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.