September / October 2016
31
peak (14,110 ft.) in the lower 48 states
takes your breath away. Literally. The
serpentine road follows valleys and cliffs,
with only a few guard rails, through 156
turns up the bolder strewn mountain for
12.42 miles. Our drive began warm and
sunny at the bottom with pine trees gently
swaying in the breeze, and slowly gave way
to a desolate oxygen starved summit. Our
cars performed to perfection, never missing
a tight corner or incline. Their passengers,
however, were out of breath just half way
across the parking lot.
We sat in the shelter house catching our
breath, the lack of oxygen and altitude
being felt by all. Jim Cummings rose to the
occasion, providing coffee and donuts. It
was the middle of the morning and I don't
think the flavor combo had ever tasted so
good. Feeling slightly better, we all decided
it was time to head down. We were soon
driving again at angles only meant for
mountain goats. At the bottom, happy to be
alive, it was time for some real food.
Manitou Springs sits near the base of Pikes
Peak and has an eclectic mix of shops and
restaurants making up its down town. We
quickly found a local brew pub. Soon our
very nice bohemian-tree-hugging waitress
was setting down pints and burgers, while
we shared stories of majestic views, bolder
strewn landscapes, and a near miss of a
particularly daring ground hog.
Top: Jeff & MaryAnn Abbott, Maya & Jim Cummings, Fred & Cindy Quintana, Deborah Thorne. Far left: Brave Gopher.
Photos by
Stan Thorne
& Fred
Quintana
