Stephen H. Long Trail 1819 — 1820
Day 16: September 8th, 2008 Monument (Pikes Peak)
Map Monument to Pikes Peak and back
Also today I wake up very early but I always fall asleep again. Around half past seven I finally get up and jump under the shower. Then I collect the stuff which I will need for today. Around a quarter past eight I go upstairs but my friends are still in their bedroom. They don’t react on my good morning call, so I get my laptop out and plan to check at least some of my video taping. But now Harv just leaves his room. They were both already up and have only waited for me to get up.
We then drive with separate cars so that I can immediately leave later. For breakfast we drive down to the City Burritos who should have real good breakfast burritos. The whole restaurant is a fast food self service restaurant. Originally I planned to invite my friends, but Harv is faster. In return I suggest to invite them today for dinner.
Harv hands me over one of his ranger business cards for the other rangers in order to give me a free ride on Pikes Peak Toll Road. He also plans to call the ranger Barb because she usually does an exhibition with all tools from Zebulon Pike. We have a real nice and very long chat this morning and I do not leave before past ten to get some gas. There, the pump is annoying me that it is not accepting my credit card. But the second run works.
Baptist Rd, Monument, CO
Mt. Herman Rd, CO
First, I leave Monument to get on Mt. Herman Rd.
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, CO
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, CO
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, CO
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, CO
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, CO
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, Pikes Peak, CO
On this one I continue to Rampart Range Road.
Mt. Herman Rd/FR320, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, Pikes Peak, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, Pikes Peak, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, Pikes Peak, CO
88 S10 Blazer, Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
The weather slowly clears up and I am even able to get some nice shots of Pikes Peak. Apart from the road is one of these washboard roads, it is pretty good to drive on. This could be even done with a regular passenger car.
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Rampart Range Rd/FR300, CO
Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, CO
Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, CO
However, it takes until 1pm before I arrive at the Garden of the Gods. There, things are extremely busy. But I didn’t plan to stop here anyways. I directly take Highway 24 through Manitou Springs and continue to Pikes Peak Highway.
Pikes Peak Hwy, CO
Pikes Peak Hwy, CO
At the toll booth I hand over Harvs business card to the baffled ranger with the words “A very special entrance card”. And the ranger, who is also in the booth, tells her that Harv has already called and this is okay. So they let me in for free and I start my ride up to the summit for the second time. The first time was in 2004 on my Zebulon Montgomery Pike Trail, Arkansas.
At the reservoir, I make a stop to meet Ranger Barb. Unfortunately, she is not around. But her brother is up here and might be able to reach her. So I walk upstairs and first he tries to reach her in vain. Suddenly she calls back and tells him that she will quickly come over with all the tools. So I wait and use the time to take some pictures.
Ranger, Tea, Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center, CO
Highway Sign, Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center, CO
Ranger, Telescope, Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center, CO
Ranger, Telescope, Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center, CO
When Barb arrives the employee from the gift shop picks me up. Barb has no problem to video tape her and immediately she starts with her explanations. It is really amazing what she has all collected here. You can tell with how much love for the details all this was build up. I am also allowed to take pictures of her with Pikes telescope outside.
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Brake Checkpoint, Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Timberline 12000ft, Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Around 4pm we say good–bye and I start my ride to the summit. The inclines are so unfavorable that I am always jumping between first and second gear. Sometimes I even drive directly in first gear because the truck would not make it in second gear with the torque converter locked up. And with the torque converter unlocked the transmission would run hot.
A couple of times I stop to take pictures, then I continue. You can tell that there is way more paved than in 2004. Harv told me that they pave every year a mile with a special asphalt. And every mile costs around a million! That is pretty expensive…
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Moon, Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Summit, CO
When I arrive at the summit I almost roll at the floor laughing: There, the cars are all lined up with open hoods! How can you run your engine hot at this road!? My engine has almost no temperature increase to normal highway driving…
I take my camera equipment to get some nice shots and video taping. This time, the views are not as good as last time, because the clouds are in the valleys. Therefore I get some nice pictures with all the clouds creating a special atmosphere. And today I feel way better than on my last visit, although I still feel a bit dizzy. Anyways, I have light headaches or at least I feel some pulsing when I move to fast. So I take things slow.
88 S10 Blazer, Moon, Pikes Peak Summit, CO
88 S10 Blazer, Pikes Peak Summit, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Then I walk over to the visitor shop and buy some shirts and picture postcards. Somehow, the total looks pretty low for all my stuff and I double check with the cashier. But she tells me that this is alright, the shirts are on sale. So I say thank you and walk to my car skeptical. There I quickly make some photografic proves of my truck up here on Pikes Peak summit. Then I prepare myself for leaving.
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Brake Checkpoint, Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Toll Rd, CO
Pikes Peak Hwy, CO
Just before 6pm I start my downhill ride. Lucky me, there is now not a lot of traffic anymore and I can slowly ride down in first gear. Again, I make a couple of stops to take pictures and video tape because the cloud atmosphere is fantastic. Then I drive into the clouds. There the fog really get dense and it is hard to see anything. It is not until below the clouds when I am again able to see more.
Now I take Highway 24 and I–25 back to Barb & Harv. When I arrive there we immediately leave for dinner. As appetizer I have again an Ibuprofen because when driving downhill my headaches slowly started.
Harv drives us to the Texas Roadhouse which is also a restaurant chain. The style is like the Lone Star Steakhouse and they also have peanuts at the table. We all have a Sirloin, whereas my friends have the 8 ounce while I have an 11 ounce. The steak is excellent and also the salad is huge. I definitely get full from this dinner.
Then we drive back home and we have again cake as desert. While having the desert we talk about Harvs CPAP diagnose and I am able to give them some helpful suggestions. Around 11pm we make ourselves ready for going to bed. I quickly write my diary and type in the receipts. Then I fall into my bed dog–tired once again…
- Sights
- Pikes Peak (Toll)
- General
- Breakfast: City Burritos, Monument
- Dinner: Texas Roadhouse, Monument
- Motel: Harv &Barb, Monument
- Distance: 122 miles