Traveling-U.S.A

9 4 06 Colorado Springs

Labor Day we chose to take I25 right thru the center of Denver. RV’ers know that Sunday is the best time to drive thru a major city and we figured so was a holiday. No problems and we pulled into the Elk’s Lodge at Colorado Springs. After settling in we toured Garden of the Gods. It is a beautiful city park with unusual stone formations. Very pretty.

Bob got his cold back so we got a late start and I drove up Pikes Peak Road. What a view. Thru the binoculars we actually could see our trailer at the Elk’s. And we were way far away. Around 40 miles as we drove but probably at least 20 as the crow flies. Bob drove back down so I could swivel neck. We then went to Woodland Park to a restaurant that advertised Clam Bakes but there were no clams so we didn’t have that. We were able to get diesel fuel for $3.069 a number we haven’t seen in months.

Bob was so sick on Wednesday he never got out of his chair all day. He drank plenty of fluids and took some pills and by Thursday we was back to his old self. It acted like a cold but since it was so temporary it must have been the flu. I took the truck and went to a couple of stores. I started a new project in needlework. It is a mystery sampler. One or two lessons 4 times a year. I finished lesson 1& 2 and called a friend to email my missing lessons.



Thursday we got back to siteseeing. We went to Cave of the Winds. We have been to better caves so while interesting it wasn’t the best. A crying baby didn’t help. Did met a couple from Cleveland. Then we went to Cripple Creek and Victor. Both old gold mining towns.




At Cripple Creek we took a narrow-gauge railroad ride and learned the history of the town. (Also met 3 Ohio couples. One who is a cousin of a former co-worker of mine at the hospital). Millions of dollars worth of gold have been removed from the area. During the gold rush hundreds of mines were in operation. The lady doctor in town was the inspiration for Dr. Quinn Medicine Women a TV show a few years back. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were also here doing their thing. Robbing. There is still gold mining going on but now it owned by an African company. It is open pit mining where they crush the ore, add chemicals which leach out the gold and settles in holding ponds. Last year they took out $360 million and they expect to do it again this year. It does make for an unsightly mess in an otherwise pristine mountain area. Back in town we ate dinner at the Mason Jar. Had a lovely mountain trout dinner for $11. The owner came around visiting each table and yes, he too was from OH and had graduated YSU. I guess this was Old Ohio days for us.

Friday we had thunderstorms most of the day so didn’t go anywhere. In the evening the lodge had a ham and scallop potato dinner we attended.

Saturday we woke to sunshine. We got an early start and went to the Royal Gorge Bridge. The world’s highest suspension bridge.

On the way our tire pressure alarm sounded and we had to stop in Canon City for a new valve stem. Sure glad we had it as we did over 60 miles of dirt roads coming home. The most beautiful one was Phantom Canyon from Florence to Victor. Narrow, twisting road with beautiful red rock cliffs. 3 tunnels with single lanes. It was easy to see why during the gold rush this was a bandits haven. Many a stage got robbed. From Victor we took Gold Camp and Old Stage Road back to Colorado Springs.