pikes peak

We also scaled Pikes Peak today. What a TRIP!! Jill has wanted to go there ever sense her Dad had gone; and told her how amazing it was. I think this type of thing should be on everyone's "bucket list". The scenery was amazing on the way up. We had a great time gawking and driving. 

I did have some moments of white knuckled fear as we neared the summit. A few times it felt as though there was nothing between you and the heavens; not even a guard rail! There is something about being responsible for a four wheeled vehicle and the precious cargo contained within, that sends my heart into palpitations when I get into a potentially dangerous situation. I kept saying to myself, "I can't believe they let people do this!"; "shouldn't they put walls up around this mountain?"; "where are the safety nets?". It shows you how protected as a society that we have grown accustomed to being. I had visions of a stuck accelerator pedal, failed brakes, etc., etc.; something like what would happen to eighteen wheelers in the episodes of CHIPS that I would watch as a kid. My life flashed before my eyes a few times on the way up.

Once we made it to the top, we got out (put some coats on; it was super windy and COLD) and walked around. I was feeling symptoms of altitude sickness and shortness of breath so I didn't feel like camping out there for any length of time. Jill loved it though, and I think it was special to her to have finally made the trek just as her Dad did. On the way down our brakes got super hot and we had to stop for a bit to let them cool.  It's amazing how much speed you can pick up coming down from 14,000 feet just by coasting! It would have made for the ultimate soap box derby!!

Anyway, this will be one of those things I never forget. Good times with the family!