Cruz's 15th Birthday Part 1- Pikes Peak

 How special to get to celebrate your 15th birthday in Colorado!  That is what Cruz got to do this year.  

 

We started the day with breakfast at the hotel.  There were no pancakes but that's ok.  We had done an early birthday pancake breakfast at home before we left for the trip. 

 

After eating, we drove to Pikes Peak.  We had an early morning pre-brought timed entry pass.   

 

When we checked in at the entrance, the worker informed us that the clouds were heavy and that we would most likely not be able to drive all the way to the top.  I was so bummed!! It is a nineteen mile drive to the summit.  We set out anyway with high hopes.

 

 

 

 

entering the national forest 

 

 

It did not take long before the clouds started to break and those beautiful blue sunny skies began to shine through.  I joked with the boys that if they ever doubted that God answered prayers, just remember how he answered mine and parted those clouds that day. 

 

The drive was spectacular! 

 

Along the way we saw a deer cross the road. 

 

 

 

 

 

We were so excited to see snow again.  Seeing and experiencing the snow on this trip was the overall highlight of the whole trip. It was by far our favorite thing.

 

You can see the road down below. 

 

 

 

There were so many twists and turns. 

 

 

arriving at the summit 

 

 

"America the Beautiful" was inspired by a trip to Pikes Peak back in 1893 by poet Katharine Lee Bates.

 

If you did not want to drive to the summit, you could ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.  We saw it at the top.  I'm sure it's fun, but we wanted to drive ourselves. 

 

view from the top 

 

our family at Pikes Peak 

 

We had read about the famous donuts at the Pikes Peak visitor's center and were eager to try them.  They get rave reviews, but we were not impressed.  Instead, we were quite disappointed.  We ate them, but would never buy them again. 

 

Pikes Peak donuts 

 

 

 

the birthday boy

What a beautiful place to spend your birthday!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

snow wall on the drive down 

 

 

 

Because we had not climbed enough rocks already on this trip, we stopped on the drive down for more climbing. 

 

ice 

 

 

 

view on the drive back down 

 

leaving the national forest

As you can see the clouds were still heavy down below.

 

 

a video of our time at Pikes Peak

 

I'll share about the rest of Cruz's birthday next.  It was a fun day for all of us!