Pikes Peak and Good Music

Taken from the top to the

 This morning early I let the alarm clock into the bedroom to rouse Ken and we headed to Pikes Peak.  It was an awesome drive.  The road is a cross between Rattlesnake/Powatka  and the road to Hat Point.  Both of these are in NE Oregon (Wallowa County).  They leave nothing to chance with signs at the bottom to make sure you have at least 1/2 tank of gas and turn your AC off.  Not only won't you need it but is also guzzles gas.  Up and up we went.  Up past the treeline into alpine country.  The road is paved and quite wide.  But the farther we went the more squirrely my stomach got.  Can I get us down???  The was MY question I kept to myself.

These pictures were taken mostly with the little Olympus as we left the Canon big lens in the "basement" of Whitney/Trav's van. The railway tracks for the COG trains that comes up daily.

 This is the wall of the first station built in 1873.

 Ken on the other hand was keeping his own question to himself?   I'm not feeling good; my head is going a little squirrel; is that my lungs that are feeling weird.  Man I'm too big for anyone to get me into the pickup.   That was Ken's questions HE kept to himself.

 The COG train.  Not my kind of ride.  I'm very happy driving it thank you very much.

We took pictures coming down. 

As I wheeled around to "get it over with" I saw the beautiful panorama ahead of us and was just fine.  The drive down was even more beautiful.
However I wouldn't want to be on motorcycles coming up here.  It is COLD.














 Way down south is strip mining of some kind.

There are several lakes all over that can be seen on the way down.

 Yes the road just snakes around and around and around.

 The summit is 14,115'.  There are many mtns over 14,000' in Colorado.  Pikes Peak ranks 32nd.

 It was an enjoyable day.    We came home and promptly took naps.

 Then we went to the clubhouse, crashed a cocktail party and listened to a great small band serenade some Texans that are leaving tomorrow.

 She is 73 years old, legally blind with a stupendous voice.

Seranding a couple with a love song. 

Great day and wonderful weather.