Great Escape from NJ: COLORADO SPRINGS KOA: May 1, 2012

RV PARK REVIEW:
April 23 -May2, 2012

Site # 143 Approx. $32./day

Our rating 3 out of 5

This KOA would be a nice park if it wasn't so close to the highway and if they didn't squish the rv's into one section.

Large campground, but right on the highway, so get highway noise and railroad horns.
We requested a site away from highway, but yet, they just pile every one in from the highway inward. The sites away from the highway were empty. Seems they kept using the same section of the park to make it easier for them to clean. We would not return.

- Sites are close together. Gravel, dirt, a little grass.
- Highway traffic noise
+ Full Hook ups (50amp)
/ Laundry was fine. 4 machines each, but very small room so tight if more than one person there.
+ Pet friendly: Small dog park, lots of dogs in the park
+ WiFi: Free, good for the most part.
+ Verizon internet: good
+ AT&T (Deb) cell: 5 bars
+ Verizon (Scott) cell: 5 bars
+Sights: Lots to see in the area of Colorado Springs & Manitou Falls.
We would only stay here again, if we wanted to come back to this area.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RV LIFE:

I have been sick with the flu for almost 2 weeks.

Devin still gets me up just after sunrise, so around 6:15am I am walking the dogs. At 6:30am every morning I hear "revelry" from the local Fort Carson. This brought back childhood memories of my yearly week at Camp Sandy Cove in MD. I had great times there.

We've both been sick with the flu. Miserable 10 days. Achey, tired, burning eyes, fever, chills, stuffiness, cough, congestion. I just couldn't bring myself to really do anything.
We were only going to stay near Colorado Springs for a week, but with being sick, we extended so we could see a couple of sights.

While lazing around and napping in my wonderful swivel rocker/recliner, Scott spotted a bird building a nest on the rung of our ladder hanging on the back of the RV. Oh no! We don't want to be stuck here until the eggs hatch! Luckily, the birdies were just building it and nothing was laid yet. Scott moved the nest to a tree. We don't know if the birdies ever found it. They sure were confused when they returned to the ladder and their nest was gone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SIGHTS:
I wanted to take the COG RAILWAY up Pikes Peak, but because of being ill, I was not sure I could take the altitude. So,we drove (Scott drove) up PIKES PEAK, in case we needed to descend before the summit. Once was enough for me. 18 miles of serpentine road, mostly without guard rails and a deadly drop within a couple of feet of our dually wheels! Going up, up, up to 14,000 feet and the drop off on my side of the truck. My stomach was topsy turvy and I leaned over to the driver's side of the truck and held white knuckled onto the center console. I do not want to make that drive again. I was terrified!!!!

But even though I was terrified, it was an amazing drive up to the top. What an odd feeling to be on top of this huge mountain and looking down at all the other huge mountains. It was below freezing at the top with a wind chill that made it even colder!

There is a gift shop and a cafe at the top. It reminded me of a ski lodge cafe. The food prices were very high. I suppose because it is difficult to prepare food at that altitude. I had a hot chocolate and a Pike's Peak Donut. I couldn't finish the donut. I guess it's a fried donut, but because of the altitude it's so crispy it breaks apart when you bite into it. I ended up giving the crumbs to our dogs. Yes, dogs are allowed on Pike's Peak. Scott had a french vanilla type coffee, which was only luke warm. He also had a $7.00 bowl of chili. At least it was good.

The drive down was not as scary. Scott gave me a lesson about putting the truck into tow haul mode. As we descended, Scott would tap the breaks which would make the truck's engine downshift to slow us down.

We stopped part way down at a flat area that had quite a bit of snow. Scott wanted Devin to have some fun in the snow, which he did. Devin would grab a chunk of snow and toss it in the air and try to grab it again. He is still very much a puppy.

Pike's Peak is definitely a sight to experience if you are in the area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Pike's Peak, we stopped at GARDEN OF THE GODS. By this time, I'm really ready to just go back to bed. I'm still not 100% feeling ok yet. This is a multi activity park. There are hiking trails, bike trails, horse trails, & rock climbing. The parking lot was pretty full on a Tuesday, but the park is so large, that everyone was spread out and it didn't feel crowded. There are lots of walking trails through out the park. Scott took a short hike to view some rock climbers.

I stayed in the truck and rested my eyes. We also stopped by to see the balancing rock.

This is a beautiful park and worth taking your dogs for a hike here.

We also took a tour of MIRAMONT CASTLE, which was built by a Priest. Later donated to Nuns to be used as a sanitarium for TB patients. This is still a work in progress, interesting, but still needs more donations for furnishings, etc.

Miramont Castle is in the town of Manitou Springs which is a very cool town and worth a visit to. Lots of cool little shops and eateries. Old town, with odd neighborhood layout and some Victorian type homes.