Made it through Raton Pass just fine at the speed limit, although I did have to down shift to do it. Brought back memories of my youth when I had a breakdown making the ascent. NOT a good place for car trouble, believe me.
A point of interest just beyond the pass.
Linked to larger.
So, I sit just 212 miles from Westminster, meaning my outbound trip is 87% over in three days.
I've really missed my air horns the past three days. It drives me nuts and makes me want to give fools a blast of the horn when they go around me and cut 30 feet in front of me at 78 MPH. Morons.
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20130708Mon:
Drove from Starkville to Colorado Springs. That's only 129 miles (not counting wrong turns). I got here around 1300, just in time to register at the hotel. I emptied everything out of the car to lighten it up for some mountain driving this afternoon.
Drove to Cripple Creek, at 9494 feet. Ran my dash cam around CC. Hope that came out good, but I haven't checked it yet. Cripple Creek has changed quite a bit since I lived there in the early 1980s. Casinos do that to a small town.
Seen from above ... Mt. Pisgah on the right.
Images are linked to larger.
On the way back to Colorado Springs I took some photos of Pikes Peak from the less famous West side.
There are some patches of snow visible below. Kinda hard to tell it's snow, but it is. I'll get a closer look in a week.
When I got back to the hotel, I took these pictures of this rig in the parking lot.
Heading up to Denver (Westminster) tomorrow to check into the Westin.
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20130709Tue:
Got to the hotel around 1300. Got my car detailed. Looks good, for now.
WiFi is an additonal $11 per 24 hours! :(
Like other high dollar hotels I've stayed at in the past, no microwave nor fridge.
You can get them, but you have to make the request and they'll bring them to
your room, IF the limited supply hasn't already been taken. I lucked out and got them.
It sure seems that the more you pay for a room, the less you get.
Well, there are about 10 other cars here so far, with more expected in the next few hours.
There are 110 registered for the event. Tomorrow morning the SoCali group will arrive.
Some of us already here are going to drive up to Loveland Pass to meet them
for the final 60 miles of their journey.
Photos are linked to larger.
View from my 7th floor room ...
Kermit (Alan) and his babies, Molly and the new pup, Gizmo.
Sunset over the mountains West of Denver.
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20130710Wed:
I tried to meet up with the SoCal smarties at Loveland Pass.
Originally, the plans were to depart at 0700. I woke up at the ungodly hour of 0530 to join the welcoming caravan.
Went down to the parking lot, where I learned they were behind schedule and the Westin group wouldn't depart until 0900.
Went back to the room to consume a couple cups of coffee.
Then, went back down to the parking lot just before 0900, but the caravan had already departed.
I decided to make the drive to Loveland Pass solo, hoping to catch up. Didn't make it. Nice drive nevertheless.
I later found out that I'm not alone in being an out of towner who experienced difficulty in navigating Denver. Like all big cities, it is frustrating.
Some kind of water birds making themselves at home on a solar array near the hotel.
Just because we could, three smarts in two parking spaces.
Sunset
Night shot from room.
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20130711Thu:
B & F Mountain Market
There's snow on them thar hills!
A kayaking accident, apparently. Traffic stopped both directions.
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20130712Fri:
Concrete pond from hotel room.
Scene from room. Rain in distance.
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20130713Sat:
At Red Rocks
Below, in HD or original size.
Our photographer, way up on the hill
Car Show time!
Dang. I didn't take many pictures at the car show, and I wish I took more. It was too damned hot! I had to take several breaks to cool off. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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20130714Sun: Pikes Peak. I think 17 of the cars from the Nationals made it to the Pikes Peak drive. When I first made it to the summit, it was sleeting! :-) Temperature was 44°.
These are the tracks for the cog railway.
Take a walk in a cloud.
^^^ "It's a good thing we're wearing sunglasses! Didn't expect the clouds"
Captain, there be smarts here!
Descent from Pikes Peak, first views under the clouds.
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20130715Mon:
Got together with my old friend Russell, who lives in Colorado Springs. I've known him since he lived in Panama City, Florida ... some forty years ago. He took some photos.
It was great to see Russ! Last get together was the event of his wedding, way back in 1994. We walked around Manitou Springs, such a great place!
About ready for the trip home. Washed the car and had the windows re-tinted.
Had a conversation with another car wash customer. Was that really Bonnie Raitt?
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20130716Tues:
Packing the car in Manitou Springs. Ready for the long haul back to Panama City, Florida.
Amarillo, Texas. I made sure I passed through this panhandle city because I lived there when I was in the third grade, and I wanted to try to locate my one year childhood home. I passed through Amarillo on my way to Denver, but didn't have the time to do the search at the time. I had located the childhood home when I passed through 19 years earlier, in 1994. I lived on River Road in 1962-63. I remember this amusement park. Note the road sign on the right side of the picture, pointing the way to River Road.
Across the street from the old home was a service station and a bar. They both still stand, although the service station appears derelict.
After taking these photos, I walked into the bar ... told the bartender I had lived across the street as a child, 50 YEARS ago. She freaked out, "Get outta here!", LOL. I am pretty sure she hadn't yet been born at the time, LOL.
Looking southward from the home site.
The house I live in, from 1962-1963.
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20130719Fri:
These bottles were sealed at 7,000 feet. And this is what they looked like as I neared sea level.
I wish I'd thought to seal them at 14,110 feet at Pikes Peak summit. Oh well.
I got to the Western Florida Panhandle at mid day and looked up Alan. He solved the problem I'd been having with the horns. Thanks Kermit!
Doing it right.
Dayum, I didn't realize how dirty the car was under its skin.