Kent has been itching to drive up this mountain.  Today is the day.  We sign up for the 8-10 time slot and find the highway nearly to ourselves as we set out.  The super helpful gate keeper hints that we save enroute stops for the downhill.  It is supposed to get very windy later in the morning.  Sounds smart.  Kent sticks to the speed limit as we climb and swish through first smooth curves then tight switchbacks.  I’m pretty sure he is enjoying it!  We near the top.  The outside temperature has dropped to 39 and the wind already pretty strong. 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.

We are both noticing 14000 foot elevation!  Going down.  We make an emergency stop as one of those adorable but obviously not brilliant marmots dashes in front of us.  We pull off at nearly every stop on the way back down to oh and ah at the views and check for wildlife on the high meadows.  Unfortunately, no luck with that.  Kent might share his own take on it but from my perspective, it was a fun day.

They are big on sasquatch on the mountain.

We make a short stop in Manitou springs for a spring water tasting tour.  Town is busy and parking is a pain but we do find a spot and sample 5 of the 8 springs from varyingly ornate bronze fountains. 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.