Colorado Springs

Starting our descent to the lower states with a stop in Colorado Springs where I got to meet up with a couple of the girls from growing up!
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I told you!  You made the blog!!!  It was so much fun seeing where they have been living the past 15 and 20 years, catching up on family gossip and just talking.  I miss getting to just hang out with friends,  Thanks Virginia and Cheryl.

Colorado Springs is right at the base of Pikes Peak, it really doesn’t look that large but when you start up the road which is a toll road you realize just how high you are going.  When we made it to the top I hopped out of the car and immediately realized that even though the car said it was 49 outside that 49 was very cold with the wind!

The air is so thin that I felt a lot light headed!  Whoa, Imagine having a smoke up here?

The air is so thin that I felt a lot light headed! Whoa, Imagine having a smoke up here?

Not even sure you could see all the way to Colorado Springs but I am sure it is out there.

Not even sure you could see all the way to Colorado Springs but I am sure it is out there.

The drive was spectacular and we are even starting to see some Aspens getting their fall colors.  There are three reserviors that provide water to the city below.  The views are spectacular.  I don’t really  love the alpine terrain but it is interesting.

Aspens peaking out of the evergreens

Aspens peaking out of the evergreens

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Breakcheck  area on the descent

                                Break check area on the descent

Pikes Peak,  a beautiful drive with views that are breathtaking.   The air was thin so I cannot even imagine hiking up here, so we didn’t.  It was a driving tour and very enjoyable.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings right near where we are staying was not exactly what I was expecting.  Sometimes research beyond the brochure in the tour racks is a good idea.  Located only 2 miles from where we are staying and something I have always been interested in seeing are the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi Indians however they did not build their homes in Manitou Springs,  they were relocated here in the  early 1900’s to be preserved.  They lived and built their cliff dwellings in the Four Corners area, several hundred miles southwest of Manitou Springs. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings were relocated to their present location in the early 1900s, as a museum, preserve, and tourist attraction.  That last sentence is exactly what it is.  The dwellings are cool however right after you pay to enter the site you download the app and the first thing it says is they were relocated here to be preserved and you can see them on the hill just past the gate (around a corner!)  They were cool and probably a great fieldtrip for 5th graders as a great learing tool but I wanted to really see cliff dwellings that had not been refurbished.  Oh well.

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Cliffdwellings2

We are staying in a great location in a very nice park with lots of things very close by.  Garden of the Gods while a tourist location is definitely a much better deal – FREE!  It’s a park with pretty well marked trails once you figure out the map and beautiful rock formations.  The central garden is definitely the spot most people go to with the most formations and lots of rock climbers. We did some of that and then found a trail that had very few people and good views of the rocks.  The best part about this park besides being free is the dog is welcome everywhere!  Love that.

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GardenofGods

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Always have to add at least one photo of us!  It was very hot this afternoon and staying out of the sun was difficult, hence the floppy hat and long sleeved shirt.

Its been a busy week but the weather has been favorable so we are taking in way more sites than usual.  Next day was the town of Canon and the Royal Gorge area.  The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park are all new this year as everything burned down in 2013 except the bridge.

Royal Gorge Bridge

Royal Gorge Bridge

Spectacular views and although this is definitely a tourist local it seemed kind of worth it at the senior price and the $2 coupon which includes everything except ziplining across the gorge and the bunge drop ride.  The tram is brand new so Paul was willing to ride it one way.  We walked across the bridge and then rode back

Trams passing above the gorge

Trams passing above the gorge

Crossing the bridge

Crossing the bridge

Getting ready to cross the gorge on the tram

Getting ready to cross the gorge on the tram

The Arkansas River rushes below the bridge through the gorge

The Arkansas River rushes below the bridge through the gorge

The town of Canon has a winery right in the middle of the desert.  The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey was a fun find in the tiny little town.  I enjoyed the wines while Paul enjoyed the picnic area.  Of course I bought one!  Then we were off to return back to our home taking a couple of back roads through Cripple Creek a town that has been revitalized by building cute building fronts to the casinos.  The drive to Cripple Creek was not your ordinary drive.  We followed Apple Maps and quickly we were alone on dirt roads with an occasional local that I am sure was laughing at the California tourists traveling through!

After about 4 miles we did see this sign!

After about 4 miles we did see this sign!

Amazing views,  very little roads!

Amazing views, very little roads!

Cute goats wondering why we are stopping and taking pictures!  I don't think they are use to tourists

Cute goats wondering why we are stopping and taking pictures! I don’t think they are use to tourists

Once we made it through Cripple Creek the views of the fall colors became brilliant.

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I love this part of Fall

I love this part of Fall.  

Thats Colorado Springs!  Definitely you can tell you are in the high desert but there is so much beauty here until the snow comes!

 

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