Day 13 - Colorado Springs, CO (Day 2)

Most of the day was partly cloudy and very pleasant.  It was a great day to see more of the area.  We drove to Pike's Peak, had lunch in Manitou Springs, drove to the Royal Gorge and had dinner at the campground.

Pike's Peak:
Entrance to the Pike's Peak Highway is just a few miles northwest of the campground on US-24.  We started the ascent at 9:15am and returned to the entrance 3 hours later.  It was a fantastic journey that we describe with two words ... Wow!  and Gulp!

The temperature was 76°F at the entrance and 46°F at the summit.  The drive to the summit is 19 miles.  The speed limit is 25 mph unless otherwise posted ...  we saw signs for 10 and 30 mph.  We were cautioned to turn off the air conditioner, drive up in 2nd or 3rd gear and drive down in 1st gear.  The following shows why we had no problem going slow.

The highway starts gently

You can see forever on a clear day

It's much easier to look ahead than down

Even looking ahead can be a problem

The highway just keeps climbing

All the way to 14,110 ft.

We both made it
(It's 46°F and there's a stiff wind)

Southeast from the summit

Scenes from the summit moved
Katherine Lee Bates to write the
words for America the Beautiful

The cog railway is one of three ways
 to get up here

These students climbed here
in 6 hours 42 minutes

Climbers follow the Barr Trail
(we didn't)

Cog rail 

The drive up was harrowing.  Carol had a firm (e.g. white knuckle) grip on the door handle most of the way and didn't take many pictures of the ascent.  After taking in views from the summit, we went into the Visitor Center to warm up and relax.  

They advertised "The World's Best Donuts", so we gave them a try with some hot coffee. Carol's judgement ... "If all old fashion donuts were this good, I'd convert.".

And down we go.

The highway is steep and twisty

Cairns keep hikers on Barr Trail

And up they go

There are many drop-offs

And many sharp turns

US-24, we're almost back down

Lunch:
We stopped in Manitou Springs to wind down and have lunch at PJ's Bistro.  Outside balcony seating was fun and their sandwiches were tasty.


Royal Gorge:
The June 2013 Royal Gorge Fire has shut down tourism at the Royal Gorge Bridge.  We decided to take a look anyway.  Cloud cover and showers moved in from the west as we approached Cãnon City.

Fire affected park land on both
sides of the Arkansas River

Royal Gorge Bridge
America's highest suspension bridge
is closed

A view of the gorge

It started to rain as we were climbing down a gorge overlook.  The picture taking came to an abrupt halt; we headed for home.

Dinner:
This was a long, strenuous day.  We didn't feel like fixing dinner, so we decided to try Lil' Howard's BBQ in the campground.

They serve pancake breakfasts on Sunday and BBQ dinners every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday ... and have done so for 42 years.  We had the Sunday night combo consisting of BBQ chicken and ribs, beans, cole slaw and a dinner roll.  The meal was served picnic style.  It was excellent and a lot of fun.

Day 12 - Colorado Springs, CO (Day 1)

Like so many others, today started with a sunny morning.  We're heading south today.

Saying Goodbye:
We met Clair & Lucinda Anderson yesterday.  Clair is a retired Lutheran minister from Hanover, PA.  They're heading homeward after a two month journey to visit family and friends.  Clair is from Jamestown, NY.  We found a common connection through The Chautauqua Institute.  He and Lucinda are musicians and have played on the amphitheater stage.  We found another connection ... Clair looks a lot like our dear friend Fred Hitzhusen.

Clair & Lucinda Anderson

The Route:
The 80 mile trip was pretty simple.  East on Colfax Ave. to US-6, east on US-6 to I-25, south on I-25 to Colorado Springs, and US-24 west to the campground.

Along the way:
We passed Castle Rock and Centennial as we cruised down I-25.  The scenery was beautiful.

Castle Rock

We passed the Air Force Academy as we approached Colorado Springs.  This is another place we'd like to visit.

Campground:
We checked in at the Garden of the Gods RV Resort.  It's a pretty nice place and is very convenient to the area attractions.  They graciously put us in a site with trees.

Site S-52

Lunch:
The campground staff suggested Amanda's Fonda for lunch.  Lunch isn't usually a highlight, but this one was.  

First, let's clear up any questions about the term "Fonda".  It's Spanish for inn or restaurant.

Carol judged the meal as one of the best Mexican meals she's had.  Dick agrees.  

The outside dining experience was really fun.  We were seated on a covered patio, next to a quiet stream, surrounded by trees.  A gentle afternoon shower arrived during the meal.  It was so peaceful.

Garden of the Gods:
The campground was close to the Garden of the Gods Park.  It provided a perfect place to start.  Our exploration started with the introductory film "How Did Those Red Rocks Get There?" offered at the Visitor Center.  We then toured the park.  

White Rock

North Gateway Rock

This doe and her two fawns
drew quite a crowd

Sentinel Spires

Cathedral Spires

Can you be specific?

Ahh!  These aren't stacked very neatly.

Carol gives one a shove

Some ignore the signs

South Gateway Rock

White Rock

Steamboat Rock

Manitou Springs:
The campground is also near Manitou Springs.  We decided to take a look after returning from the Garden of the Gods.  This short trip was ostensibly for educational purposes.  In truth, we were searching for Pikes Peak Chocolate and Ice Cream.  We found it and returned later to test the product.  The Java Jolt milkshake was pretty good, but Graeter's is better.

Tomorrow:
Pike's Peak.