Thursday, July 28, 2016

Pikes Peak Cog Train Ride

I had made reservations for the Pike's Peak Cog Railway before we ever left home.  Good thing too because they are sold out on most every train.

It is a bit over an hour to the 14,000+ summit with beautiful views.  At one point you are climbing a 25% grade!  We had pleasant, sunny, 50 degree weather at the top.









Snow remnants


At the top




Colorado Springs in the far distance.


Poem "America, the Beautiful" later set to music, was inspired by the view from Pike's Peak.


On the trip back down.



We returned home and ate a dinner of burgers, pasta salad, corn and watermelon.  A real camping meal.  Later on we returned to the Garden of the Gods park to walk among the large red rocks we had only seen from a distance during the day.

Ted and Morgan in the parking lot.


Kissing Camels Rock


 
Plaque showing the park being given to the city of Colorado Springs and for it to remain free for all to enjoy.



Morgan the climber!  You are allowed to climb.



Some real climbers


I think the left hand side at the top looks like a Mickey Mouse profile.


As the sun was setting.


Hope you enjoyed our tours!  

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be. ~ Anne Frank



Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Enjoying The Cooler Temps

The weather has been very pleasant since our arrival in Colorado.  On Tuesday we chose to visit the Air Force Academy.  We stopped at the Visitor Center and saw a very interesting movie on the four years of cadets while attending the academy and took in the exhibits. We then walked to the famous chapel just a short walk away.  




There are four chapels.  The Protestant chapel is on the top level and a big Catholic chapel is below that plus Hindu and Jewish smaller chapels.

The Protestant chapel front.


Looking back.


The side windows.


The Catholic altar.


A Station of the Cross.  There are 14 in all.


The Hindu chapel.


The Jewish chapel.


We rode through the Fam Camp and then tried to leave through the south gate but were advised we had to leave by the north gate so we turned around and went back the way we had come.

I had put a chuck roast in the crockpot in the morning so I made noodles, gravy, green beans and a Caeser's salad for dinner.  Kara brought some brownie bites.  After dinner was cleaned up, Kara and Bill took the kids back to Garden of the Gods park to see if it was less busy.  It was and they saw deer and mountain goats plus met someone from Michigan and had a friend in common!

We stayed behind and played Mexican Train.  Score is Tom 3, Ted 3, Donna 1.  I either don't have a start tile or I get down to a tile or two and someone plays a double and I end up needing to pick up a bunch of tiles!  I feel like the Astros!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

A Week With The Kids

We arrived in Colorado Springs just fine but were dismayed at the crowded conditions of the campground.  Getting large rigs around the tight turns and obstacles is mind boggling.  Getting into the site is a whole other ballgame!  Our first attempt in trying to avoid crowding our neighbor on our right would not let our LR slide on the left come out because of the electric box for Tom and Eileen on the left.   Ted backed out and moved over until our right side slides are right up to our neighbor's patio which gave our right slide about a six inch clearance from the electric box.  When we tried to level, our automatic leveling system would stroke out.  We left it until the next morning when Ted hooked up again and had to use 20 leveling blocks to make the leveler work.  To add insult to injury, Tom's cable, water hose and electric cord are running across our "yard" and his sewer connection is next to our picnic table.  This is duplicated all the way down the line!

This is Garden of the Gods campground, an RVC property, Good Sam park and is not cheap!  Their only good thing is proximity to what we want to see (along with lots of other people).  I would not return here with a big rig.

The kids arrived in Denver after an extra stop in Albuquerque due to storms.  They spent the night at a hotel and arrived at their cabin in the campground late afternoon on Sunday.  I fixed roasted chicken, stuffing, corn, a tomato/onion/cucumber salad and rolls for dinner and the 8 of us ate together. 

Bill found a loose connection to the motor where the fuse keeps blowing so he tightened that.  We ran the vanity and kitchen slide in and out a bit and it seems ok.  The factory said they are replacing that fuse with a breaker now so we aren't the only ones having this problem.  Of course that doesn't fix whatever the root problem is, only makes the fix quicker!  He also replaced catches on my laundry cabinet that had broken.  He is our McGyver for fixing things!

Monday we headed first to Garden of the Gods park.  It was crowded with parking being the main obstacle especially with two cars.  It is beautiful and the kids loved it.





We visited the center to view the exhibits and look around in general.






Then we headed to Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings.  It was the first time the kids have seen Native American pueblo housing.

Gathered in a tipi which is not indigenous to these local tribes.





Drawings that are preserved.


Beautiful scenery.


Century Plant, an agave that blooms once in a lifetime and we were here for it!


We took a time out before heading to Pueblo to see the Redhead Express at the Pueblo County Fair.  You may recall this is one of our favorite Rio Grande Valley groups that we have followed for probably 8 years.  I was concerned about the kids' reaction but they absolutely loved it!


Ted's two redheads - granddaughter Morgan and Meghan the bass player for the group.


Poppa bought them both a CD, had them autographed and then a picture taken with all of them.