Tag: Colorado Springs

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Colorado Springs, Colorado to Oakley, Kansas (Half Way Back Home) October 1, 2019

We are now 1 MONTH FROM COMPLETING OUR 8 MONTH CROSS COUNTRY TRIP IN OUR 5th WHEEL RV “HOME”. We have TRAVELED 20,000 MILES on this trip so far. We are HALF WAY BACK to Melbourne, Florida, on our current southeast trajectory, to see our precious family and dear friends. Today we traveled from COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, through the high level plains of in the eastern part of the state, into KANSAS. We started our day at an elevation of 8,000 feet, and ended at 3,055, a 5,000 FOOT ELEVATION DROP in just a few hours’ drive. KANSAS marks the 18th STATE WE HAVE VISITED ON OUR TRIP. We have 6 MORE STATES TO VISIT, including Florida, before arriving home. We landed for the night in OAKLEY, KANSAS, founded in 1887, the birthplace of the legend BUFFALO BILL. Kansas is also the home state of President Eisenhower, and famous as a result of the classic movie blockbuster WIZARD OF OZ. Along the entire trip today we witnessed nothing but corn, wheat and alfalfa fields, as well as cows, and more cows. Moving along, we visit many family and friends!!!!!

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Colorado Springs, Colorado (North Cheyene Canyon Park, Historic Colorado City, Magic City – M. Garmin) September 30, 2019

Today we decided that a breakfast in HISTORIC OLD COLORADO CITY, a HISTORIC NATURAL DISTRICT, founded in 1859, would be our choice. We ate outside at, BONTON’S, a delightful family owned restaurant right on the quaint main street. It was an awesome environment with delicious food. We then went to the MICHAEL GARMAN MUSEUM & GALLERY down the street, which surprisingly turned out to be an absolutely amazing experience, with the most unique and detailed sculpted cityscapes you can imagine. The scenes within MAGIC CITY were raw and stimulating as everything you looked at was reflected from somewhere else with the use of mirrors and lighting. Don’t miss this one if you are ever in HISTORIC OLD COLORADO CITY. We then took to the trails in the NORTH CHEYENNE CANYON PARK, established in 1885, which is located immediately southwest of Colorado City. We hiked the SILVER CASCADE FALLS TRAIL to two beautiful waterfalls, the HELEN HUNT FALLS and the SILVER CASCADE FALLS. We ended the day at the top of the world, hiking the MOUNT CUTLER TRAIL to the peak of MOUNT CUTLER at 7,200 feet, overlooking Colorado City through the gorgeous mountain valleys. The park was gorgeous and very memorable!!!!

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Colorado Springs, Colorado – Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Manitou Springs, Pikes Peak September 29, 2019

Today we hiked the beautiful RED ROCK CANYON OPEN SPACE, which lies at the Western edge of COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, and also borders the historic town of MANITOU SPRINGS. The park was stablished in 2003 and sits adjacent the one million acre PIKE NATIONAL FOREST. We hiked and explored four trails today including the MESA, ROUND-UP, QUARRY PASS and ROCK CANYON TRAILS. We witnessed some of the most gorgeous RED SANDSTONE ROCK FORMATIONS, ponderosa pine filled valleys, and impressive mountains you can imagine. We also really enjoyed an old DAKOTA SANDSTONE ROCK QUARRY, which operated during the 1870’s and 1880’s, and mined in the so-called “hogback” (highest ridge) of the mountain. We then went into historic MANITOU SPRINGS for some terrific post hike food and refreshment. With a summit elevation of 14,115 FEET above sea level, the Manitou to PIKES PEAK RAILWAY is the highest railway in North America, which is a real tourist attraction in the area. What a beautiful site of Pikes Peak from town, and a glimpse into the very impressive railway as well. What a fabulous day!!!!!

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Colorado Springs, Colorado – Garden of the Gods September 28, 2019

We were able to build three extra days into our schedule to visit the incredible area in and around COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, located immediately south DENVER. We arrived midday at ROCKY TOP CAMPGROUND, situated at 8,000 FEET near the base of famous PIKES PEAK, which towers above the surrounding high level landscape, at an impressive 14,115 FEET. Instantly after arriving we left to investigate the stunningly beautiful, very large, and quite unique, rock formations at the GARDEN OF THE GODS. It is a donated, 1,350 acre, city park, which was dedicated a NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARK in 1908. The park offers stunning views of magnificent red sandstone rock formations, many of which were formed over 300 million years ago. We investigated the park by car and on foot, hiking three trails, the BALANCED ROCK, SIAMESE TWINS and the CENTRAL GARDEN TRAILS. Some of our favorite formations were the BALANCED ROCK, SIAMESE TWINS, and the entire, impressively beautiful, CENTRAL GARDEN area. What a fabulous place!!!!!