August 2017
We began our second full day in Colorado Springs with a ride on the historic Pike's Peak Cog Railway. This marvel of Swiss engineering took us from Manitou Springs up to the 14,000 foot summit. At some points, the front and rear of the 2 car train are several stories above/below each other. The temperature at the summit was about 30 degrees cooler than where we started and there was even some snow up there. Despite looking down on some cloud cover below us, there were amazing views from up there. After the train ride back down, we drove to the US Air Force Academy. We were lucky enough to be able to wait out a few massive thunderstorms in the visitor center before taking a self-guided tour of the campus and walking some the trails to get a close-up look at the campus.
The early morning view from our hotel in Colorado Springs
The early morning view from our hotel in Colorado Springs
On our way through Manitou Springs
On our way through Manitou Springs
Arriving at the Cog Railway Depot in Manitou Springs for our ride to the summit of Pike’s Peak
Arriving at the Cog Railway Depot in Manitou Springs for our ride to the summit of Pike’s Peak
Arriving at the Cog Railway Depot in Manitou Springs for our ride to the summit of Pike’s Peak
Waiting for our cog railway train to arrive
Waiting for our cog railway train to arrive
We were assigned to the Leadville car aboard the cog railway train
Cog trains are an engineering marvel
The cog trains uses these specialized tracks to climb the 14,000 feet to the top of Pike’s Peak
Swiss made cog trains warrant a Swiss Railroad clock
Here comes our cog railway train!
Here comes our cog railway train!
Here comes our cog railway train!
More hummingbirds! They’re so plentiful in Colorado.
On our way to the top of Pike’s Peak
On our way to the top of Pike’s Peak
It’s not all just rock on the way up Pike’s Peak
The views get better as we go
Slowly climbing above the treeline
So many rocks!
Looking down on a mountain lake
We’re above the treeline
The cog railroad staff work to get us to the summit
Looking more and more like tundra as we go higher.
Passing another cog train
Passing another cog train
The views are spectacular from up here
And now we’re above the clouds!
The views are spectacular from up here
Getting closer and closer to the summit of Pike’s Peak
An open pit gold mine on a neighboring mountain
We’ve arrived at the summit!
Deboarding the cog train at the summit of Pike’s Peak
Words don’t describe the views from the summit of Pike’s Peak
A panorama of the view from Pike’s Peak
There’s snow up here!
Snow and an amazing view. Who could ask for more?
Words don’t describe the views from the summit of Pike’s Peak
A panorama of the view from Pike’s Peak
We’re over 14,000 feet for the second time this week. Oxygen? Who needs oxygen?
My mother cannot resist these things
I’m pretty sure you can’t take this bigfoot on the train down if you buy it.
We finally saw a bighorn sheep. Now if we’d just see a real one.
Who knew that America the Beautiful was based on Colorado.
It really does feel like the top of the world up here
Clouds keep passing through
It really does feel like the top of the world up here
Our ride to the top of the world
Hanging out at 14,000 feet
My mother at 14,000 feet
Our ride to the top of the world
Getting a closer look at the specialized tracks the cog trains use to climb the 14,000 feet to the top of Pike’s Peak
Getting a closer look at the specialized tracks the cog trains use to climb the 14,000 feet to the top of Pike’s Peak
Aint that the truth!
The tracks run right to the top of the mountain
Looking down on a mountain lake
It has to be tough work on the tracks at this altitude
A mountain goat on the way down the mountain
Baby mountain goat! Need I say more?
Baby mountain goat! Need I say more?
The views are just as spectacular on the way down
Passing Windy Point on the way down Pike’s Peak
A marmot running around on Pike’s Peak
We’re down to 8,000 feet at Minnehaha
The rocks around here are massive
The rocks around here are massive
We drove past Miramont Castle on the way out of Manitou Springs
Our next destination was the US Air Force Academy
The Cadet Chapel is the most recognizable building aboard the US Air Force Academy.
Looking out over the US Air Force Academy
Falcon Stadium, home of the Air Force’s football team
Falcon Stadium, home of the Air Force’s football team
The living quarters of a typical Air Force Academy cadet
This hand-carved wooden falcon actually came from New Jersey
The Cadet Chapel is the most recognizable building aboard the US Air Force Academy.
Cadets follow the lines of the terrazzo as they move from one class to the next
Cadets follow the lines of the terrazzo as they move from one class to the next
Looking out over the terrazzo
The US Air Force Academy could not be in a more picturesque setting
The Cadet Chapel is the most recognizable building aboard the US Air Force Academy.
The Cadet Chapel is just as eye-catching on the inside
Looking up at the ceiling and stained glass of the Cadet Chapel
The back of the Cadet Chapel houses a massive pipe organ
The pews’ shape mirrors that of the chapel iteself. They look like they’re ready to soar into the sky.
One pew is reserved in honor of those who are prisoners of war or missing in action.
A combination of frosted and stained glass windows give the chapel a blue hue
Under the main chapel lies a smaller Catholic chapel
A Jewish chapel lies beneath the main chapel
A small Buddhist chapel is below the main chapel
The exterior of the Cadet Chapel points skyward
The US Air Force Academy could not be in a more picturesque setting
A static display of an F-16 fighter jet sits along the edge of the terrazzo
The massive terrazzo where US Air Force Academy cadets move from one class to another
Polaris Hall points directly to the star for which it’s named
The Cadet Chapel is the most recognizable building aboard the US Air Force Academy.
Plaques commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Academy
The honor court and its many airplane statues
The Cadet Chapel is the most recognizable building aboard the US Air Force Academy.
Looking out over the athletic fields
The B-52 static display is an Academy landmark
Heading back toward Colorado Springs
The tower at the US Air Force Academy’s airfield
Falcon Stadium, home of the Air Force’s football team