Pike's Peak in Colorado

The curvy route to the 14,110-foot apex of Pike’s Peak is 19 miles. Each mile is represented by an animal that lives at that elevation. The animals are pictured on the mile markers. Mark and I bet on what animal would represent the final mile. I took mountain goats and all things similar. Mark went with small rodents.

The representative for mile 19 is a pika—not a rodent but close. It’s in the same family as hares and rabbits. Mark won the bet.

Snow was on the ground though the warm sun was melting it to mud. At the top, Mark and I hopped out and change into hiking boots, which were in the trunk. Dressed in shorts and sweatshirts, we stepped lively over to one side of the Peak, scrambled past the tourists to the other side, snapped some photos and hightail it back to the car. Whew, was it ever cold.

Though Mark won the 19th mile bet, I have other bets I’d rather win. We were on our way to Cripple Creek, Colorado and black jack.

In Cripple Creek we gambled for a couple hours and only lost $10.50 before we headed to our stop for the night in Can~on City, Colorado in the middle of the state.

The next morning we drove west to Salida to the cemetery to hunt for my great-grandpa’s grave, but the graveyard was so big, we never found it, but I’m glad we stopped in Salida. Downtown is north of Route 50, and is the only town for miles around, so if you’re near Salida and mealtime is approaching, stop in.

We filled up our tank and tummies and turned south on 285, which turns to 17, to the alligator farm/fish hatchery. The place was a working hatchery but had become commercialized due to the novelty of alligators in Colorado. Because of the natural springs, the water stays a certain temperature year round, warm enough for alligators. They were originally brought here to eat the fish guts that hatcheries naturally produce.

For $5 apiece we entered and saw snakes, geckos, caimans and alligators. As a money-making ploy, an employee literally shoved a baby alligator at Mark and took his picture. We didn’t buy though.

Outside was a show. An alligator wrangler roped one of the large reptiles, none of whom were eager to participate, and he drug it up to land and sat on his back and demonstrated how to get the mouth open. I say demonstrated because some fool people sat on the animal’s back and got the mouth open so that their wives or friends could take pictures for posterity. I consider myself a risk taker, but no thank you, ma’am.

After our fill of the fishery, we aimed south toward Mosca and the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, one of 10 National Parks we visited on our trip.
The dunes appear out of nothing and nowhere. They are one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in the way of scenery. These are so much more than the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes in Michigan. Those dunes are nice yet spread out while the Great Sand Dunes in Mosca, Colorado are enormous dune upon dune upon dune upon dune.

I have so much to say about them, I don’t have room here. Check next week for the follow up.