September 22, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Part Three - Garden of the Gods
Monday, September 22, 2008
Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Cripple Creek
September 22, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Part Two - Cripple Creek
Fort Collins, CO
Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Part Two - Cripple Creek
More about Cripple Creek
Colorado Weekend - Day Two - The Ride
September 22, 2008
Fort Collins, Co
Day Two - Part One - The Ride
I have too many pictures for this day to put in a single slide show so there are three associated with Day Two: The Ride, Cripple Creek, Garden of the Gods.
We were up early looking out the window at Pikes Peak, wondering how the weather was and where The Ride would take us. We didn't have much of a plan - head west and up - figure out which direction to go once we got to Woodland Park just a few miles away. The morning was chilly and bright.
We had a continental breakfast at the motel before leaving. We met a group of four couples out of Georgia. They have been vacationing together in a new place every year for twelve years. They were friendly and fun, the way southern folk are. We enjoyed their company. They were going to ride the COG Railroad up Pikes Peak that day.
The road north and west out of Woodland Park took us past Divide to Florissant with a good view of the new fallen snow on northwest face of Pikes Peak. We stopped at a point of interest near Florissant to stretch our legs and warm our fingers. From Florissant, we could tell the mountains would be too hazy for good pictures that day. The panoramic view from Hartsell, a little further west is fairly amazing on a clear day.
The road to Cripple Creek is out of Divide so we back-tracked a bit and took one of the most scenic 18 mile back roads in Colorado. We were delighted to see the aspens were beginning to change and there was color in the scrub oak as well. It was a cold drive. Cripple Creek is nestled in the high country on the west side of Pikes Peak. It is an old gold-mining town. Main street used to be lined with curio shops, antique stores, restaurants, bakeries, ice cream parlors and museums. Now, it is a casino town and while many of the original buildings are there, very little remains of the charming old city. Even the Brass Ass is all slot machines now, folks. We looked for a restaurant, finally settling on a mediocre breakfast and decent coffee in Buffalo Billy's Casino.
Nope. Neither one of us cared about the slot machines. Didn't drop so much as a nickel.
We saw some interesting characters on the early morning streets. Notably, a white-haired woman with a heavily painted face, in her seventies if I had to guess, not much taller than I am, dressed in a red mini-dress, white windbreaker (longer than the dress), skinny legs sticking out of black cowboy boots. We saw several men who were a throwback to by-gone days, long hair, handlebar mustaches, whiskers, dressed classic cowboy style. Yeah, they could have been casino employees in costume - but I don't think so.
I took some pictures of a Soldier's Memorial sculpted out of sand. Parts of it have been destroyed but the detail and size and scope of it was fairly awesome. I was glad to see the Old Homestead (whorehouse) Museum on Myers Avenue survived and is nestled up against the parking garage of one of the casinos. The train still runs to Victor, but we didn't ride it this time. We thought we might ride the motorcycle to Victor but as we were suiting up, a soft, slushy hail and rain began to fall. It was a cold, sort of damp ride part of the way back to Woodland Park. The leathers protected us well. Actually, it was all rather exhilarating. The ride to Cripple Creek was everything I thought it would be and more.
As we descended into Manitou Springs, we noticed the sidewalks of town were packed, with school kids sitting on curbs (we honked and they cheered - ha!) and teenagers marching down sidewalks in large groups with green and gold painted hair. The streets were lined with vehicles all the way to our motel (several blocks). We had thought we might walk the streets and window shop but decided against it when we found out it was Homecoming.
Instead, we stretched our legs, waited out a rain shower and made the short ride to The Garden of the Gods. We walked the paths, took pictures, watched rock climbers and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at one of our favorite places while storms built over the mountains and rumbled a warning that echoed off the rocks. The Garden of the Gods is hard to describe and pictures don't do it justice. If you are ever in the Springs - see it for yourself. Entrance to the park is free forever according to the wish of Charles Elliott Perkins, whose children donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909.
Garden of the Gods: http://www.gardenofgods.com/education/index_175.cfm
It did not rain on us, but soon our legs grew weary. We went back to the motel, and again relaxed in our lawn chairs with a beer while the sun sank low and storm clouds obscured the view of Pikes Peak. Again, we walked the short distance to Savelli's for dinner. We noticed the pasta dishes going by the night before as we were enjoying our pizza. We ordered two spaghetti dishes and split an eggplant Parmesan dish and bread sticks. Scrumptious!
As we talked about our day over dinner, we decided the day and this vacation was not about cities or shopping or any destination - it was about the ride. We enjoyed it thoroughly and looked forward to the next day's adventures.
