Off to Manitou Springs.
The last leg in our Colorado tour took us to Manitou Springs, a cute city just west of Colorado Springs. We really enjoyed our stay here when we visited in 2023 and wanted to come again. We’re even at the same hotel, The Cliff House at Pikes Peak. Very fancy and an end of run splurge!
We left Idaho Springs about 10:30 to get on I70 West to Georgetown where we picked up CR 381, the Guanella Pass Road. Taking it relaxed we climbed to 11,680 feet to Guanella Pass and down the other side. It’s stunning territory no matter how you travel. There are lots of pullouts and scenic overlooks where you can let the grandeur of our land sink in. The sky was overcast with spritzes now and again. There’s also a lot of haze from the wildfires in Utah and elsewhere. A sobering thought concerning our environment and its challenges.
We continued on to US 285 that brought us to the Jefferson Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad Depot which is a National Historic Landmark marking the terminus of a narrow gauge railroad that ran from about 1880 to 1937 serving cattle ranchers, miners and passengers.
Our immediate goal was to find some hot coffee because we were a little chilled. So we stopped at the cafe next door, The Moose Caboose and got in line. The coffee was good and plenty hot! There we met Jeffrey and Rob and who are life long friends. Even though they live 2,000+ miles apart, San Francisco vs Columbus, OH, they’ll meet wherever the fancy takes them. This time it’s Colorado. In August it’ll be Alaska! They turned us on to Butler Maps, which are really helpful resources for riders. We gave them the skinny on Mt Blue Sky, where they suddenly wanted to go. It was a fun conversation. More, it strikes us as remarkable that a friendship will bring them together so durably over the years.
Co 77 was next and it is a beautiful, fun, twisty route through vast swatches of ranch and forest land. It’s the kind of riding that is both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time.
We finished on Rt 24 into Manitou Springs and check in. We have the pleasure of an upgrade to the General John Pershing Suite! We’re not sure what makes this a general’s room, but the bed is soft and the decor is early 20th Century.
Whimsy is in dangerous of taking over at this point. We’re tired and need our rest. Sweet Morpheus is calling!
Tomorrow is Pikes Peak and we’re off to an early start to make our timed entry reservation.
Wandering Retirees 