It is July 4th. We are up pretty early on a beautiful bright sunny morning. It is heading for 95F. We need to find a holiday-appropriate activity to cool off. That’s when we decide, yes, we are going to the Fourth of July Wet Parade in Pueblo West. It is exactly what it sounds like, parade goers and paraders engage in a 1 ½ mile long water battle. Sounds pretty unmanageable right? You ought to see the list of rules published to attempt to do so.
We arrive at the wet end of the parade route (the first ½ mile is designated dry – as in no water battle allowed). Our first thought is to walk to the dry end thinking we don’t want to get dripping wet but get caught up in the spirit and decide to stay along the wet portion of the route. We are unarmed and a bit older than the rest of the crowd so as long as we don’t get caught up in an active spectator battle wet parade etiquette seems to limit our exposure to light, long-distance volleys. We get just wet enough to be reminded that this is a different sort of celebration.
We settle into a viewing area just a bit back from the road and among family spectators. The Mayor suspended water restrictions for the event. Parking regulations have been relaxed allowing locals to pre-park along the parade route 3 DAYS in advance. The place is a bit crazy. There are tanks of all shapes and sizes and even pickup beds lined with tarps and filled with water. Pre-parade engagement rules seem to be “any one armed is fair game”. If they are still dry, they are premium targets. Spirits are high and groups rove the street coalescing into a flash mob to douse randomly selected sideliners. It is hot and the sun is blazing. We gladly accept the occasional overspray. The parade is actually a bit tamer as float riders (all prepared for the onslaught and most returning fire) are absolutely inundated. No bands. Only one brave politician. The honor guard is actually a van with flags out all the just cracked open windows. It is all as far from patriotic as any 4th celebration I know of; but it is a great way to welcome in summer.
Fireworks, gotta find some. We settle in at Pueblo West City Civic Park around 8PM. We know just the place to watch from, a lush picnic lawn we walked through earlier today. Still an hour or more until dark but locals are already lighting up the sky with some pretty impressive fireworks of their own. We relax in the cool evening air to enjoy the show. One, two, three high explosions signal the beginning of the official display. We don’t even get the first oh or ah out before we hear the hiss of sprinkles, literally right under our blanket, firing off. We scramble out of reach and take in the rest of the show, standing, to make it easier to stay out of the spray as the rest of the zones come on in turn. The day ends as unordinary as it began.
amazing roadside find, a one-man project, Bishop Castle. It is three stories of stone and iron with flying walkways, stained glass, seemingly endless spiral staircases and a dragon head. We climb and weave our way through towers and inner rooms. What fun. Kent makes his way high into the spherical topworks of the tower. You could climb around for hours searching for hidden chambers and stairways in this structure.
We stretch our legs on the circle trail around Lake Isabell. There is lots of fishing happening but according to the folks we talked to not much catching. Rainbow trout are the target catch. We cruise through the NF campgrounds and picnic areas all along a creek and nestled in the edges of the thickly wooded valley. There are a few sites that could accommodate us….someday maybe.
It is #72, county fair style, built in 1911 as the 72nd by Parker Amusement Abilene KS. The current complement of carved horses isn’t all the originals but they all date to the early 1900s. I am doubly excited because they even have a working band organ. Sadly, they only play it evenings so I miss out on my afternoon ride. Bummers, watching the instruments and hearing that distinct sound is a big part of the carousel experience. Still, it was a fun ride and only $0.50.
Once in town we head for the Cripple Creek and Victor narrow gage steam train. We are in mining country (gold mining up here) and this railroad runs all small engines as were used to transport ore at mines across North America. Our little engine #3 is a 0-4-0 meaning just 4 small drive wheels and no lead or trailing trolley wheels. Small but mighty it carries us out of town for a dirty, smelly trek through Cripple Creek mining history. Smoke swirls around the engine and back to the open cars carrying cinders with it. We can smell and even taste the distinct odor. I should not have worn khaki pants! It’s all over in just 45 minutes still well worth the hour+ drive up here.
It follows the route of the 1884 Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad built to move Cripple Creek ore to the Florence smelters. It is graded dirt, narrow, winding, a bit pot-holed and wash boarded, and as we later find out includes some cool tunnels. We pass though miles of otherwise undisturbed mountain wilderness descending from 9000 feet to around 5500. At the bottom we share the narrow valley floor with a beautiful creek. Gray and green modeled granite formations with splashes of rusty red rise on either side. Some places steep and smooth other times at odd angels or sort of bulbous in shape looking like long fingers reaching into the sky or giants towering above us. Muted green of pines and juniper cover all but the steepest outcroppings with brighter green aspen intermixed. Brilliantly colored wildflowers accent exposed sunny slopes and dot recesses on the cliffs where ever they find purchase. The creek gurgles through its rock-strewn pathway with areas of the bank blanketed with brilliant green grasses. It is a wonderful drive. We see only light sprinkles of rain. There is dispersed camping along much of the valley. Looks like it might be great for a few quiet days – tent or car camping of course.
A yellow-bellied marmot prances around on the snow. There’s some chance he’s looking for a hand out. Our little pick-up made the ascent no problem. 
We climb out and put on all the clothes we brought with us and make our way to the visitor center. Its new since I was here with Mom and Carol. Nearly all the area is paved or platforms so very easy to get around and signboards are well done. Stop one, the snack bar and Pikes Peak donuts. The cinnamon sugar ones are definitely better. We check out exhibits and the gift shop then just relax with the view for a while.
They are all some variation of salty and metallic tasting but each has its own unique flavor based on pH and the minerals it contacts as it moves underground. My thoughts, none is really great tasting but the Navajo is the east objectionable. Iron Springs is as you might expect, irony; but it is fizzy enough that it sort of grows on you. It was interesting to compare. A stop at Colorado custard is the perfect post-tasting palette cleansing.
the route of our train ride on the Cumbres and Toltec. It is a beautiful drive and gives us opportunity to get some great rolling pictures of the train. We spot a few elk along the way and scope out access places to trail heads and campgrounds in the Carson and Rio Grande National Forests. This could be a great site for future adventure. 
the 2 ½ mile drive at Monte Vista NWR and find lots of blackbirds and the usual collection of ducks. Nothing spectacular. I do find it amazing to move through this lush landscape in such an overall arid environment. Thankyou snow melt!
It’s been on my list
since we got here. What a joke. It is definitely an “anything for a buck” place not the serious sort of alien believers we have found at Roswell and Marfa. Probably worth the $5 each for entertainment value!