Colorado Springs, Colorado
Sep. 20 - Sep. 26, 2020
Sunday, we made a trek up Pike's Peak today. We were here in 2002, nearly 20 years ago! The road to the top was still gravel then. Today they have the whole top torn up and under construction. We were able to drive 16 miles up then a shuttle took us the rest of the way up. There was a huge line waiting to get into the visitor center so we just walked around a bit and got back on the shuttle. We are fairly certain that the USGS marker has been dislodged with all the construction. They are supposed to be finished by next summer so maybe we will come back. The cog railroad is also being renovated. What a beautiful place. Next we went to Garden of the Gods. Talk about beautiful, the clouds ruined our pictures but the place is so pretty anyway.
Monday, we didn't do much of anything today. It was a pretty day and I enjoyed the outside for most of the afternoon enjoying the Walt Longmire series getting ready for the new book that drops tomorrow. I am three books away from this new one. Three very dark books, I love Craig Johnson's work.
Tuesday, we knocked another scenic drive off the list today, drive 44, Highway of Legends. What a really beautiful drive. It was overcast all day and there were rain clouds on the mountains. The leaves are changing and the landscape is incredible! It was a long drive and we skipped the museums but man, just the driving is worth it. I am amazed that our copy of The Most Scenic Drive book is from 1997 and is still mostly accurate. We stopped in Trinidad for lunch at "Mission at the Bell", a pretty darn good Mexican restaurant. We got home and chilled, I listening to "The Western Star" and Elard is watching the bru-ha-ha over the SCOTUS nomination. I'll just leave that there.
Wednesday, we did a little new exploration today. We started at the Ghost Town Museum. It was several old fashioned shops moved inside a larger building to preserve them. It was fun, each shop had an audio recording telling what was going on in the shop in first person! They even had old fashioned phones, with the separate ear piece you hold up to your ear, it had a little old lady talking to her friends on the party line. Next, we went to the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company for lunch. I found them in my notes from the last time we were here in Colorado Springs. We figured that if they were still here 18 years later, they ought to be good. The food was good and the beer was solid. We went to a local liquor store, Downtown Fine Spirits & Wines, for a restock run and on the way there were all these Humpty Dumpty sculptures. The liquor store had a unique assortment and I forgot to ask them about the sculptures. I found out they are called the Humpty Dumpty Brothers, the first appeared 15 years ago, so cute. Finally, we stopped at the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum. It was in the old county court house and had a wide variety of exhibits. It was a really good day.
Thursday, the new Craig Johnson book dropped Tuesday and I still have one book to listen to get caught up. The new book, Next to Last Stand, is the 16th book in the Walt Longmire Mystery series. So, I decided to sit outside and work on the travel log quilt. I managed to get a whole row done on the quilt.
Friday, I (we) couldn't resist listening to Next to Last Stand today. It was so good, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"...you'll have to read the book! I also finished adding all the blocks I have cut out, to the travel quilt and did laundry.
Saturday, we got a slow start today, we started at Starr Kempf's Kinetic Sculptures. The artist created metal sculptures in his yard, he passed away in 1995 but the current home owners have several of the sculptures still there. It felt a little like we were intruding but they are soo cool. Next we tried to visit the 4th Infantry Division Historical Museum at Fort Carson but they were closed. We were able to walk around the tanks they have on display outside and the Kit Carson sculpture. Fort Carson is also at the base of Cheyenne Mountain, AKA NORAD. Next we visited Herkimer, the world's largest beetle. He is in desperate need of a paint job and poor thing's jaw is broken. Finally, we found a the Peak's N Pines Brewery for a refreshing beverage...the museum was closed after all. Oh and Mississippi State beat LSU in "Death Valley"... Elard is watching UFC Fight Night....Life is good y'all.
Make Life an Adventure!
