All Aboard to Pike's Peak
- Jun 25, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 9, 2023
Rockies Game and our Trip to the Top of America's Mountain
Our fourth weekend in Colorado began Friday night at happy hour. Cuba Cuba has quickly become one of our favorite spots in Castle Rock - the $5 mojitos can't be beat and the atmosphere is fun and bright - if you couldn't see mountains in the background, you could be temporarily transported to an evening in south Florida. We have really enjoyed trying Cuban specialties (yes Tyler has broadened his horizons!). If you have never had plantain chips you must try!
Saturday morning we went on a new hike in Castle Rock in Ridgeline Open Space. The views were awesome. The air quality has been fairly hazy and at times the Rockies are hard to see; so we were thankful for the clear skies! For those who have been asking about little Lucy and how she is adjusting; let's just say she was born to be a mountain girl. Lucy loves hiking and is always in the front leading us. Our girl loves the sunshine and exercise (she is definitely more fit than either of us). She is usually ready to keep going while Tyler and I are catching our breath!
In the evening we headed to Denver to go to our first Rockies game. The Avalanche hockey team was also playing that night so the city was busy - you could feel the energy and excitement in the air. Yes, we are bandwagon fans now - go Avs! Tyler ensured we got seats where we could enjoy mountain views while watching the game. The weather was fantastic and we had the best time being locals for the night, celebrating two Colorado wins!
Sunday we headed to Manitou Springs to ride the Cog Railway to Pikes Peak with Tyler's younger brother, Tanner. Tanner has been living in Colorado Springs for a few years now and being able to see him brings us the comfort of home. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway is famous for being the highest cog railway in the world - reaching 14,115 feet at the top. The trip is 3 hours total, boarding at the cutest little train station in Manitou Springs. Along the way, the conductors do a great job of providing the history of the railway. Pikes Peak was the inspiration behind "America the Beautiful." Katharine Lee Bates said "All the wonder of America seemed displayed there."
We boarded the train at 12:40 and were in awe as we made our way up the mountain.
Riding the Cog Railway is an absolute must when in Colorado - just make sure the weather is projected to be clear and sunny for your ride! When we left Manitou Springs it was 85ºF and sunny - when we got to the top of Pikes Peak it was a windy and cloudy 31ºF. We were freezing and definitely had hoped for warmer weather and clearer skies. Most of our 40 minutes at the top was spent staying warm inside the visitors center. Luckily, we caught a little window of sunshine and the clouds opening up just as we were getting ready to board the train to head back down.
The top of Pikes Peak and the ride through the mountains is just incredible. No pictures can do it justice. The vastness, the mountain range, the waterfalls, the little purple flowers, and lush greenery exude the Glory of God. I hope we never forget these moments where we stand in awe of His creation, soaking in the creativity and beauty of our Lord!
Thank you for sharing in this adventure with us!
- The Wandering Wrights
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