Day Sixteen (a day late)

It was a long day yesterday and too late to post when we got back to our room on Peterson AFB.

We started the day with driving  through Garden of the Gods.  It is so beautiful there!  Since we were there the last time they have added some excellent additions to the visitor's center.  Here are a couple pictures.

Then we headed to Seven Falls.  When we lived here we would take the girls and they loved watching the fish and the chipmunks.  We could drive right in and park close to the entrance.  Now the Falls are owned by Broadmoor.  You have to go miles away and park in a lot and ride a shuttle in.  Golfer and I were both disappointed in the changes and complaining to each other.  When we were waiting for the shuttle to take us back to the car, Golfer asked the attendant when the change took place.  We were told in 2014.  Following the disastrous fires in the area there was a huge flood that washed out the roads and some buildings in the Seven Falls park.  I guess Broadmoor bought it to fund the repairs.  It helps to know there was a reason besides greed, but we prefer to remember it how it was and we didn't spend a lot of time there.  But here is Golfer at the top of one of the landings.  (we took the elevator up, not the stairs)

And on the topic of remembering how things were, we had had Royal Gorge on our "to-do" list.  We crossed it off and decided not to go.  We had taken the girls there also when they were little.  Nurse J especially did not like walking out on the bridge!  Now it has been turned into a large amusement park and the fee is $24 per person.  We preferred to remember as it was when it was more natural and beautiful instead of tacky.

Yesterday afternoon we took the cog railway up Pikes Peak.  It was raining on the way up, and more cloudy the higher we got.  By the time we got to the top, the wind chill was 28 and it was snowing!  So much snow that we couldn't take pictures.  It was a fun ride but the wind, snow and altitude sucked all the oxygen out of the air!

This was when we first got off the train at the top.  Right after we took this selfie, the snow really started coming down.

So that is how yesterday went.  Our suite on base is very nice.

Stay safe and God Bless America!