Learning to be a Rebel...or at least how to use one

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Colorado Springs: Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs & Pikes Peak

After our morning at the Balloon Festival and our breakfast at Rudy's we drove through Garden of the Gods - a beautiful public park with amazing rock formations! We made a couple of picture stops but didn't want to spend too long because we wanted to get to the town of Manitou Springs to have lunch before taking the cog railway up to Pikes Peak!

Once we finally found a parking spot we walked around Manitou Springs for a while. We did some shopping and grabbed a light lunch. The locals of Manitou Springs reminded me a lot of the keep Austin weird folks! Lots of hippies and free spirits!

Spring running through Manitou Springs

Natural Soda Springs...the water tasted weird

Such a cute little town!

Doggy treat dispenser...so cute!

Patsy's for lunch!

After spending some time in Manitou we headed over to the Cog Railway Station to take the train up to the top of Pikes Peak. The ride up was very enjoyable - lots of interesting facts, pretty scenery and calming ride.

When we left the station we were at an elevation of 6571 ft

Lots of BIG rocks

Up to 8332 ft

Pretty pretty - still below the treeline

Now we're above the treeline - almost no trees

Windy Point 12129 ft - and it was very windy!

Mom & Dad on the way up

Me & Justin on the way up

Pretty sky!

Once we got to the top it was COLD - about 40 degrees (it had been about 90 at the bottom when we left). Luckily we were prepared with our sweatshirts and were able to look around and take some pictures but then it started drizzling. You only have about 45 minutes at the top before the train goes back down but that was plenty of time since there were a lot of people crammed in the gift shop because of the cold/drizzly weather.

We made it to the top!

Our train car

America the Beautiful was written because of the view from Pikes Peak!

14110 ft - and it was COLD!

Some rain in the distance!

Unfortunately for me the ride down was not nearly enjoyable as the ride up. After about 20 minutes of being at the top I started feeling bad. I was kind of expecting this because I got altitude sickness when I was 6 and went to ski school in Santa Fe (10,350 ft) and didn't quite feel normal when we went to the top of Haleakala (10,023 ft) in Maui last year. Turns out going up to 14,114 ft in about an hours time is NOT for me. The conductor said I should start feeling normal around the treeline (around 11,000 ft) but that wasn't the case. I didn't really feel better until we were in the car about halfway back to the hotel. I'm glad I went to the top and got to see the beautiful view from Pikes Peak but I think that will be my one and only trip up there!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Colorado Springs: Balloon Classic

Justin, my parents and I went to Colorado over Labor Day weekend. It was a very quick and BUSY trip but we had so much fun! My mom wanted to take me to Colorado Springs because I was born there 25 years ago and haven't been there since we moved when I was 6 months old - so I obviously don't remember it! Justin and I fell in love with Colorado - beautiful scenery, great weather, and a little bit slower pace than Austin. We pretty much crammed everything to do in CS in a 2 day span.

Saturday morning we woke up bright and early and went to the Colorado Springs Balloon Classic - a hot air balloon festival! I absolutely loved this! Our old Round Rock neighbors drove up from Denver (they had to get up suuper early) and a supplier my dad works with met us at the festival. It was so neat watching all of the balloons get "blown" up and take off. Once a majority of the balloons had taken off we walked over to the lake nearby because the balloons try to touch the basket to the water. I got tons of great pictures and really enjoyed the cool morning weather with mountains in the background!

Justin ready to see some balloons fly

so excited!

Sun & balloons rising!

The moon was still out - so pretty

Lots of spectators

I LOVE the colors of this balloon...taking a peek at the inside

Balloon equipment

They're starting to go!

Pretty pretty

We watched this one go from the truck to the sky!

Pretty blue sky

At first we thought the balloon in the back was an acorn...nope it's Smokey the bear

Spirit of Colorado - how appropriate!

So many colors

Fiesta!!

I love the cowboy balloon with the mountains in the background

Balloon touchdown

Soo many balloons

One of my favs!

Love the balloon reflections!

Checkerboard

So much excitement!

There was all kinds of food/vendors at the festival but we headed over to Rudy's BBQ for breakfast. This was a real treat for our Denver friends since the only Rudy's in the state is in CS!

When we were walking back to the car these guys were landing in the field we were walking by. We stopped to watch them land - it was so neat! They were from the Air-Force Academy.