Manitou Part Two, The walk about and Pikes Peak

One thing I failed to mention in my last blog, when my wife and I ate at the Adams Mountain Cafe, I had Creme Brulee, baked cream. This was something I had heard of, in numerous British movies and T.V. series, ie, Are you Being Served, but I had never had it.
Well I had Creme Brulee, and loved it. It is one of my favorite things, and is off my bucket list.
Last time, I had shown a picture of a unique room, and said you would have to wait, to find out where it was located. Guess what?

You still will have to wait.

This time we pick up, with my Saturday adventures. This began, at around 5:30 or closer to 6:A.M.. when I got up and decided to take a walk about, and discover what was in the area.

I grabbed my $20.00 digital camera and headed out the door. After the magnificent scene of Pikes Peak before me again, I began walking.
 

The first place that I came across was this art center, about a block up, from the Villa Inn

Right next door was another art center, that was unique.

What can't be seen here is what makes this art center unique, you will just have to wait and see, at a later time.

Across the way, is one of the old puffer belly engines, that used to push the Manitou, Pikes Peak train up the mountain.  There will be more photos of this little engine later.

A local out for a walk, outside the Pikes Peak Inn.  More photos of this place, later.

Just a unique sign, along the way.

This, item is actually in someones' front yard, on Manitou Avenue.

This place, makes paper flowers.

Right outside the Paper flower place, is this beautiful garden.  I presume these are real?

One of several houses that are on Manitou Avenue.

One of four churches in Manitou.

The sign for the church.

Great sign on the street.  Definitely catches your eye.

This building is the Elementary School in Manitou Springs.

Believe it or not, this is someone's back yard.  Wouldn't you love this as a back yard?

We go to a local eatery, a place called the Pancake house, where I have the all you can eat Pancake and French Toast breakfast.  I have one plate of each, then my wife, takes me to the Pikes Peak cog railway, where I get tickets to ride the train to the top of Pikes Peak.  We wait and people watch, and go to the gift shop.  Then I board the train.

Unfortunately, I lost half the pictures, because the cheap $20.00 camera has limited memory.

I was in the third seat behind the Engineer.  This was a photo, of some of the scenery as we began the climb to the top.

At lower altitude, you have some beautiful trees along the way.

We are catching up to an earlier train coming down.  This family across from me, was really into the journey.

Getting clost to the top of Pikes peak, which is 14,100 feet and is 31st of the 14teeners in Colorado.  The tallest of the 14teener is Mount Elbert.

Our train at the top.

People at the Observation deck at the top of Pikes Peak.

Believe it or not, some people actually hike this trail, it takes on average 3 days to hike back to Manitou, the round trip by train, with time at the top three and a half hours.

The harsh reality of Pikes Peak.  On a clear day, you can see Colorado Springs and to Kansas, or that's what the tour guide says.  It was overcast and thundering when I was there.

And we begin to head back to Manitou, with the earlier train in the lead.

How barren it is at the top of Pikes Peak.  Not, a place I would want to live.

Some trees don't survive.

A lady taking a picture from one of the trains coming up.  Wonder, if she knew, her picture was being taken?

Coming back down to the tree line again.

People lining up to leave the train, as we arrive in Manitou.

Hmmm, think this person's confused, they seem to think they are boarding???

The trip to the top was amazing, and smooth, because the train doesn't use conventional wheels, it is extremely smooth journey and quiet.

The day didn't end yet, my wife and I went on to eat at a great place called The Mason Jar, where I had Rainbow Trout, and a surprise.  My wife had the owner, and two servers come over, sing happy birth day to me, and present me with peach cobbler Ala mode.

Talk about a way of ending the second day in Manitou?

Oh yea, we went back to the Villa Inn sat in the hot tub then swam in the heated pool.