Twenty-Nine and Holding: My Leadville Life

Celebrating 29 Years in Leadville Today

By Kathy Bedell, Leadville Today

This month marks twenty-nine years for my life in Leadville.  One of the cool things about being a writer is that I can reach into my steamer-trunk filled with journals dating back to when I was 13 years old and read directly from that day, the moment when I knew that Leadville would be my home.

For how long? Who knew, but I wouldn’t have guessed I’d still be here nearly three decades later. But alas, that can be the charm of the Magic City. And when I read back on some of the stories I’ve written over the more than a quarter century of reporting on the people and happenings In The ‘Ville, it makes me smile. People often say I should publish a book with those stories, and one day I might.

But for now, I’m going to share the “Top 25 Things You Might Not Know about Kathy Bedell” list. Interesting or not, it’s a good filler as I make my way back to Leadville after a Copyright Law and Fair Use workshop. Maybe I’m getting a bit closer to that book than I thought.

“Top 25 Things You Might Not Know about Kathy Bedell”

1. Moved to Leadville January 11, 1990.
2. Born and raised in New York.
3. Middle child of five.
4. First woman to run for Mayor of Leadville, Colorado.
5. Interviewed Oprah Winfrey.
6. Served on the Parkville Water Board for 8 years.
7. Own a 1974 bright orange VW Bus called “The Great Pumpkin.”
8. Attended the University of Denver, received a BA in Communications.
9. Me hablo Espanol.
10. Colorado Press Association award-winner for best serious column and newspaper advertising design.
11. Took an 800-mile bus trip up the Baja Peninsula on a Mexican bus line after translating for a group of doctors called the Flying Samaritans.
12. First job out of college: Writing for Colorado woman’s magazine.
13. Made a cameo appearance in the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 movie, “Race Across the Sky,” also included in credits.
14. Never married, no children.
15. Lived on the island of Saint Lucia in Marigot Bay where they filmed parts of the movie, “Dr. Doolitte.”
16. A substitute teacher in the Lake County School District for seven years, a.k.a. “Miss Bedell.”
17. Hitch-hiking housekeeper from hell at Copper Mountain for four months.
18. Irish Catholic.
19. Sponsored 20th-century socialite writer Caroline Bancroft in the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.
20. Survived category-five Hurricane Luis on the island of Anguilla.
21. Wrote a Leadville eulogy in the form of a limerick.
22. Cat person.
23. First job in Leadville: Advertising Manager for the Herald Democrat.
24. Didn’t buy my first car until 34.
25. Don’t own a bike.

I am grateful every day for having “stumbled” upon this magical mountain town. I can’t think of a day when I have ever taken that incredible view for granted. I am blessed to be able to write about, and live, In The ‘Ville.

Journalist Kathy Bedell owns The Great Pumpkin, LLC a digital media company in Leadville, Colorado which publishes Leadville Today and Saguache Today. She may be reached at info@leadvilletoday.com