Day 5

Today was PACKED full of fun.  First we went to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings.  It was really neat but unfortunately it was one of those places that had been stripped of it's natural beauty from being turned into a tourist trap.  But it was really cool to be inside a real cliff dwelling.

entrance

We picked a perfect day too!  Blue skies and white puffy clouds.  Perfect contrasting background for the rusty colored rocks of the cliff dwellings.


Next we headed on up the road to the PIkes Peak Cog railway.  What an experience!!!  There really are no words to describe it.  It really felt like you were on top of the world!  We even tried their world famous doughnuts.  Note to self though: don't run when on top of Pikes Peak (elevation over 14,000 ft).  It'll make you feel like you're gonna suffocate.

Ascending.   PIkes Peak Granite

Whistling Marmot

I could have stayed at the top longer!  It was AMAZING.  The train only allows you 15mins at the top to avoid altitude sickness.  So we tried to run around to all sides of the peak to see the views and snap some pictures.   Since it was a little over 3 hrs round trip, it was just about time for dinner when we got down.  We decided to drive around and we came across an amazing brewery (Lance spotted it, of course).  The Colorado Mountain Brewery!

We asked our waitress where a good place would be to watch the sunset behind the peak and she suggested Garden of the Gods.  But before we headed over there we thought we would check out old town Manitou Springs.  It's adorable!  Tons of cute little shops and eateries.  PLus they have these little fountains everywhere.  I guess they're tapped in the springs.

River though Manitou Springs.  The first river I've seen with water flowing through it

On our way back to our hotel we stopped back by the Briargate Horses.