Barbara Lawlor
PEAK TO PEAK

    After the storm, when the sun came out and transformed mounds of snow into streams of mud, mountain residents left their homes to play.
    On Friday night, hundreds of costumed kids and their parents attended the Gilpin County Elementary School Halloween Carnival. Police officers and firefighters dropped handfuls of candy into trick or treat bags and other volunteers helped the kids participate in the dozens of games and activities in the old gym.
    A silent auction offered great deals on great items and gift certificates and the cafeteria served up pulled pork sandwiches, delicious at twice the price.
    On Saturday morning TEENS Inc. opened their doors for the young costumed revelers who were entranced by Doc Murdock’s Magic Show. Even the parents were shaking their heads, wondering how the heck he did what he did. Even when one thought they had figured out the answer to how, Murdock would come up with a twist that was even more amazing than originally thought.
    As crowds splashed through the mud puddles on First Street, Cindy McCollum’s gentle giants, her two Belgian horses, pulled a wagon filled with hay to the front of the Wild Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery. Lines of people clambered onto the hay bales and waved goodbye to those still in line.
    The wagon sludged through the mud and the horses hooves clip-clopped on the pavement as the hayride made a circuit around town. Cindy says she has given hay rides before, but this was the most successful venture yet. Sponsored by Wild Mountain and Sundance Stables, the donations will be used to feed the horses over the winter. A “what goes around, comes around,” good deal.
    On Halloween night, bunches of kids bundled up for their stroll around town, gathering sweet loot.
    The Gilpin County Recreation Center Halloween Costume Contest and hayride and haunted walk, which was scheduled for last Thursday, was postponed because of the snow to Thursday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. So don’t put away your costumes: it’s not over yet.