The are some things in life you just have to go & experience. Doughnuts baked at high altitude definitely seemed to fall into this category.
To achieve this first we had to whiz along the SanteFe Trail in Van Morrison before turning towards Colorado & the Garden of The Gods.
Use link to find out more about the Garden of the Gods
A bloke by the name of Charles Perkins had once owned the land. His children bequeathed it for all to the city of Colorado Springs for all to enjoy for free.
Garden of the Gods
It’s an awesome place with huge rock formations with paths which allow you to wander amongst the giant rocks.
It is a fantastic place for photos & getting there early is recommended in order to avoid the crowds. This also makes getting a parking spot a bit easier especially if in a van.
We camped overnight in Manatou Springs at a pricey RV park in town. It was convenient but probably would have been cheaper had we pre-booked a spot.
We wandered up the main street & had a bite to eat & the next day headed for the hills. Well I say hill what I actually mean is a mountain.
Peeking at a Pike?
Pikes Peak is 14,115 foot high which earns it the title of ‘fourteener’ & is located in Colorados Front Range. The mountain is also known as Americas Mountain & the inspiration for “America the Beautiful”
Pikes Peak to be not quite exact as it seems the mountain actually has several names. Some of which come from the First People who would have been living near many years ago.
It is large & the access is controlled it can get extraordinarily busy so booked time slots are recommended.
As it happened we took a chance & were able to gain entry. Be warned though you have to use the lane on the far right if in a vehicle that’s taller than 10 foot!
We would have caused chaos if we had gone into the wrong lane. Not to mention the fact we might have sheared the roof off.
The road is steep & windy as you would expect on the side of a mountain. I suspect it would cost a fair bit if you had to be towed off. The lesson here is to ensure your vehicle is in good shape before you start. This is especially important for the brakes on the decent.
Burning rubber is an odd aroma to inhale & disintegrating brake pads aside the views are stunning. For us the weather was clear & the sky blue with only a sprinkling of clouds so we could literally see for miles.
Use the link to discover more about Pikes Peak
https://www.visitcos.com/things-to-do/pikes-peak/
Going Down
Some venture up by train & the really fit or totally bonkers climb up. The emphasis on being fit as with any high altitude the oxygen levels are different. There were several who had succumbed & were being given medical assistance.
They also have perfected the art of making doughnuts to the top secret recipe in the cafe at the top. Definitely a thing to try what ever way you venture upwards.
Hubby would have loved the opportunity to have rode a motorbike up & down but had to make do with the van.
Once we had scoffed doughnuts it was time to mindfully make our way down careful not to roast the brake pads.
Back on the main road we began the onward journey.