Royal Gorge - April 2008

It still amazes me how the settlers of the West managed to navigate the diverse terrain, especially in Colorado. There are over 55 peaks above 14,000 ft., canyons so narrow man can barely get through and mountain lakes and streams that require your best skills to cross. My guess is that the sheer beauty of the land gave them the strength and courage!

John decided to take me to a fantastic canyon that descends 1,053 feet to the valley floor. The canyon name is Royal Gorge, which also houses the world's highest suspension bridge. They are not kidding about that part. To say the least, I was a bit nervous while crossing the bridge on foot, especially when a vehicle drives by as as you are walking across! The entire bridge shakes!!! To add insult to injury, the wooden planks are strategically placed a half inch apart so you can view the beautiful Arkansas river WAY below!

On the other side of the bridge John and I had a little fun at an old western town that has been turned into a tourist attraction.

It was an exciting trip nonetheless!

Trip to Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park and The Stanley Hotel - Feb. 2008

Hello all,

It's been quite a while since I last updated this blog. Please forgive me, it's been a very busy year. Nonetheless, I thought I'd share some of the backpacking, hiking and just plain sightseeing trips John and I have taken during the last year and a half.

This post contains pics of the drive to and the city of Estes Park, home of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

You will see pics of the beautiful mountains along highway 36, a stunning stone catholic church just off of the main highway, Bull elk fighting for female attention (some things never change! :)), a picture of the Stanley Hotel - made famous from the movie The Shining (we stayed at this hotel that night), and a pic of a beautiful lake near the hotel. We liked the hotel so much we went back in Nov. of 08! Last, but not least, we did a few miles of snow shoeing in the park.

Enjoy!

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...