Our Agenda

Arrival

• Check in should be pretty easy. Your rooms are already assigned. Check out your room.
• There is no elevator but the only ones who will have to go up a flight of stairs are those on the third floor.
• A light dinner of sandwiches and a charcuterie plate will be ready from appx 6pm to 8pm but that is flexible.
• There is also a bar with a limited menu. The soup is excellent.
• The bar also has lots of non-alcoholic options including dirty sodas.

This is all about Cripple Creek and seeing this amazing little town where I was born 80 years ago.

• 9:00am – heading to a museum. Not sure right now if we will go to the Heritage Center or the District Museum.
• 11:00am – Cripple Creek Narrow Gauge Railroad. Forty-five minute steam locomotive ride through the Cripple Creek & Victor area, with stunning scenery and historic sites. 
• 12:00pm – after the railroad we will head over to see Rita, the Rock Planter in Victor (about 5 miles from Cripple Creek). A giant troll designed by Thomas Dambo. This will only take about 45 minutes.
• 1:00pm – lunch at the 1899 Mining Claim Saloon. They don’t take reservations but I will give them a heads up the day before and a couple of hours before we arrive.
• 3:00pm – From here you are on your own to check out.
  • Lowell Thomas Museum for gold panning. (Victor)
  • Outlaw & Lawmen Museum/Fire Station #3 and other museums and attractions
  • Go for a hike at one of the nearby trails
  • OR just hang out at the hotel.
• Dinner – We will discuss in the morning and if we all want to go together, I will make reservations. There are lots of places to eat or we can just get pizza delivered to the hotel.
• Casinos – if you want to do a little gambling, the casinos are just a couple of blocks from the hotel

Colorado is home to 58 named peaks that rise above 14,000 feet in elevation, known as the fourteeners or 14ers. Pikes Peak is at 14,109 and is affectionately known as “America’s Mountain”.

• 8:30am – Depart from the hotel and head down the mountain to Manitou Springs where we will hook up with Rocky Mountain Ride. 2400 Naegele Rd, Colorado Springs. I’ve got two vans scheduled to take us up the mountain.
  • The tour stops at a few points of interest along the way.
  • We will have lunch at the Summit House. Evidently, the donuts at the Summit House are world famous.
  • The summit may be 30 – 40 degrees colder with gusty winds. Bring a jacket and because some of the terrain is rocky and uneven, wear closed toe shoes. Also, if you have long hair, you might want to bring a hair tie.
• We will also take a short tour of Garden of the Gods which is close to the Rocky Mountain Ride headquarters. The tour takes about 4 hours so I figure we will be done about 2pm.
• After we complete the tour, there are lots of options.
  • Stroll down Manitou Springs Main Street.
  • Stop at the Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park.
  • Head back to Cripple Creek.
• Dinner – Because of the motorcycle rally, dinner might be a little tricky if we all try to go together. Again we will discuss and figure it out.

THE BIG DAY!!!

• 8:00AM – Head down to Canon City (about an hour) to check in with Colorado Jeep Tours. 50905 W US Hwy 50, Canon City.
• We have two jeeps that will take us on an unforgettable trip into the Royal Gorge with rugged peaks and panoramic vistas. We will traverse America’s highest suspension bridge and along the way enjoy jaw-dropping scenery at every turn.
• The Colorado weather is ever-changing. Same jacket/weather breaker you took up Pikes Peak will work. And close-toe shoe are highly recommended.
• We should be back at our cars around 1:30pm. I’m having the hotel make us some sack lunches to eat during the trip.
• 6:00pm – Birthday Dinner is at the hotel. I wanted to do it early because I know you will be heading out early on Sunday to catch flights and get on the road.

Time to say goodbye. I hope you’ve had a great time and together we made lots of memories.