Norman pointing to Pike's Peak
The weather was beautiful this morning as we made our way to Pike's Peak. Norman came along, he wanted to feel snow, but we forgot to take him out of the car. Oh well, maybe next mountain.
We traveled up to Manitou Springs and beyond to the entrance of the Pikes Peak Highway, paid the fee and started driving...up. Nice road, beautiful scenery as you drive through different climate zones. I always like the level where the aspens thrive, even without leaves the bark is so lovely. Then it's just pines, until the tree line where only rock can take the punishment at this level.
There were breathtaking scenic overlooks along the way. The lack of oxygen is an issue with me. At the very top it's only 50% of what it is at sea level...where I have lived all my life. I've also always lived in FLAT places and driving up incredibly steep grades with switchbacks is a little nerve-wracking...okay, a LOT nerve-wracking. I'm cool until the tree line for the most part. I figure if we went careening off the edge the trees would 'catch' us. But when the only thing between you and the bottom of a ravine is a sheer rock cliff...oy.
We made it almost to the top. If truth be told, we would have turned around MUCH sooner, but there was no place to do a u-turn so we had to keep climbing. The last mile was closed anyway due to snow. It's an 18 mile ride up the mountain, we got to about mile 16. Coming down, I'm thinking to myself that I sure hope none of those boulders decide to come loose. We stopped at an overlook for some photos and the wind was blowing hard, and cold. At one extreme downgrade that ended at a switchback I actually asked Jim if he would remember to steer the Jeep into one of the cliffs on the sides of the road in something should go wrong with the brakes or transmission...instead of OVER the edge of the switchback. I'm attributing that thought to the lack of oxygen...
Half way down a chipmunk ran across the road, I remarked that it was the ONLY wildlife we'd seen on the mountain. Then as we rounded the next corner a red fox (looks more like a fox than a coyote, but I could be wrong) crossed in front of us. He took his time and I got a few pictures.
Had lunch and headed back out to Cave of the Winds. We were disappointed after some of the caves we've been in previously. Almost got interesting...a guy was taking flash picutres...in a cave....were it's dark....and your pupils are dialated. The last one he took was right in Jim's face, yeah...it ALMOST got interesting. Luckily he stopped.
We took Norman out of the car at the cave for some photos. As we were setting him on a bear a couple came along and gave us a strange look. Holding the camera I acknowledged their stares and just said, "Long story..." Without missing a beat the gentleman replied, "Actually, I just took a picture just like that of MY gnome!"
Who knew?
Drove through Manitou Springs, a late 1800's artsy type town with many Victorian style homes. We got 'lost' in a residential area on a steep hillside. (imagine a vertical Provincetown) we knew we'd get out eventually but it was almost like a maze. Jim couldn't stop laughing.
I'm going to upload some pictures, without labeling them all because I want to get to bed before breakfast!
Tomorrow we'll leave here for northern Colorado. Hope all of our *passangers* will continue to ride along with us!
YIKES!
Yeah...that's the road!
Time to take the sign down
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