Travels with Grace

On July 12 we drove to Denver International Airport to pick up our granddaughter Grace Tayler to travel with us until July 22. Grace is the fifth granddaughter to join us on our adventures traveling the country. We wait until their 13th birthday to celebrate this "Right of Passage". Grace has some experience traveling but this was her first solo airline flight from Sacramento without an adult. Her flight was delayed a few hours getting into Denver but it still was early enough to have dinner with her Uncle Erik at his house in Thornton, Colorado.

On Sunday, July 13 we attended church then drove south to Colorado Springs for the next two days. We arrived at the Norris Penrose Event Center after a big rodeo event and found an RV site with water and 50A electrical service. The weather in Colorado since we arrived has been in the high 80's and low 90's, so we needed electrical power for the air conditioner to work. We went to our friend Kim Robinson's new home and met her husband Dave Sheets. They were married last May and we enjoyed visiting and catching up.

On Monday, July 14 we drove up to Manitou Springs to catch the COG Train to the top of Pikes Peak. The Cog has been climbing Pikes Peak since 1891. They are proud to be one of the most unique experiences in the country. Recognized as the world’s highest cog railroad, The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is an important part of the heritage of the Western United States. Taking this journey is like walking the footsteps of history, and now the adventure is even more iconic and inspiring.

The weather at the top of Pikes Peak was snow and 55ºF

Pikes Peak, known as America’s Mountain, is the star attraction but the journey along the way is full of show-stopping moments. We will never forget this 3.5 hour round trip journey and our first glimpse of the Summit.

The next day, before leaving Colorado Springs, we had scheduled a Segway tour of the Garden of the Gods. The area now known as Garden of the Gods was first called Red Rock Corral by the Europeans. In August 1859, two surveyors who helped to found Colorado City explored the site. One of the surveyors, Melancthon S. Beach, suggested it would be a "capital place for a beer garden". His companion, the young Rufus Cable, awestruck by the impressive rock formations, exclaimed, "Beer garden! Why, it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods." However, an 1893 issue of the Colorado Transcript reported that Helen Hunt Jackson assigned the name "the Garden of the Gods":

Pike Peak is just over Karen's right shoulder. Completely different weather!

Our last stop before the end of the tour was for photo with the "Praying Hands" as our background.

We explored this beautiful park the fun and easy way on a Segway tour with our tour guide Bobcat. We learned about the ancient history of the park’s red rock formations and got to see how natural shapes like Kissing Camels and Praying Hands got their names. We covered about 5 1/2 miles on our Segway "chariots", much more ground than by walking and had a blast!