Manitou Springs, CO

Monday, September 6

And we’re off on a RV adventure! Same as last year, Andi, Tory, Aden and I spent Labor Day weekend with family in Nebraska, then continued west in our 24’ Winnebago View RV toward Colorado. We left my cousin Jen’s house on Monday morning, heading south into Kansas and then over into Eastern Colorado vs. following Interstate 80 through western Nebraska and Wyoming. Change of scenery, Andi and I figured, and this time our destination is the Colorado Springs area.

We made it to Manitou Springs around 3:00pm Monday, deciding along the way to stay at Garden of the Gods RV Park for the night. We don’t typically like staying in the heart of town, but the RV park’s close proximity to Garden of the Gods made it worthwhile. Once we settled into our campsite and had a quick bite to eat, Andi, Aden, Tory and I mounted our electric Rad Bikes and rode two miles (uphill!) to the Garden of the Gods Park. It amazed us that this geological phenom was nestled right in the heart of the city! Situated on the hill were dozens of gigantic red sedimentary rocks towering in the sky. We rode our bikes along the one-way roadway huffing and puffing up the giant hills and soaring down them, all the while in awe of the beauty around us. Unfortunately, the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center was closed because it was a holiday, but we still enjoyed our time there.

From Garden of the Gods, we biked into downtown Manitou Springs. Main Street looked pretty touristy with lots of restaurants and shops to visit. It was getting dark, so we decided to bike back to the campground for the night.

Tuesday, September 7

Today was our first full day in Colorado and we were all eager to get out and explore it. First though, Tory and Aden needed to do school and Andi had a few work calls he need to participate in from his computer. I decided to give Andi a quiet place to work inside the RV and took Tory and Aden to the RV Park’s front lobby so we could do school work. It was a great place to do school actually — there were a few comfortable chairs and a sofa inside the lobby, and a coffee table where we could spread our books out. Unfortunately, Aden woke up with a cold so he wasn’t feeling 100%. I gave him a pass on completing his assigned work and let him lay on the couch while Tory and I worked on her materials. When Andi was done with his calls, we all walked back to the RV.

Andi had another group of meetings to participate in from Noon - 2:00pm, so Tory, Aden and I decided to walk into downtown Manitou Springs to get some lunch. By this point, Aden looked terrible and I felt bad making him walk to find food. Andi needed the RV to work though, so we had to make it work. Unfortunately, being the first “off-season” day of the year (the day after Labor Day) almost all the restaurants in Manitou Springs were closed except for one burger spot. When we arrived there for lunch, we learned there was a 30-minute wait. I though Tory and Aden were going to burst into tears right there on the spot! They were both hot and hungry + Aden didn’t feel well. Without much option, we decided to wait for the first available table and luckily it didn’t take too long to be seated. Tory ordered a kids cheeseburger for lunch, Aden had chicken nuggets and I ordered a chicken sandwich. The fries were amazing!

By the time we ate our food, it was already time to walk back to meet Andi. Not before we stopped at the candy store though. I’d bribed Tory and Aden with the promise of candy on the way to the restaurant. They hadn’t forgotten.

Yesterday, before Andi and I knew Aden wasn’t going to feel well today, we bought tickets to go to the top of Pikes Peak on the Manitou Springs Cog Railway. We thought it would be a fun surprise for the kids, but now we weren't so sure. Aden looked more miserable with each passing hour. Since we already paid $250 for the non-refundable tickets, we decided to try it. Since there is no RV/bus parking at the Pikes Peak Cog Railway station, we rode the free shuttle bus from downtown to the train depot. Riding on the free bus shuttle was just as exciting for the kids as the expensive train ride, I think!

Our Pikes Peak Cog Railway train departed the station at 2:40pm. We learned the train just opened up this summer after being temporarily closed since 2017 for renovations. Now, everything was brand new — from the train station to trains themselves, the track and the visitor’s center at the top of Pikes Peak.

Unfortunately, Aden was very unpleased to learn he had to wear a mask for the entire duration of the one-hour train ride to the top of the mountain. He already doesn’t like wearing a mask because it fogs up his glasses, and now he had boogers pouring out of his nose. By the time we got to the top of Pikes Peak an hour later, he was in tears. He just didn't feel well. I felt so bad for him, but there wasn’t much Andi or I could do for him now. We probably shouldn’t have come on the train at all.

The four of us walked off the train to the Pikes Peak overlook. There were lots of tourists all around us snapping pictures of the (hazy/not so great) view while Aden sat right there on the ground among them. Andi and I actually have quite a few photos of Aden sitting on the ground at various overlooks upset over one thing or another, but that’s neither here no there ….

Finally, Andi convinced Aden to walk into the visitor’s center to get a drink and some famous Pikes Peak mini donuts. He bought the donuts but no one ate them — we were all counting the minutes until we could get back on the train and go to the RV.

Eventually, it was time to board the train. Thirty minutes of allotted time to wander around the top and check out the visitor center seemed to take forever. After we boarded the train to go home, Aden curled his head on my lap and fell asleep. We waited and waited and waited for the train to leave the top of Pikes Peak, but the 4:00pm departure time came and went. Finally 20 minutes later, the conductor announced there was a medical emergency with one of the passengers on board, then we saw a man being wheeled off the train by EMTs. Andi explained to Tory, who was grumbling about waiting so long, that being delayed for someone who needs help is better than selfishly wanting to leave on time. Our train ride back down to Manitou Springs was uneventful. Aden slept most of the way and Andi, Tory and I quietly watched out the window. We did see a few fat marmots and a mountain goat out the window along the way.

Back at the train station, Andi counted heads and quickly realized there were more people waiting for the free Manitou Springs shuttle than could actually fit onto one bus. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes so if we didn’t make it onto this bus, we’d be waiting for a while. Instead, we decided to walk the mile’s distance into downtown. Aden was really struggling, so I gave him a piggy-back ride. Second workout of the day - woof! That boy is getting big.

Andi booked us a campsite at Mueller State Park outside Woodland Park, CO for the night, so we made our way there next. Somewhere during the 30-minute drive Aden threw up. Poor buddy. He actually seemed to perk up a bit after that.

Dark set in just as we settled into our new campsite. “What a shame we’re leaving so soon tomorrow morning,” I said to Andi, “this park looks beautiful.” It really did. Our pull-through campsite with a nice picnic table backed up to a expansive wooded forest. We had planned to drive back to Woodland Park early tomorrow morning so Andi could work, but now he thought his internet signal at the campsite might be strong enough to work here. And since his call time was early in the morning, Andi offered to sit at the picnic table outside to work while I got the kids breakfast inside the RV and did school with them. Also, that way Aden could rest if he needed it.

It always takes our family a few days to find our groove when we’re traveling. Figuring out the logistics of getting work and school done & having cell phone & internet access to do them, living together in a small shared space again, navigating new-to-us roadways, and the care & maintenance of the RV. Throw in a sick kid and there’s bound to be a few bumps along the way. We’ll get there though! We’re all glad to be back on the road again.