U. S. Air Force Academy/Pike's Peak Trip, Jan. 08

I moved to Colorado after graduating from Owens Community College. Thereafter, I applied to the University of Denver, and got in! To say the least, I was grateful and very excited. I would like to publicly thank my professors at Owens for their Letters of Recommendation!

One of the first trips John and I took, once I arrived, was to Pike's Peak and the U. S. Air Force Academy. Both destinations are on the way to Colorado Springs and in Colorado Springs. The drive to CS was very picturesque. We took I-25 south; which is along the front range and is on the eastern side of the Rockies.

The U. S. Air Force Academy is well known for it's Chapel. I've included numerous pictures which do not give the place justice. The grounds and buildings of the academy were great. Most of the halls and administrative buildings have a engineering and modern architectural feel. Very clean lines. The jewel of the campus (the chapel) is an architectural marvel. I encourage everyone to visit the Academy! Let's just say, John was in his element!

Pike's Peak has always fascinated me. The only mountain I was interested in seeing, once I arrived, was PP. After chatting with John I found out that it's not even the highest Peak in the state! Nonetheless, I had to see it. I was not disappointed! It stood majestically above the clouds and demanded attention. I think the reason Pike's Peak is so notable is because it stands alone. Most of the other 14ners are grouped with other mountains and you have to pick out the highest peak to identify the 14ner. For instance, Longs Peak and Mt Evans are a good example in the front range. I've included a few pics of Pike's Peak. These are not the best photos; the weather was starting to roll in, which is not conducive for good pics.

I didn't write much about our journey in this post. Don't let that diminish the beauty of the academy or Pike's Peak.

Next, a day hike at Roxborough State Park...

June 2007 Colorado Trip - John and Donna

Well, we left off at the bed and breakfast in Aspen. The Aspen area, in the spring, is gorgeous with it's ski lifts waiting for the first sign of winter and taking a much needed break! The city of Aspen is every bit of what I had heard, dripping with money. I've included a few picks of downtown Aspen.

The next morning we set out for the hike I had been waiting for the entire trip. John had told me about a mountain range near Aspen that is the jewel of Colorado. Maroon Bells are a set of mountains that are as majestic as they are tall. I've included a website for your enjoyment (http://www.stayaspensnowmass.com/p-maroon-bells-wilderness.php). The mountains are part of the 14ner club in Colorado. Colorado is known for it's number of 14 ft. mountains. There is a debate as to how many 14ners are actually in the state; but, the consensus is about 54. The Maroon bells are in the Snowmass wilderness region about 10 minutes from Aspen. I won't bore you with words as to how beautiful the Bells are; I'll just show you in pictures! We hiked about 3 miles in and of course 3 mile back and ascended up to over 11,000 feet. During the hike we enjoyed beautiful lakes, Maroon Lake and Crater Lake. I was not acclimated enough, to the altitude, to chance going up any further. The Continental Divide proved that one for me! :)

After experiencing the best hike of my life, we drove back to Aspen to rest up and head out for dinner. We had dinner, with an awesome glass of Cab, at a great Mexican restaurant downtown. After dinner we strolled around the city until dusk. All of a sudden we hear a loud boom. We look towards the ski and it's fireworks! Of course, John said he ordered them! Wow! I've included pictures.

The last day of our trip was supposed to be a hike in an area John had hiked a month earlier. I will not divulge a description beforehand. I'll let the pictures do the talking! :) The only thing I will say is that the hike up to this area was 1 mile straight up. It killed me, but I made it. Boy was it worth it. The name of the area is called Hanging Lake! Just when you think it can't get any better, it does... The website for the Hanging Lake hike in Glenwood Canyon is as follows, http://www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html.

Well, that brings us to the end of the Aspen trip. I hope you enjoyed the pictures. Next, we would like to share our trip to Colorado Springs and the U. S. Air Force Academy.