Day Two Mileage = approximately 109 miles
Fort Collins, Co
Day Two - Part One - The Ride
I have too many pictures for this day to put in a single slide show so there are three associated with Day Two: The Ride, Cripple Creek, Garden of the Gods.
We were up early looking out the window at Pikes Peak, wondering how the weather was and where The Ride would take us. We didn't have much of a plan - head west and up - figure out which direction to go once we got to Woodland Park just a few miles away. The morning was chilly and bright.
We had a continental breakfast at the motel before leaving. We met a group of four couples out of Georgia. They have been vacationing together in a new place every year for twelve years. They were friendly and fun, the way southern folk are. We enjoyed their company. They were going to ride the COG Railroad up Pikes Peak that day.
The road north and west out of Woodland Park took us past Divide to Florissant with a good view of the new fallen snow on northwest face of Pikes Peak. We stopped at a point of interest near Florissant to stretch our legs and warm our fingers. From Florissant, we could tell the mountains would be too hazy for good pictures that day. The panoramic view from Hartsell, a little further west is fairly amazing on a clear day.
The road to Cripple Creek is out of Divide so we back-tracked a bit and took one of the most scenic 18 mile back roads in Colorado. We were delighted to see the aspens were beginning to change and there was color in the scrub oak as well. It was a cold drive. Cripple Creek is nestled in the high country on the west side of Pikes Peak. It is an old gold-mining town. Main street used to be lined with curio shops, antique stores, restaurants, bakeries, ice cream parlors and museums. Now, it is a casino town and while many of the original buildings are there, very little remains of the charming old city. Even the Brass Ass is all slot machines now, folks. We looked for a restaurant, finally settling on a mediocre breakfast and decent coffee in Buffalo Billy's Casino.
Nope. Neither one of us cared about the slot machines. Didn't drop so much as a nickel.
We saw some interesting characters on the early morning streets. Notably, a white-haired woman with a heavily painted face, in her seventies if I had to guess, not much taller than I am, dressed in a red mini-dress, white windbreaker (longer than the dress), skinny legs sticking out of black cowboy boots. We saw several men who were a throwback to by-gone days, long hair, handlebar mustaches, whiskers, dressed classic cowboy style. Yeah, they could have been casino employees in costume - but I don't think so.
I took some pictures of a Soldier's Memorial sculpted out of sand. Parts of it have been destroyed but the detail and size and scope of it was fairly awesome. I was glad to see the Old Homestead (whorehouse) Museum on Myers Avenue survived and is nestled up against the parking garage of one of the casinos. The train still runs to Victor, but we didn't ride it this time. We thought we might ride the motorcycle to Victor but as we were suiting up, a soft, slushy hail and rain began to fall. It was a cold, sort of damp ride part of the way back to Woodland Park. The leathers protected us well. Actually, it was all rather exhilarating. The ride to Cripple Creek was everything I thought it would be and more.
As we descended into Manitou Springs, we noticed the sidewalks of town were packed, with school kids sitting on curbs (we honked and they cheered - ha!) and teenagers marching down sidewalks in large groups with green and gold painted hair. The streets were lined with vehicles all the way to our motel (several blocks). We had thought we might walk the streets and window shop but decided against it when we found out it was Homecoming.
Instead, we stretched our legs, waited out a rain shower and made the short ride to The Garden of the Gods. We walked the paths, took pictures, watched rock climbers and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at one of our favorite places while storms built over the mountains and rumbled a warning that echoed off the rocks. The Garden of the Gods is hard to describe and pictures don't do it justice. If you are ever in the Springs - see it for yourself. Entrance to the park is free forever according to the wish of Charles Elliott Perkins, whose children donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909.
Garden of the Gods: http://www.gardenofgods.com/education/index_175.cfm
It did not rain on us, but soon our legs grew weary. We went back to the motel, and again relaxed in our lawn chairs with a beer while the sun sank low and storm clouds obscured the view of Pikes Peak. Again, we walked the short distance to Savelli's for dinner. We noticed the pasta dishes going by the night before as we were enjoying our pizza. We ordered two spaghetti dishes and split an eggplant Parmesan dish and bread sticks. Scrumptious!
As we talked about our day over dinner, we decided the day and this vacation was not about cities or shopping or any destination - it was about the ride. We enjoyed it thoroughly and looked forward to the next day's adventures.
