We did the big things in Colorado Springs, but we had a fun time doing little stuff too!
To rehydrate after our high-altitude adventure on Pikes Peak, we took the Manitou Springs Challenge! Manitou Springs is a cute little town at the base of the mountain, named for the natural mineral springs that flow through it. We brought our own cups, downloaded the map, then went on a walking scavenger hunt.
We ended up sampling 4 of the 8 fountains. Not a fan of the natural carbonation of mineral water, Delia only needed to try one. But, we liked seeing the different style of each fountain and tasting the subtle differences in each cup of water!
We spent some time, and about a dollar, at Manitou's penny arcade too! Here a whole street of vintage pinball machines, fortune tellers, carnival games, rides, and skee-ball is begging for your coins!
We also discovered the most insane sporting goods store! We went in for the shoe sales, we stayed for the aquarium, candy shop, Ferris wheel, taxidermy display, and animatronic Abraham Lincoln (???). Scheels baffled and delighted us!
We ate the best BBQ at a place called Mission BBQ. Not only were the brisket, ribs, and mac and cheese wonderful here, but the restaurant intentionally honors service men and women and first responders in its décor and mission. Gotta love that!
We made a special dessert stop for Delia one night. This was not your average donut shop! Is it sweet? Then they probably put it on a donut. You could find these toppings on the various donuts in our box: crushed Heath bars, pink sprinkles, bacon, marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, caramel, and pecans.
We got to walk around the Air Force Academy as well. Our good college friends Nikki and Aaron have a son in his junior year here. The best part of this day was texting with them all morning! We also enjoyed learning about life as an Air Force officer pilot or astronaut in training. The display of historic aircraft was my favorite. We walked under a huge B-52 and saw one of the Vietnam helicopters I just read so much about in The Women. This was an impressive campus and we're happy to have a better image of it when we pray for our friends' son!
And we took a long drive through a wildlife preserve. Decades ago, this was a US Army Arsenal that produced chemical weapons and fuel for war vehicles. Now, it is a giant, open piece of land, home to all kinds of Colorado critters. We saw prairie dogs, deer, bison, pelicans, storks, and bald eagles.
This Colorado vacation may have been minus our firstborn, but it was still a magnificent week spent appreciating donuts at all altitudes; outstanding American achievement, from the Olympics to the Air Force; God's creation in mountain summits, marmots, and red rocks; and our dear loved ones!
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