Today was a long day, but a good day. We hit the road early so that we could grab a bite in Colorado Springs before attempting to ride up the peak. We were about halfway there when the mountain came into view. Pike's Peak towers over its neighbors and its summit has no foliage, I was starting to feel intimidated.
After a delicious breakfast at a restaurant called Over Easy, it was time to head up. The morning air was already cool and we wondered how much further it would drop on the way up. The ride near the bottom is really beautiful and verdant with lots of trees. The road is smooth with sweeping turns and heat views. Once you climb above the tree line though, it gets intense. There are few guardrails and steep drops everywhere. Knowing how fast the guys who race up this mountain go gives me a whole new respect for them.
When we finally made it to the top, the temp reading on the dash said 40 degrees and there was a stiff breeze blowing. Walking from the bike over to the sign with the elevation on it felt laborious. At 14,000 feet, the effective oxygen level is only ~60% of what you get at sea level due to the reduced atmospheric pressure. Suffice it to say, we walked slowly to the various lookouts to take in the views.
Heading back down the mountain, we made a few stops at some of the lookouts for photos, then took a different route back to Denver that wasn't the interstate. Gorgeous landscape and roads; motorcycling paradise.
We capped the day visiting with two of Kitty's dearest friends from her previous life in Colorado. Lycia and Justin were wonderful hosts, and I can see why Kitty holds such a fondness for them. I hope we can return the favor when they next find themselves in California.
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