On Monday, September 21st, "G" and I took a ride up to the tippity top of Pikes Peak! Me, who is petrified of heights, decided to bite the bullet and ascend to the summit - no matter what. I'm not sure who suffered more during the drive, either me, from agonizing over the sheer cliffs, or "G," who had to listen to all my pleas to slow down, move away from the edge or PLEASE BREAK!
"G" picked the best possible day to take this trip. The temps at the top of Pikes Peak are 40° lower than at the base of the mountain, so with high 80's in Larkspur we had the perfect combo. It was only a short drive south on I-25 to the park entrance and we recorded the drive up to the peak on our Go Pro Camera. I tried for hours to upload my video to YouTube, however, not being on my desktop with all of my saved passwords popping up automatically, I'm locked out of my account after too many attempts trying to gain access. Once I get over the desire to toss the laptop and iPad out of Allie's window, I'll try to get one posted here.
There are no words to describe the magnificent beauty of the trees, turquoise reservoirs or rock formations that envelope the entire area. The photos below give you an idea, but breathing the cool crisp air (not much oxygen over 14,000 feet) and glimpsing the 360° panoramic vista is, as fellow RVer, Frank would say, "AWESOME."
Interesting facts about Pikes Peak
- It's the highest summit "southern Front Range" of the Rocky Mountains in North America. Highest point east of its longitude.
- It was named after Zebulon Pike, who never made it to the top.
- It was inhabited by the Ute Indians and then the Arapaho
- It is the 26th highest peak in the Continental U.S.
- In 2006, Crayola dedicated the color "Pikes Peak Purple," in reference to the line "Purple Mountain's Majesty" in the song, America the Beautiful.
- The correct spelling is not "Pike's Peak," but "Pikes Peak."
- Pikes Peak is a State Park, not a National Park.
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| A photo of Sir Duke's GPS screen. Only clouds over 7,000 feet. |
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| Glad we drove up and didn't take the Cog Rail Train. |
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| My proof..... |
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| Winding roads, without guardrails, the whole way up. 13 miles. |
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| We haven't mastered the art of the selfie. |
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| Sir Duke, in all his regal glory, basking in the sun just below the summit. |
Deep thought for the day: America the Beautiful. The words to the song have begun to make sense to me. We drove beneath, "spacious skies," saw "amber waves of grain" and finally understand the "purple mountain's majesty," which overlooks the "fruited plain." I always thought this should have been our National Anthem.
Yessirreeebob...you continue to conjure up wishes and goals for Winnie's Bucket List. Such a good job is describing your adventures and experiences. Pictures may be worth thousands of words but they can never replace or convey what being there does to the indelible memory of the observer.
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