We arrived at Buckley SFB (Space Force Base) - it use to be and AFB (Air Force Base). After a 10 hour drive we arrived to a blistery rainy and cold late afternoon. We gained an hour seeing how we went from Central time to Mountain time. he wind was blowing so hard that during the night we thought our slide toppers would blow off. The toppers are like an awning that goes over the slides to prevent from getting on it so when you bring the slide in the debris wont block the retraction.
The base was ok but not a whole lot to right about but the views were spectacular. For us that have been away from it for a while like 30 years the white stuff in the back ground of the pictures is snow!
The next is a photo of our poor little motorhome sitting in a valley. It's the one in the center of the picture heading to the right.
We were now at an altitude of 5,500+ feet. This was nothing compare to what we would experience shortly. We were heading south towards Colorado Springs and a train ride on a Cog Train up to Pikes Peak. An altitude over 14,000 feet. As a pilot once I'm over 12,500 feet I must be on oxygen. On our way to the train we had one little stop to make it was to the USAF Academy.
I have always been impressed with the pictures I had seen of this place through out my Air Force Career. Below are some photos showing the Majestics of the surroundings of this place. The picture that most see here is of the Citadel - it is under repair at present. The first couple of pictures are of the welcome center, the surroundings and then from a distance.
The next set of pictures are of their class rooms - I hope they have a map when they first start. Not that the size of this place might be intimidating.
As we drove around the base I kept seeing gliders soaring over head. Some where being towed by a plane (Cessna 172) others where just soaring. It makes sense that if they are going into the Air Force there had to be some sort of flying - so we ventured down the mountain to their airfield.(a glider field).
At the field they had two planes on pedestals the first is the T-38 - they were used as part of the Air Force flying acrobatic team. The other being the A-10 I have no reason why they would have one. The T-38 shows the snow in the back ground and where we were heading next.
From here we headed through Colorado Springs and to Manitou. This is really a pretty town. One thing I found here is that they have a lot of watering holes (Bars). Obviously it is touristy - not only do you have the train but you have those that like a challenge who try and some due accomplish the climb to the top. On our way back down there was a couple gentleman who were catching a ride back down. they had climbed up. As they were talking about there previous trips up the mountain. One guy had mentioned how he had been tracked by a mountain lion up. Another had mentioned how stupid it was for people to wear bells on their clothes it only a tracks things like bears - who are curious. He had mentioned how hikers in the past had been attacked because of the bells. The first couple pictures are of te depot and the train we would be riding up and back. We were informed that in 2017 - 2021 was the first time the train had been closed since it's existence. They had replaced everything on the track and some new Cog cars from Switzerland.
The next couple of photos are of our gradual clime up and our surroundings to include some water falls.
Next is one of the original pumping stations for Colorado Springs - it is closed now.
We continued the argues climb to the top. Notice how the trees are leaning.
We are now starting to see our tracks a head.
We still continue to climb. We are starting to get above the tree line. If you look close to the left side of the lake that is part of the old care takers road (dirt) - I believe they said it was 38 miles long.
This is the oldest tree on the mountain. It looks dead but you can still see green on it. There is one tree older then this one and it is in Southern California apparently.
We travel even higher until we are greeted by one of the older trains coming down. You can tell it's an older cars - it only has two cars where we have tree cars - they can carry more - like 150 soles - especially if it derailed. This makes me think of the Charles Bronson movie Breakheart Pass where this car is derailed and all of these soldiers go off the side of the mountain.
Check out the switch back that looks like it is covered in snow.
We continued to climb we finally come to a road which has been cleared but it closed at present. The road up is 19 miles with a lot of hair pin turns. They have a race once a year where in 2021 there was a new record of just over seven minutes.
In the distance you can see the eastern side of the continental divide - the ridge with snow on it.
We are finally reaching the summit! They say that on a clear day if you look east you can see Kansas. We had just left there we weren't looking to go back any time soon.
Next we have my lovely bride ensuring that this being the last of the day because of weather coming in was not leaving with out us!
So how many know or remember who Katherine Lee Bates was. There is a plaque up here - which is below. She got the idea for the song America the Beautiful from up here.
On our way to Colorado Springs on I-25 we passed a town called Castle Rock. I couldn't get my photographer to take pictures of this towns name sake on the way down. But I convinced her on the way back up. You can see why she hates taking pictures with an auto focus cameras. In all farness I was doing in excess of 70 MPH and I was under the speed limit of 75 MPH.
Our next trip was to see an idle of mine and many small children of my era. It was the final resting place of Buffalo Bill - not to be confused with Wild Bill who was murdered in Deadwood. Buffalo Bill is Burred out side Denver Colorado on Look Out Mountain (Not to be confused with the Look Out Mountain in Tennessee). He had chosen where he wanted to be Buried and his wife complied. I wasn't impressed with the Museum. Not that he was a great man and had done great things. We have to bring WOKE into it. Why do we change the stories!
I forgot I hadn't down loaded those pictures. I will add them at my next stop which will be out side Ogden Utah and Hill AFB.
We have now departed Colorado and over the border in Cheyenne Wyoming. We went to a bison ranch (Terry Bison Ranch) with a train ride and feeding (from train) today. These pictures and story will be uploaded in a couple of Days.
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