Colorado Springs in Pictures

[pharmer]

Nothing more boring than long tales full of every detail of someone else' trip. So:


Up on Cripple Creek. Town had 55,000 way back, wild mining town. 1100 folks today.

2 ft gauge mining train re-purposed. The stiff breeze kept the coal smoke away for most of the trip.

View from the train.

Pic of the current mine-it's enormous.

Downtown closed for the "Big Donkey Race."

I'm afraid of heights and claustrophobic so naturally
we had to go into "Cave of the Winds." View from outside the gift shop.

Cave of the Winds wasn't high enough, let's try Will Rogers "Shrine of the Sun" Meh only 8,136 ft up. Fortunately the very top was closed, didn't bring extra skivvies.
I thot I thaw a putty-tat. Great zoo, they have many injured animals that would not survive in the wild.

Fuzzy's Taco Stand must not be missed as well as Rudy's BBQ. I know the locals prefer others but they took a brisket out the smoker and sliced it up. The 4 of us ate 2# of brisket and a pound of pulled pork. Most of the sides got left behind but the 3 bean salad was stellar. Spent $60 on 18 pc of "raw chocolate" in Manitou Springs, worth every penny. Wife and I also walked 5-6 miles early each day which ain't too shabby for a 65 y/o geezer like me. OK, I did huff-and-puff a lot. Joe

 

[44specialfan]

Lived in the Springs for almost 10 years so thanks for the pictures. That wall behind you there at the shrine is there for a very good reason ... we have some absolutely bodacious winds all along the Front Range. I feel sure that wall has saved the bacon for more than a few folks. Wishing you a great visit and safe trip home! Tony

 

[Targets Guy]

Just north of town.

 

[Targets Guy]

and in town in 2013

 

[Srruger762]

Thanks for posting picks it brought back Memories.

I miss going to Colorado my dad took me every year to mule deer hunt (miss them days & him) We would pack up from camp and stay out for two or three days. Wish I could live in the mountains, maybe someday. Took my wife out there a couple of times she fell in lov with it. She didnt like some of the back roads I took her on.....lol

 

[pharmer]

No snow that I could see on Pikes Peak. Wife won't drive it again and the cog train is busted, possibly forever. Lotsa folks "open carrying." I'm all for it but Maw and Paw along with Sonny and his wife packing Glock/XD's (yes, I looked) in a head shop perusing the bongs was a little "other worldly."
Everybody was so friendly and courteous (except on the road) I had to get used to it. Everybody spoke English except for the Canadian sales team planning their day in French at breakfast. The PGA Senior Open was at the Broadmoor the day we went up to the zoo. Folks were selling spots on their driveway for $50, can't imagine what it cost to actually see it. I did get a pic from as close as I could get. Joe

 

[meaneyedcatz]

Did you get to the Mollie Kathleen gold mine?

Mrs. meaneyedcatz and myself were there a few years ago, I want to go again.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Lived in Colorado Springs 1972 to 1983, most of that time serving on the Colorado Springs Police Department. At that time Springs had about 140,000 population and there were about 170 of us (sworn, plus civilian employees) on the department. I thought the sun rose and set in the Springs! Never wanted to be anywhere else.

Went to work for the State of Colorado, first out of the Capitol Annex in Denver, then they moved me to Pueblo. Been here ever since. Commuted (90 miles round-trip) for 6 months or so, then sold the house in Colorado Springs and bought one here (about 1/3 of the price at the time).

Now I hate going to Colorado Springs. The traffic is horrible. Crowds of people everywhere. Can't imagine ever trying to live there again. I go to Springs when I have to (once or twice per month), but I do what I have to do and leave ASAP.

Pueblo is nothing to brag about. We have our traffic problems. We have our crime problems. We have street gangs that make some areas off-limits to thinking people. In the car I joke with my wife, "Cover me, dear, I need to change lanes." I'm not sure we can completely get away from all of that stuff anymore, seems to be just about everywhere.

I'd really like to move back to America. If anyone can tell me where they hid my country at please let me know. And save some boxes for me so when I go back I can take all my stuff.

 

[pharmer]

The traffic is horrible.
I'd really like to move back to America. If anyone can tell me where they hid my country at please let me know.

I-25 is bumper to bumper all day, even weekends. In 2015 my son lived in Denver and traffic was bad, now same in the Springs. "They" didn't hide the country, it has been transformed. No one who promised "change" included "for the better" in their promise and most folks were too busy getting orangey fingers from their bag of Cheezy Poofs to notice. Joe

 

[pharmer]

Did you get to the Mollie Kathleen gold mine?

Passed it just before Cripple Creek. Not nearly enough time to see everything in the area. Joe

 

[Lt JL]

but did anybody have the cojones to drive Phantom Canyon Road? Florence to Victor/Cripple Creek up the old narrow gauge road bed.

 

[Bkreutz]

I'd really like to move back to America. If anyone can tell me where they hid my country at please let me know. And save some boxes for me so when I go back I can take all my stuff.

Lot's of America left, just gotta stay out of the cities. I have a buddy who lives just outside of Nathrop CO (look it up). You can hop in your Jeep and drive as long as you want and never come near asphalt. Idaho, Utah, Montana, Easter WA and OR come to mind. I've grown up in Seattle and except for the 10 years in the Army, and 4 years in Atlanta(not in the city), I've called this place home. I'm almost to the point of leaving, not quite there yet but it wouldn't take much to ignite the fuse. Spent yesterday with a buddy I grew up with (cub scouts, boy scouts, Grade, Junior, and High schools. Spent the time asking where our city went. Never did get an answer. Tourists can't get to the attractions because of all the tent people living on the sidewalks. A lady got raped in the restroom of a car dealer by a vagrant. Gotta stop talking about this, Wanna start packing.

 

[Abbynormal]

Last time I was in Colorado Springs was 1968, that overhead shot
showing the main drag didn't look much different 50 years later!