Day Two Mileage = approximately 109 miles
Colorado Weekend - Day One
September 21, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
We started a mini-vacation otherwise known as a Colorado Weekend (4 days) last week. We had a blast riding to and from and in and around Colorado Springs for four days.
Thursday, 09/18/2008 We left a chilly Fort Collins about 7:45 am. Our plan was to get to the Springs without going through Denver (I-25). So, we rode Hwy 287 south to Longmont and Hwy 52 east to Fort Lupton, stopping for a quick cup of coffee and a brownie snack at a gas station before getting on E-470 (the toll road) which would allow us to bypass the Denver metro area. The $6.75 it cost was well worth it. We stopped at a Village Inn in Parker for coffee after the toll road. From there it was smooth riding into the Springs via Hwy 83.
The ride was great, the morning bright, the weather cool but comfortable since we were in our full leathers. Hwy 83 is a gentle ride through predominately rural areas. Pikes Peak was visible from a long way out.
Once in the city, we had a quick jaunt on I-25 to Hwy 24 and arrived about noon just in time for lunch at The Mason Jar in Old Colorado City. We were hungry! I had a chicken salad croissant sandwich and Tim had a French dip sandwich. Delicious! After lunch, we rode through Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs, looking at prospective motels. We settled on The Silver Saddle Motel in Manitou Springs sitting basically between the two cities. Josh, the host, went through a list of discounts we might qualify for -- when we couldn't come up with anything (AARP, Senior Citizen, Military, Police, Firemen and half a dozen others) - Tim said how about a Harley discount - Bingo! That worked. Yep - we got a Harley discount -- too funny. Josh handed us the key so we could check the room out before booking three nights. It was clean, cozy and did not smell of smoke. You could see Pikes Peak from our west-facing room and the Kissing Camel Rock in the Garden of the Gods from the parking lot. Perfect!
After checking into the motel, unpacking the bike and settling in, I called the folks to let them know we made the trip just fine. We got back on the bike and rode back into Old Colorado City for some window shopping and a stroll to stretch our legs. This was my first ride without a helmet, just sun shades and the studded H-D do-rag the Folks sent me a while back.
Tim dropped me off at the motel and went on a beer run. There was a tiny fridge in the room that needed beer, of course! Ha! We relaxed with a beer in the lawn chairs in front of our room, watched the sun set on Pikes Peak and several more bikers check in. One group of four Firemen bikers stayed in a single room across the way. They were noisily in and out of the parking lot more times than we could count. We found out later that the Traveling Firemen Memorial was in town with a whole weekend of memorial services, a fire truck parade and other related festivities going on. There were lots of Firemen in town from all over the country. I guess about half a dozen other bikers checked in and out over the weekend.
After relaxing a bit, we took a stroll at dusk to Savelli's Italian Deli about a block west. It was chilly and pizza sounded good. It is a small mom and pop hole in the wall restaurant, quaint and not too pretentious -- just like we like it. The parking lot was filled with locals (always a good sign). The pizza was excellent.
We were back in the room by 8:30. By 8:45, Tim was snoozing.
What a great day!
Day One mileage = approximately 166 miles
Fort Collins, CO
We started a mini-vacation otherwise known as a Colorado Weekend (4 days) last week. We had a blast riding to and from and in and around Colorado Springs for four days.
Thursday, 09/18/2008 We left a chilly Fort Collins about 7:45 am. Our plan was to get to the Springs without going through Denver (I-25). So, we rode Hwy 287 south to Longmont and Hwy 52 east to Fort Lupton, stopping for a quick cup of coffee and a brownie snack at a gas station before getting on E-470 (the toll road) which would allow us to bypass the Denver metro area. The $6.75 it cost was well worth it. We stopped at a Village Inn in Parker for coffee after the toll road. From there it was smooth riding into the Springs via Hwy 83.
The ride was great, the morning bright, the weather cool but comfortable since we were in our full leathers. Hwy 83 is a gentle ride through predominately rural areas. Pikes Peak was visible from a long way out.
Once in the city, we had a quick jaunt on I-25 to Hwy 24 and arrived about noon just in time for lunch at The Mason Jar in Old Colorado City. We were hungry! I had a chicken salad croissant sandwich and Tim had a French dip sandwich. Delicious! After lunch, we rode through Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs, looking at prospective motels. We settled on The Silver Saddle Motel in Manitou Springs sitting basically between the two cities. Josh, the host, went through a list of discounts we might qualify for -- when we couldn't come up with anything (AARP, Senior Citizen, Military, Police, Firemen and half a dozen others) - Tim said how about a Harley discount - Bingo! That worked. Yep - we got a Harley discount -- too funny. Josh handed us the key so we could check the room out before booking three nights. It was clean, cozy and did not smell of smoke. You could see Pikes Peak from our west-facing room and the Kissing Camel Rock in the Garden of the Gods from the parking lot. Perfect!
