Monthly Archives: November 2015

So I lied. Truth is, with snow in the forecast this week and my back killing me, I didn’t think we’d do anything travelogue worthy the rest of the month. Here’s a post I feel like I owed Colorado Springs. We did a bunch of hiking in the area over the summer but I never got around to writing about it.

If you like hiking, this is a great city to live in. It’s a small city, not quite a half million, but not exactly Ma and Pa Kettle. Damn, that’s dating me. I barely remember those movies but I do recall one scene that made me laugh. They’re going to the big city and Pa straps one of these ancient change makers around his neck. Seemed like everywhere they turned he was cha-chinging out tips. When he used it in a restaurant I laughed. I guess you had to be there (and be ten years old).

Anyway, Colorado Springs has a nice little downtown with loads of shops, restaurants and bars making for a sometimes raucous night life, you know, gunfire, people run over. It also has its share of homeless and, this is Colorado and Colorado Springs is not immune, people who shoot other people – remember New Life Church, no not that asshole Ted Haggard, the 2007 shooting (please read this if you’ve got jusome time: http://www.5280.com/magazine/2012/12/jeanne-assam-still-waiting), and the walking killer of Halloween morning 10 days ago. But there are psychos everywhere so don’t take points off for that. In Colorado we let them have guns.

The weather is pretty great here overall. Scenery is beautiful with Pikes Peak looming over the gorgeous Garden of the Gods (free city park), Seven Falls (expensive rip-off), and the entire city. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo sits up on the side of the mountain that housed the former home of NORAD. Nice view. Lots of giraffes. And if all that isn’t enough, legal marijuana is just a shout away in Manitou Springs. Just about on the border between Manitou and Colorado Springs is Red Rock Canyon Open Space, not to be confused with Red Rocks, the state park and concert venue up in Morrison on the west side of Denver.

Red Rock Canyon is all about hiking, biking, and rock climbing. Though most are very easy, some trails gain 800′ of elevation. It’s also a nice place to walk your dog. They even have off leash trails. The pictures attached are all from yesterday’s easy three miles.

The second picture features a rock climber. The third peaks back down the rather wide trail we took to the west side of the city. The next few zoom in and out on Garden of the Gods in the distance – those big rocks bulging out of the ground.

Colorado Springs, nice place to live. Now how about a few bucks for the promo, mayor?

Last thoughts – I’ve been sleeping late and the dreams keep coming. This morning the last dream was me sitting at a table with a few people (unknown) discussing the previous dreams of the morning. That was pretty weird. All very vivid. Kind of like a double rainbow – WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

I know it’s been a while since the last email/post but the Mets were in the friggin World Series. Come on. I had no idea Kansas City was so good. The best team beat the second best team. Wait till next year when Zack Wheeler comes back. Be afraid all other teams, be very afraid. And that’s all I have to say about that.

A few pictures of the Holbrook to Taos trip are included. The stop about 10 miles west of Albuquerque was at an RV park that has appeared as a backdrop for some movies. That was last week so I can’t remember the names of the movies. They have a half dozen or so vintage RVs that can be rented. Taos is a tourist town. Scenic mountains to the north. Julia Roberts lives there, sometimes. And that’s all I have to say about that.

The drive from Taos to Colorado Springs included some white knuckle stuff and wet snow at the top of La Veta pass, just the kind of driving conditions we were hoping this life style would avoid. That sucked because we were kind of in a hurry to drop the RV off at the repair shop before they closed.

So here we are in a 115 year old rental house about a mile from where that nut shot three people last week. It’s actually a nice neighborhood really close to Colorado College and a mile from our grandson. He’s so cute.

This might be the last email/blog post until we head out of here in December. It’s been a little cold to go exploring and all that RV connecting/disconnecting three days in a row did a number on the spinal issues. But, Thursday’s spinal shot might lift my spirits to write something. If not, and if it’s your nature to worry and/or be paranoid then go take some tranquilizers. The rest of you, go have a drink. Talk to you in December. I’m going to get some egg nog and vanilla rum.

One last thing – I’ve been dreaming a lot since we got back here in relax mode. Last week you were all in one. Are you ready, dream analysts? I was driving a bus in some nasty weather and stopped to pick up one of my cousins who had been on the blog until his passing in September. He was rejoining all of you on the email list. I started driving again and the rough dark road seemed like it was becoming a canyon and we were flying above it. We were. As soon as I realized that I was driving a flying bus I took that hint – I was flying and realized it was a dream and left the bus behind. Maintaining altitude was a struggle but it still allowed me to fly with colorful, flying dinosaurs among tall, sparkling, colored mountains. The trouble with taking over the flying and knowing you’re flying is that you’re on the edge of consciousness. Enjoy those flights, dreamers. They don’t last long. Also had a dream with you, Monique, riding bikes. Somebody figure that one out. Monique was a bowling partner.

And that’s all I have to say until the next one. Happy Thanksgiving.