A RIDE ON THE CUMBRES AND TOLTEC SCENIC RAILWAY

EXPERIENCING THE AUTHENIC WEST

September 22

Climb aboard to experience 64 miles of WOW that was on our bucket list. The Cumbres and Toltec Railway is a narrow gauge steam powered train and is a must do for train buffs. This railroad

is special being that it was built in 1880. The track was laid in nine months, which is almost unbelievable having ridden it. The train stopped three times for water, as this was a steam engine.  It is arguably the longest, highest and most scenic railroad journey on the continent. 

Spending a whole day traveling over 60 miles of high, twisty narrow gauge rail over high trestles, scenic mountain passes and other attractions was a marvelous last hurrah for us in Colorado. It is especially attractive in late September as the aspens have changed color for fall at the higher altitude. The train travels 64 miles through the mountains between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado. At an altitudes  to 10,000ft we rode from Chama to Antonito which required the steam engine to really have to work to get up the mountain pass. The trip took seven hours and a bus returned passengers back to our starting point.

We have taken several scenic train rides before and this is one of the prettiest by far seeing the Toltec Gorge. You will see things you can't see anywhere else and get an idea of just how grand Colorado/ New Mexico is. The story of how the train was saved from being demolished and the commitment of the Friends of the Railroad are wonderful. If you like great scenery and history, you would love this train trip as we did which began in Chama and traveled through the mountains, over a pass, alongside cattle grazing in meadows and ended in the high desert of Antonito.  The steam engine was a marvel and still works amazingly well. The beauty of the mountains happens to be unparalleled especially as the Aspens are turning their golden color here in the fall. The scenic railway runs both directions year round daily and is equally as beautiful in the winter snow season we could just imagine.

We spent most of our time in the open air gondola, for maximum photo ops and viewing, This train takes passengers back in time seeing real cowboys on horseback herding cattle as well as past huge rock spires and along the sides of rock mountain cliffs. Hearing the different toots of the whistle, the wheels on the tracks and the bursts from the steam engine was like living in the past. Seeing the mountains, gorges, and rivers was as if we were on a train trip in 1890. 

It was a day well spent and a wonderful culmination ending our travels through Colorado. The experience of riding on a steam train is something everyone should do once or whenever the opportunity avails itself. 

WELCOME TO GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK

EXPLORING DUNES, GRASSLANDS, FOREST, LAKES AND ALPINE PEAKS

September 20-21

Looking for a surreal beauty experience in the middle of nowhere? Your first question will be why are these Sahara like dunes in Colorado? 

These are the largest sand dunes in America and they are nowhere near the ocean. It's rather interesting how the sand got here and settled for miles between mountain ranges. As you drive in south central Colorado you can see the dunes from miles away. Stopped here enroute to New Mexico from Colorado Springs. We came up here just to see the park. Like most national

parks, we were not disappointed. 

These dunes in the middle of the desert, mountains of sand against the backdrop of the mountains are something to see.  While a beautiful anomaly in the mountains, there wasn't that much to do or see – unless of course you were a serious hiker or sand boarder.

750-foot tall sand dunes rise out of the base of mountains in southern Colorado are well worth your time to visit and are a spectacle to behold. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous! The views were absolutely gorgeous like being in the middle of the Sahara instead of near the mountains in Colorado. Fall is absolutely beautiful and the best time to visit happened to be September when we found camping space available without a reservation.

The first day we hit the trail roads around the dunes. Those equipped with 4WD can extend their visit along a rough, ungraded road that leads deep into the park, with access to other dune fields and mountain trails. JR loves to take roads less traveled by. Naturally he drove us on a rough sandy narrow road, just shy of the Point of No Return. To go past that, one needed a high clearance 4WD. However he did use good judgment and turned back knowing our Jeep Liberty wasn’t up for the challenge. In fact, there's a lot of the park you can't see without a 4WD, which is unfortunate. This national park is unique in including mountains, 700' sand dunes, and wetlands in the same habitat. There is a good visitor center and informative orientation video. 

Early mornings and late afternoons offer the best times for photography, when the dunes come alive in a constantly shifting play of light and shadow. You can either hike the dunes, or hike the forests that are full of streams. The dunes are amazing. They just rise up from the ground against the mountains like it's the most natural thing in the world.

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We parked at the Dunes Parking area, grabbed cameras in tow, crossed a very shallow creek and hiked as far as time would allow until after sunset. The hike across Medano Creek was basically dry to the base of the dunes to catch the early evening light.  

Our best photos were at sunset to get the play of light and shadows on the dunes. Actually the sand was no harsher than that of the average beach. Climbing the dunes is far harder and more strenuous than it looks--you tend to slide back a foot for every two you advance. It's hard on the calves but a good workout.

Sitting down to wait for the sun to set on the horizon

Voila the moment came

 

Medano Creek at the sand dunes

The following morning a hike at sunrise up the shallow creek bed showed a few birds about and lots of animal tracks in the sand from critters seeking water after dark.

 

 It's just amazing what nature is capable of, so definitely a must-see if you're in the area. It is a great place for star gazing in a pitch-black night sky too. 