After checking into the motel, unpacking the bike and settling in, I called the folks to let them know we made the trip just fine. We got back on the bike and rode back into Old Colorado City for some window shopping and a stroll to stretch our legs. This was my first ride without a helmet, just sun shades and the studded H-D do-rag the Folks sent me a while back.
Tim dropped me off at the motel and went on a beer run. There was a tiny fridge in the room that needed beer, of course! Ha! We relaxed with a beer in the lawn chairs in front of our room, watched the sun set on Pikes Peak and several more bikers check in. One group of four Firemen bikers stayed in a single room across the way. They were noisily in and out of the parking lot more times than we could count. We found out later that the Traveling Firemen Memorial was in town with a whole weekend of memorial services, a fire truck parade and other related festivities going on. There were lots of Firemen in town from all over the country. I guess about half a dozen other bikers checked in and out over the weekend.
After relaxing a bit, we took a stroll at dusk to Savelli's Italian Deli about a block west. It was chilly and pizza sounded good. It is a small mom and pop hole in the wall restaurant, quaint and not too pretentious -- just like we like it. The parking lot was filled with locals (always a good sign). The pizza was excellent.
We were back in the room by 8:30. By 8:45, Tim was snoozing.
What a great day!
Day One mileage = approximately 166 miles
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Big Girl Panties...
September 18, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
I just love that saying... it simply screams FUN, doesn't it? I've got to find a vest patch that says it one of these days.
Biker UP! That's exactly what I am doing... my big girl panties are ready to go! Ha! Coming right up is our first over-nighter on the bike. The Ride is taking us to the Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado that is, for a Colorado weekend, otherwise known as a four day weekend. There's plenty to do in and around the Springs both on and off the bike. Just being in close proximity to Pikes Peak and all that history and hanging out on the streets of Old Colorado City is fun. No trip to the Springs goes without a stop for some good food at The Mason Jar. Then, there's Garden of the Gods and a couple of dozen tourist traps and several rides that are a must do. The big decision is which ride to do first and how many more can we squeeze in... life is good.
The Springs is about 130 miles due south of Fort Collins straight down I-25. We're not taking the interstate though -- been there -- done that -- too hectic and boring, so we'll add a few miles taking the toll road (E470) for a stretch, then Hwy 83 south, traveling the eastern, somewhat scenic route around Big-D.
The folks in Texas have plans, too. Mom will go to visit with family in Henrietta, Texas for the Pioneer Reunion. Dad will likely ride in a Motorcycle Run for the Troops sponsored by AT&T. He'll ride from Wichita Falls to Nolanville (near Waco) About 177 miles, one way.
Stay tuned... Ill be posting pics and more next week.
Fort Collins, CO
Put Your Big Girl Panties On
and Biker UP!
I just love that saying... it simply screams FUN, doesn't it? I've got to find a vest patch that says it one of these days.
Biker UP! That's exactly what I am doing... my big girl panties are ready to go! Ha! Coming right up is our first over-nighter on the bike. The Ride is taking us to the Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado that is, for a Colorado weekend, otherwise known as a four day weekend. There's plenty to do in and around the Springs both on and off the bike. Just being in close proximity to Pikes Peak and all that history and hanging out on the streets of Old Colorado City is fun. No trip to the Springs goes without a stop for some good food at The Mason Jar. Then, there's Garden of the Gods and a couple of dozen tourist traps and several rides that are a must do. The big decision is which ride to do first and how many more can we squeeze in... life is good.
The Springs is about 130 miles due south of Fort Collins straight down I-25. We're not taking the interstate though -- been there -- done that -- too hectic and boring, so we'll add a few miles taking the toll road (E470) for a stretch, then Hwy 83 south, traveling the eastern, somewhat scenic route around Big-D.
The folks in Texas have plans, too. Mom will go to visit with family in Henrietta, Texas for the Pioneer Reunion. Dad will likely ride in a Motorcycle Run for the Troops sponsored by AT&T. He'll ride from Wichita Falls to Nolanville (near Waco) About 177 miles, one way.
Stay tuned... Ill be posting pics and more next week.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Sarah - Is She or Is't She?
September 15, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
UPDATE: Remember this pic? I posted it a few days ago and said I would try to confirm its authenticity.
