After a short 2-day visit and a family dinner at Susan’s house (my twin sister) in Fort Collins, Colorado we headed for Colorado Springs and a couple of days of being a tourist. With only one full day plus the afternoon of our arrival, we decided to hit the highlights in the area, which meant Pikes Peak via the cog railway (our high), Garden of the Gods and Cave of the Winds (our low). We will explain this comment in the narrative that follows.
Garden of the Gods – 
The RV Park we chose was just outside the Garden of the Gods area, so we were able to tour this remarkable area late on Monday, the day of our arrival. The area is punctuated by towering spires of stone that rise abruptly out of the ground at random spots. The area had been subjected to geophysical forces that actually turned the layers completely to the vertical. Then through the process of erosion, sections of the various layers remained and we enjoy them. This is a really an easy side-trip if you are ever near Colorado Springs. It area is free to the public as stipulated in a private donation to the City of Colorado Spring. Linda really enjoyed the Gift Shop which also included a short film on the history of the park. Most of the remarkable formations can be seen from your car or there are easy walking trails around the various parking areas and overviews. Enjoy some of our photos in the slide show below:
Pikes Peak on the Cog Railway – The trip to the top of Pikes Peak was a “sure thing”, but we had to decide whether to drive the truck up there (about 20 miles) or to ride the cog train. With the cost of diesel and the possibility of something happening to our only means of transportation, we chose the train. That was a very wise decision and the ride was way more fun than an hour in the truck. (Especially with the screams Linda lets out at every hair-pin-turn.) We saw yellow bellied marmots, mountain goats and black tail deer on the ride. Although we started around mid-day we were very fortunate to find the top clear of the clouds that often obscured the peak in the afternoons. At 14,110 feet above sea level, this was our “Rocky Mountain High”. Please enjoy the photos we took on the train and at the top in the slide show below:
Cave of the Winds – The cave was more than a simple cavern with stalagmites and stalactites, although we saw plenty of both. This a very extensive series of caves of sizes varying from cathedrals to crawl holes. They have various levels of “tours” depending on your physical abilities. We opted for the “family tour”, exploring lit passages and special areas within the cave led by a knowledgeable tour guide. They also offer a “lantern tour” which takes thrill seeking adventurers into parts of the cave that are unimproved, their only light an old candle in a metal reflective tin like the original explorers. We took pictures where light was provided but they do not really show the natural beauty of the site.
Being underground, this was our Rocky Mountain “low” – strictly in terms of altitude, as it was lots of fun! For the more adventurous (usually younger) individuals they have “Terror-dactyl”, a huge straight down swing into a deep canyon (videos here) and “Bat-a-pult”…that is a propelled zip line ride. Neither of these were on our list of things to do nor on anyone else’s list on the day we were there.
Lots of the RV camps also have cabin’s. Donna said a motel in Moab was $212 – cabins are like $30. Spend at least 2 days.
Am really enjoying the travel posts! I am going to have to convince Ron that we need to do the tourist thing in Colorado Springs!