Meet Olga of Randsburg

Randsburg used to be a mining town. It was named for "Rand" of Whitwatersrand in Africa. Yes, geologists, it's a gold mining town. It was actually very productive - in two ~20 year spurts, the last of which ended just over a year ago.

Randsburg, the town (claim to fame: only real living ghost town - total contradiction in terms) has stayed somewhere in the past and besides the gaping stares of tourists (not many) lives quietly several decades ago.

In fact, besides those who purposely venture there (i.e. me) it seems as though cyclists doing the "Furnace Creek 508" (508 miles of biking through desert in 48 hrs) and dirt bikers are the only real Randsburg visitors.

This is "The Joint". It's been owned and run by the same woman for 50 years. She also ran the grocery store in Randsburg for 10 years.

This is the woman: Olga. She just turned 95. Happy Birthday Olga! She still works and runs the place. Walking around all 4'9" (perhaps less???) of herself. She's been in Randsburg since the early 40's. She must've thought I was a dirty dirty excuse for a woman in my Carharts.