Bottom line, the park is worth a visit and such a random thing to behold in the middle of nowhere.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM COLORADO SPRINGS
September 17-19

Yahoo more adventures than one can imagine are found in this city, Taking a triple tow rig into a major city turned out to be relatively easy in spite of the fact normally we tend to avoid that sort of endeavor. Being Elks Lodge members they were able to accommodate  us in their large parking lot so we were able to disconnect and explore several of the city's major attractions during a three day blitz. 

A visit to the U.S Air Force Academy became the first stop. The Visitor Center there welcomes the public with photo displays and a good film about cadet life during one’s four-year experience. We hooked up with a guide for a short walk to see the campus and Cadet Chapel, with its 17 futuristic glass and silver spires soaring skyward. Filtered sunlight through the stain glass spires is stunning inside the main Protestant chapel. There is Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, and Interfaith chapels for worship as well in the lower level.

If you visit Colorado Springs make time to stop and see
the PIONEER MUSEUM, housed in a restored county court house (which also has been the scene for several western movies) has some of the best exhibits around. The building itself was slated for demolition and saved just in time by outraged citizens.

The original courtroom is preserved; the Otis birdcage elevator is available to ride to the upper floor which is a kick in itself to self operate.  A very dedicated, knowledgeable staff and a dynamic vision for presenting and interpreting the history of the Pikes Peak region are there. Seeing how pioneers of the Colorado Springs area lived was a great way to start gaining an appreciation of the "true grit" that built the western frontier.

PIKE'S PEAK OR BUST

Taking Pike's Peak Cog Train in nearby Manitou is the way to go rather than driving up the mountain. It makes for an enjoyable half day. We took the Cog Railway up and had a great experience. It was an interesting ride up the rails, about an hour or so up and back with about 30 minutes at the top. The air was very thin at the top but the views were absolutely amazing! They say on a clear day one can see to New Mexico and Kansas. Absolutely awesome views up at14,113 ft. are visible.

Pikes Peak COG is the longest COG train in the world and the trip to the summit was absolutely breathtaking! Literally! Once the cog reached the summit where the clouds often hang out we got off to take photos for the panoramic views outside. Most folks head inside the observation café gift shop to stay warm and buy souvenirs or their world famous donuts (small, plain at $5 bucks a pop rip off), Perhaps it was the high altitude queasiness or the chilly, 30mph winds that sent them inside for refuge.

Howeveer we came prepared bundled for warmth.   This mountain is breathtaking! Word to the wise, make sure you prepare for both the weather at the bottom and top. We had clear conditions all the way up until the last few 100 feet and then there was a haze in the air likely from the massive California fire winds which moved eastward. We saw some mountain sheep, but no marmots or mountain goats. Whether you hike, train, or drive to the top of Pike's Peak, it is well worth taking the time. We especially enjoyed the cog train ride up, as the landscape and trees change with the increasing elevation. JR got a break from driving so he was able to appreciate the views and I didn’t white knuckle it the entire time up worried about curves around those steep cliff drop offs.

At the top (over 14,000 feet high) the awesome view is in all directions. This is the mountain that inspired the song, "America the Beautiful", with good reason. Offering perhaps one of the most beautiful vistas in the lower 48, Pikes Peak is a must visit for those traveling to Colorado. 

For the more adventurous you can drive up, but you better have good brakes and a lot of guts :-)

A visit to GARDEN OF THE GODS has exquisite views and is a nature extravaganza.

It is the number one rated attraction in Colorado Springs, and for good reason. First off, it's free to go there, which is always a plus. Secondly, it has some of the coolest red rock landscapes and is a gorgeous place to hike trails or drive through! There were beautiful rock formations around every turn and numerous places to pull off for pictures. When one enters the park, your mind and soul acknowledge, that you have entered a new level of humanity. The ages of pre-human history that you witness before you, seems to acknowledge a spiritual, ecological, and geological link to history of our planet, Earth's past.  Many of the outcrops are truly breathtaking stuff. We had limited time, but I'm so glad that we decided to drive through this beautiful place. We were there for about 40 minutes, but the scenery will be with us forever. And it was all free!

In addition to rock formations - there were great vistas as the sun began to set... Parked at the first available pull out proved a good point to view and photograph a cluster of rock formations. Palmer Trail named for the founder of Colorado Springs runs along the outskirts of the park. Vantage points along the road created wonderful panoramic views of the park and all the various rock formations.

JR seemed to bring out a vortex energy or a force of power in the Garden of the Gods at sunset.

Many of the outcrops are truly breathtaking stuff. We had limited time, but I'm so glad that we decided to drive through this beautiful place. 

Lastly, but not least, we came by circumstance to MEMORIAL PARK. It is the site of the reconstructed FALLEN FIRE FIGHTERS MEMORIAL which includes 121 granite slabs that display more than 7,300 names dating back to 1918, including hundreds who died of illnesses such as cancer from exposure to toxins on the job.

Attending a memorial service at this landmark were firefighters and officers,from around the USA and Canada. and families who lost loved ones in the call of duty the past two years  was a moving experience. 

A band of drummers and bag pipers along with flags from fire fighter unions across our two nations joined as a tribute to pay homage to those who died fighting fires.