Well, the pic is real. A representative at Q 99.7 Valley Radio says: I can verify that the picture of Gov. Sarah Palin on the motorcycle is real and was taken at our station booth at the Alaska State Fair last year. We were giving away a Harley and she stopped by to say hello and take a picture on the bike.
The question is - does she ride? The radio station couldn't confirm it. Stay tuned... I'm working on it...
Fort Collins, CO
UPDATE: Remember this pic? I posted it a few days ago and said I would try to confirm its authenticity.Well, the pic is real. A representative at Q 99.7 Valley Radio says: I can verify that the picture of Gov. Sarah Palin on the motorcycle is real and was taken at our station booth at the Alaska State Fair last year. We were giving away a Harley and she stopped by to say hello and take a picture on the bike.
The question is - does she ride? The radio station couldn't confirm it. Stay tuned... I'm working on it...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Ted and Inez - Out and About
September 13, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
Fort Collins, CO
Wichita Falls, TX -- Photo Courtesy John Bailey
Tim and I were not the only ones out running around Saturday. Here are Mom and Dad, looking a little frisky at the Red River H-D Open House and Harley-Davidson Demo Ride Day. You look great folks! Nice shirt, Dad. ha!
Word is: Dad had a deep connection with a blue Ultra Classic sitting on the showroom floor. It didn't follow him home - yet.
Peak-to-Peak - Part 4
September 13, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
The weather in the high country can change quickly. As we were leaving Nederland, we noticed clouds gathering in what had been a clear blue, sunny skies. There are two or three routes down from the high country along Hwy 7. We had thought to drive back closer to Estes Park before heading down, but decided against that and went down and down and down from Nederland to Lyons, CO. We didn't remember that route having quite as much of a downhill grade or having quite that many twisties. Ha! Yes, it was fun. We shared the road with about ten other bikers (riding as a group) and one idiot on a crotch rocket on the way down. By the time we hit the lowlands at Lyons, we felt like we had been on one grand adventure.
We stopped and stretched our legs (a polite way of saying rest our butts) at the little city park in Lyons. We've been there many times before. We shared a cup of coffee and reluctantly pointed The Ride toward home. Looking over our shoulder we saw where we had been that day... the mountains that had been so starkly white against the horizon this morning, now dark with deep shadows... what a great day!
Wish you had been with us Dad - you would have loved this ride and we would have loved riding it with you!
Total Mileage this trip - about 145 miles. Woo-Hoo!
Fort Collins, CO
The weather in the high country can change quickly. As we were leaving Nederland, we noticed clouds gathering in what had been a clear blue, sunny skies. There are two or three routes down from the high country along Hwy 7. We had thought to drive back closer to Estes Park before heading down, but decided against that and went down and down and down from Nederland to Lyons, CO. We didn't remember that route having quite as much of a downhill grade or having quite that many twisties. Ha! Yes, it was fun. We shared the road with about ten other bikers (riding as a group) and one idiot on a crotch rocket on the way down. By the time we hit the lowlands at Lyons, we felt like we had been on one grand adventure.
We stopped and stretched our legs (a polite way of saying rest our butts) at the little city park in Lyons. We've been there many times before. We shared a cup of coffee and reluctantly pointed The Ride toward home. Looking over our shoulder we saw where we had been that day... the mountains that had been so starkly white against the horizon this morning, now dark with deep shadows... what a great day!
Wish you had been with us Dad - you would have loved this ride and we would have loved riding it with you!
Total Mileage this trip - about 145 miles. Woo-Hoo!
Peak-to-Peak - Part 3
September 13, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
Nederland is a tiny but bustling mountain town, a mecca for wannabe, non-bathing hippies up from the college at Boulder. It is still the home of many old and very real hippies. Because of its pristine mountain location with a lake, it is also a favorite spot with bikers, cyclers, hikers, and tourists. Nederland probably has more bars per capita than many of its larger neighboring towns. It used to have a great antique store called Off Her Rocker. The name of the store is the same except they added Mercantile but sadly, the contents are not. It is now home to an artsy-fartsy collection of weird furniture, abstract gallery art and sculptures (not for regular folk) and Tiffany-like light fixtures. Did I say weird?
Never mind all that, it is still fun to walk the length of Main Street (about 2 blocks before it turns residential) and that's exactly what we did. You can see the lake from Main street. We watched bike after bike pull in to assorted bars. We watched low-landers huff and puff up the stairs of the boardwalk. Nederland sits at an elevation of just over 8000. You have to take it easy, if you aren't acclimated. We watched the locals, a diverse population, some of them from a time gone by.
