We spent the night at the Gunsmoke RV park just west of Dodge City and very happy to have power to run the air conditioner. At 0800 the temp was already 85, we were told that it normally does not get that hot until later in July.
Dodge City is a place of cowboy history, legend and lore so of course we had to visit boot hill. Contrary to popular belief Wyatt Earp is not buried there. The hill is the final resting place of the towns poor, strangers and those killed in a gun fight. They were buried in their clothes with their boots on and so the name Boot Hill.
Still standing is the original 2 cell jail, a school, church and a replica of a street as it was in the 1880's.
Travelling westward we several times crossed the Santa Fe trail where for 50 years from 1822-1872, thousands of wagons crossed the plains to the west, so many, that the ruts made by the wagons are still visible in many places.
As we moved west the temperature dropped down into the 90's and by the time we reached Colorado Springs it was 87.
We had long heard of Pike's peak and arranged a trip up the mountain on the cog railroad to the summit at 14,110 feet. The ride up takes 90 minutes and the temp at the top was 42F and a pretty good wind made it feel like we were home in December. We we glad we wore long pants and a jacket. What a change from the heat of the last two days but the view was well worth any discomfort we felt. We could see for miles out across the plains to the east were we had just travelled and across the mountains to the west and north.
The views of mountains ,the lakes ,the forest and the plains inspired the poet who wrote the words of the song "America the Beautiful" after visiting the peak.
We spent the rest of the weekend with Diane's cousin Doug and Beverly Freeman in Colorado Springs. On Sunday we took a drive through Bear Creek State Park, about a 20 mile drive through unique rock formations, waterfalls and forest. We thought it was really nice until we visited the "Garden of the Gods" the next day. We think it should just be called "God's Garden"
There are hundreds of incredible rock formations and the road winds and twist up the mountain and around boulders that are bigger that house's and of different types of rocks. It is truly a unique and spectacular place.
On Tuesday Doug took us to Bishop's Castle, a place built by one man, starting in 1969, he has worked at it for 42 years and likely will never finish it, it has turrets, towers, huge rooms with stained glass a glass peaked roof, and a fire breathing dragon on the top. He is building a moat around it and he has moved huge stones and beams with pulleys and belts and all manner of ways he has invented himself. Quite remarkable.
After leaving their home we stopped at the United States Air Force Academy. to visit the most unique chapel We have ever seem. It is actually 4 chapels in one with the largest protestant one on the main floor and a RC, Jewish and Buddha on the lower level.
In the main chapel there is a plaque on the front two rows that reserve those seats for POW MIA's What a nice way to honour those still missing.
Wednesday morning we went to Rocky Mountain National Park. The highway goes to 12183 feet (3713 M) . The views are incredible and changes around every curve (and there are lots of those) in many places there is still as much as 8-10 feet of snow but where the ground is bare the tiny flowers and grasses have bloomed. There is only as few as 6 or a maximum of 12 weeks growing season at this attitude. We saw several herds of elk, numerous waterfalls, lakes and mountain peaks.
The trip around the park took nearly 12 hours and from the park entrance to the nearest town the elevation drops about 5000 feet in 30 miles so we coasted to our camp site.
For some reason I can't post any pictures now but will get them on ASAP.
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