having a large floater in my right eye for the last 2 days. Also I could see thousands of tiny dots when I looked at something light colored. We drove to Salida and found an eye doctor. They took pics of my retina and he told me that it was part of the aging process, that all people usually get this between 60 and 70. Its called macular degeneration. He said the floater would probably sink out of sight in about 2 to 6 months. How fun. Getting old is hell!
So we left Salida and headed to Leadville. We went over the 11,900 foot pass. It wasn't very dramatic as all of the area went up gradually and you couldn't really tell.
We arrived in Leadville and went to check in to our b&b. No one was there, so we went and toured Healy House, which was a rich bankers house in the 1880's. Gold was discovered in Leadville in 1859 and went from a town of 500 to a city of 40,000! After the gold panned out, it was discovered that there was silver in the black sand tailings that was left behind. Another boom, and more people again. Around 1879 the US went to the gold standard and the price of silver dropped so much that 90% of the population left.
We checked in, went to dinner and prepared for the next day.
We got up, had a great breakfast, and headed out to tour the town. We went to the Heritage Museum, the Matchless Mine, the Tabor Opera House, the Tabor Home, the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum and finally the House with the eye museum. After that we went back for a quick nap and then out to dinner.
The air is so thin here. You climb a set of stairs and then all of a sudden you realize that you need air now and start deep breathing for a minute. I will be walking along and then all of a sudden you need to take a couple of deep breaths.
The weather has been hot so far. The first few days it was in the 90's. In Leadville, its been in the upper 60's during the day. We have had only a spit of rain since we left. Just enough to get the car dirty.
Tomorrow we head to Colorado Springs.

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Comments

[bfsize15]

Where are the pictures of your eye?!?!?!? How is it getting back into retired life and not babysitters? It's nice to see pictures of what Colorado actually looks like...I've only ever seen the Denver airport.

[Deb]

Macular degeneration doesn't sound good. Good thing you retired early. Our kitchen, living room and dining room are all torn up. GEtting our kitchen redone and the floors in all the rooms. It's starting to come together again as of this wee
k (floors stained and coated last week, cabinets delivered and installed on Monday, lights installed today. They are coming to measure for countertops tomorrow. Lots of details. Talk to you soon. Have fun.