Cheyenne Mountains SP

Up---up---up---Raptor's Glenn---the name should have told us what to expect!!!  Here we are at Cheyenne Mountains SP---absolutely beautiful!!!  Our dining window faces "the mountain" while the opposite side looks down on the southern end of Colorado Springs.

We got here on the second of September, so the first day was spent driving here and setting up.

Day 2 was spent with our friends, Mark and Teri.  They drove 3 hours just to visit and spend the day.  We asked them what they wanted to do while here and the response was "we just want to visit," and that is just what we did.  There was a balloon festival going on early that am.

That evening, Fort Carson put on a fireworks show.

At 10:00pm, taps are played...I love it!!!  You know what you can hear at 6:30am, you got it.  You try to spell it!!!  

At night, the lights from town are gorgeous.  I haven't had luck with night photos.

Day 3 was spent on another mountain top.  Pike's Peak.  We decided on going by way of the cog railway, the highest one in the world that reaches 14,115', with an elevation gain just over 7500'.  It takes 3 hours to reach the top and the trip is 9 miles.  It is named for Zebulon Pike who discovered it while he was out exploring land for the Louisiana Purchase in 1806.  

Taken after we cleared out at the top.  We were given 40 minutes for photos, shopping, etc.

This is the end of the line.  We are glad it stopped!!!  You can see what the track looks like.  A cog railway climbs by using a gear-like wheel, the cog, to engage the teeth in a center rail, the rack.  It climbs 25' for every 100' it moves forward.

Pike's Peak was the inspiration for the song, "America the Beautiful."

This is the tilt of the train.

The area with the dirt, flat top, is Cripple Creek.  They get a million dollars a day from that gold mine.  It has produced more gold from the earth than California and Alaska combined!!!  You also can view the Continental Divide from the train.

We did see Bighorn Sheep.

Come back for day 4.  We are ready to do a hike here in the park. 

Until next time...