Wednesday, Day 25, June 6, 2012

Good evening from Manitou Springs, Colorado close to the base of Pikes Peak. What a wonderful tiring day. As I told you yesterday I made my reservation for the train ride through the Royal Gorge and I had to show up this morning for a 9:30 AM departure on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

Two Engines to Pull 17 Cars Uphill

Train Had 3 Dome Cars

One Engine to Help Push Uphill And Pull Downhill

Inside my Coach Car. I Sat Next to River.

See the Engines up Ahead on Curve

Rapids on Arkansas River in Royal Gorge

Side Canyons in Royal Gorge

Wooden Aqueduct Built in 1800s. Now Collapsed

Suspension Bridge From Train

Shear Wall of Royal Gorge

One of Many Rafting Boats I Saw

Another Rafter

Old Prospecting Equipment

More Old Prospecting Equipment

Suspension Bridge, Walls of Gorge on Way Out

Old Steam Engine That Pulled 3 Coach Cars Years Ago

As everywhere I have been I have met some interesting people. For example at the motel in Lusk, Wyoming I forgot to tell you about the young lady who was running the desk, and preparing breakfast who was a real cow girl. She participates in rodeos as a barrel racer and calf roper. She was dressed the part with cow boy boots, shirt, and big black hat. I talked to her a short while comparing her experiences with horses to that of Nicku. Then last night when I checked in at Canon City, Colorado I met a couple from Missouri. They had spent their who life on the farm and ran a large dairy farm. He is now in the process of retiring and this is their first time away from the farm for an extended time ever. He graduated from the University of Missouri and they had two daughters who graduated from the University of Missouri. One a journalism major with a masters in business administration and the other with a degree in some scientific field. The interesting point was the daughter with the journalism degree when she went to work in business her employer was thrilled that he " finally had someone who could write ". Isn't that interesting. They were also on the train ( same car ) with me.

That get us in and out of the Royal Gorge and we move on to The Garden of the Gods. I am sorry I am not showing more photos but the Internet connection is so slow it is taking 2 or 3 minutes to upload each photo.

Holes in Sand Stone Hill

Hugh Sand Stone Hills

Another San Stone Formation

The Garden of the Gods is a beautiful place comprised of Red Sand Stone mountains that have been shaped in some strange ways. I am closing this posting because I keep losing connection to the server and I will try to catch up at a later date. I drove up to the depot for the Pikes Peak COG Railway and made my reservation for a train tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM so I will have to start stirring around early in the morning. When I complete that ride I will be heading east with the next stop somewhere in Kansas. I am at least a day ahead because things have been close together and I did not have any long waits or delays. We have just had a good shower and a thunderstorm so that may be causing Internet service to have a problem. I love you all very much and miss you. Grandpa Bill.