story and photos by Susan Beiderwieden –
On a soggy January day in Victoria, a phone call from my sister ended with a surprise invitation. How would I like to visit Colorado Springs in September? Caught up in thoughts of three glorious weeks of warm, dry weather, I automatically said yes. I forgot the king-size bed came with two small fur balls with attitude, Bunky and Toto.
As an outdoor enthusiast, even our frequent dog walks around the neighbourhood offered spectacular views of the Southern Rockies. Cheyenne Mountain with many towers dominates the skyline. Located deep within the mountain is NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint organization of Canada and the US that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty and protection for both countries.
Poking 8,000 feet above Colorado Springs is Pikes Peak, the iconic mountain named after explorer Zebulon Pike. In nearby Manitou Springs, the recently refurbished cog railway ascends to the peak at 14,115 feet. On top you can sip hot chocolate, take in the stunning vista and munch on doughnuts.
Without warm clothing, we crossed that trip from our “to do list.” Yet, seeing Pikes Peak each morning took my breath away, that and being at 6,035 feet elevation. Under the intense September sun, the bald pink granite dome appeared to glow.
Arriving before Labour Day, I acclimatized and visited with my sister and her husband before they left on an anniversary cruise. I reacquainted myself with house, car, area, and the dog’s routine. Despite weighing only nine pounds together, they took up more space in bed than I did and were used to rising at 6:30 a.m. “Not going to happen,” I said.
Toto burrows under the covers while Bunky likes to spread out between the pillows at the headboard. “Not going to happen,” I repeated, but we were able to reach a compromise we could all sleep on.
Once in a routine, life was fun and filled with visiting family members. In fact, one neighbour wondered if I had a revolving door installed for my stay! The upside of having company meant extra cuddles for Bunky and Toto.
Tailoring activities around doggie duties, we managed to see historical areas like Old Colorado Springs, enjoy the beauty of the Garden of the Gods, hike the Seven Bridges Trail, and feed lettuce to the giraffes at the Cheynne Zoo.
The surrounding area offers everything from Chuck Wagon dinners, to peering into the Royal Gorge, exploring the Cave of the Winds and seeing the Manitou Cliffe Dwellings.
Like Vancouver Island, Colorado is an outdoor paradise where every scenic drive offers stops of interest. The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Centre is situated in steep hills at 9,000 feet elevation. Gray wolves from Oregon were reintroduced in Colorado last year, with a further 15 wolves coming from B.C. The subject of repopulating wolves is not without controversy, attracting passionate advocates and opponents alike. Following a one-hour educational tour, we were serenaded by a group howl that was other worldly.
Another drive found us in Guffey, CO, a census designated hamlet of 111 people. Or 112, according to Kate, the Chef of the Colorado Mountain Distillers where we ate. After winding through ponderosa pines and boulders in a concave landscape, we learned the area is part of the Guffey caldera, the collapsed remains of an ancient volcano. Some scientific accounts suggest it was the largest volcanic eruption in earth’s history.
With the list of things “to do” longer than the list of things “we did,” I’m ready to volunteer for another pet sitting holiday in Colorado Springs.
