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7/ 20 /00 Day 13, Thursday, We're off to Colorado Springs. The tour book indicates there are many things to see and do in CS. We passed up on the Air Force Academy though it looked impressive from the freeway. We stopped at the visitors center for the city park "Garden of the Gods", but decided to wait until tomorrow to vist this huge rock garden. We drove through Manitou Springs on the way to the Cog train ride to Pike's Peak. We plan on walking around tomorrow. We caught the last train to the summit of Pike's Peak. It was an interesting ride up, though not much to see until we cleared the tree line. The valleys we went up were very steep with a 25% angle of ascent. We were told about the auto race to the top of Pike's Peak that is held every 4th of July. It is a dirt road with true "hairpin" turns. A normal person would drive it in about 60-70 minutes; the winner of the race did it in just over ten , I repeat, 10 minutes. He averaged 120 mph and was clocked on one hairpin turn at 76 mph!!!!! INCONCEIVABLE!!!! We had moments of clearing skies with downpours of hail the size of marbles the next. When we reached the top we were in thick clouds; then lightning and THUNDER all around us. In ten minutes, it lifted above the summit providing a view of the known free world. The pictures don't do justice to the view we had... SPECTACULAR!!
Entrance to 1300 acre Garden of the Gods Park-Colorado Springs Rocks viewed from visitors building-pinkish-red color
Sign in Manitou Springs train station Under a thunder storm looking towards Denver
2 car train coming down the mountain Sun, hail on ground and thunder storm over Rocky mountain foothills
Remaining wall 1873 summit house-Current summit house in background Lynn and Craig on top of Pike's Peak-adjusted for deep shadow!!
Marty Marmot Standing and smiling Sun breaking through after thunder Storm
Thunder cloud over nearby mountain Colorado Springs, Kansas beyond-easily a 200 mile view |
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