Rum and Coke: $1.25

Mount Elbert is 14,433 feet tall and comes in as the tallest mountain in Colorado. On this particular day, Cory Cramer, Matt Scott, Rich "the mountain sheik" Iverson and I decided we were going to climb it. The day started around 4 a.m., the climb went great. The weather was beautiful and, before we knew it, we were at the top. A great peak.

But that's not the story here. The real story is after the climb. After we got back to our camp, we decided to head into Leadville for a celebratory dinner. Cory and I walked into the busy restaurant and we all put our names on the list. Matt and Rich went to pick up a few souvenirs, but Cory and I had better things to do - some refreshment.

We walked over to the bar and pulled up a stool. It was just like all of the old-time cowboy movie bars - the long wooden bar, an enormous mirror behind the bar with all the dusty bottles lined up along a long counter. The woodworking that went into crafting the bar was amazing. The deep, rich stain on the woodwork made it absolutely massive.

From my perch on the bar stool I could look down and see most of the other patrons seemed to look like locals, dusty old cowboys or backpackers like us.

Needless to say, I was thirsty. Cory and I were sitting next to each other when the big old barmaid came up to us and asked, "What can I get for you boys?"

"I'll take a rum and coke," I said. She turned around and poured me a rum and coke.

"That'll be $1.25." I gave her the money, and mentioned what a great deal that is. She looks at Cory...

"I'll just have a coke," Cory said, to my amazement.

She turned around poured him a coke, handed it to him, "That'll be a $1.50."

Cory and I look at each other. "What?" The barmaid looked at us like, "what's the big deal?"

"So...If you put a shot of rum in his coke, it will cost twenty-five cents less?" I asked, confused.

"Yep."

Cory and I laughed in amazement. I had never seen anything like it.

"Well, I guess you'd better put a shot in it and save me a quarter," Cory said, stating the obvious solution.

The moral of this story is simple as it is clear: If ever you're in Leadville, Colorado and feel like you need a coke, save yourself a quarter and have them throw a shot of rum in it. :)