Before heading out again, we stopped at the New Moon Bakery for coffee, a scone and a cherry turnover. Not pie, Dad - just pastry - but it was tasty. We sat on the patio and watched part of the day and a couple of dozen bikes go by.
Time to ride again. See part 4
Fort Collins, CO
Nederland is a tiny but bustling mountain town, a mecca for wannabe, non-bathing hippies up from the college at Boulder. It is still the home of many old and very real hippies. Because of its pristine mountain location with a lake, it is also a favorite spot with bikers, cyclers, hikers, and tourists. Nederland probably has more bars per capita than many of its larger neighboring towns. It used to have a great antique store called Off Her Rocker. The name of the store is the same except they added Mercantile but sadly, the contents are not. It is now home to an artsy-fartsy collection of weird furniture, abstract gallery art and sculptures (not for regular folk) and Tiffany-like light fixtures. Did I say weird?
Never mind all that, it is still fun to walk the length of Main Street (about 2 blocks before it turns residential) and that's exactly what we did. You can see the lake from Main street. We watched bike after bike pull in to assorted bars. We watched low-landers huff and puff up the stairs of the boardwalk. Nederland sits at an elevation of just over 8000. You have to take it easy, if you aren't acclimated. We watched the locals, a diverse population, some of them from a time gone by.
Before heading out again, we stopped at the New Moon Bakery for coffee, a scone and a cherry turnover. Not pie, Dad - just pastry - but it was tasty. We sat on the patio and watched part of the day and a couple of dozen bikes go by.
Time to ride again. See part 4
Peak-to-Peak - Part 2
September 13, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
The ride south out of Estes Park to Nederland and beyond is known as the Peak-to-Peak Highway. A favorite tourist stop along the way is Lily Lake, a lovely mountain lake, nestled in a picturesque valley. It is always cool at Lily Lake. There's a picnic area, and a walking path around the lake. There's also a nice visitor center across the highway. We didn't stop this time but we did pull over at the The Old Rock Church. I've written about the Church before. This was one of the rare days when a wedding was not in progress.
Here's a bit of the story: It is actually called: The Chapel on the Rock. Monsignor Joseph Bosetti, had for years entertained an idea that one day he would build a chapel on this site. In 1916 he and two friends observed a falling meteor during the night and in his search for the remnants the next morning, he came across a large rock. The beauty of the land inspired the priest and he remembered Jesus’ words to Peter: “Upon this rock, I will build my Church.” (Matt 16:18). Msgr. Bosetti prayed for nearly 20 years to acquire the funds. During that time, he found himself in a constant battle with the Colorado Highway department which had plans to dynamite the enormous piece of granite to both widen and straighten the curve in the road. Eventually, Msgr. Bosetti won the battle and the chapel was built in 1935. Native stone was hauled in by mule carts from the surrounding area to use as building material. In 1999, Boulder County designated the chapel as a historic site.
We're glad the Monsignor was so persistent, it is a lovely place.
Time to ride again - next stop - Nederland. See part 3
Fort Collins, CO
The ride south out of Estes Park to Nederland and beyond is known as the Peak-to-Peak Highway. A favorite tourist stop along the way is Lily Lake, a lovely mountain lake, nestled in a picturesque valley. It is always cool at Lily Lake. There's a picnic area, and a walking path around the lake. There's also a nice visitor center across the highway. We didn't stop this time but we did pull over at the The Old Rock Church. I've written about the Church before. This was one of the rare days when a wedding was not in progress.
Here's a bit of the story: It is actually called: The Chapel on the Rock. Monsignor Joseph Bosetti, had for years entertained an idea that one day he would build a chapel on this site. In 1916 he and two friends observed a falling meteor during the night and in his search for the remnants the next morning, he came across a large rock. The beauty of the land inspired the priest and he remembered Jesus’ words to Peter: “Upon this rock, I will build my Church.” (Matt 16:18). Msgr. Bosetti prayed for nearly 20 years to acquire the funds. During that time, he found himself in a constant battle with the Colorado Highway department which had plans to dynamite the enormous piece of granite to both widen and straighten the curve in the road. Eventually, Msgr. Bosetti won the battle and the chapel was built in 1935. Native stone was hauled in by mule carts from the surrounding area to use as building material. In 1999, Boulder County designated the chapel as a historic site.
We're glad the Monsignor was so persistent, it is a lovely place.
Time to ride again - next stop - Nederland. See part 3
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