Pike's Peak in Colorado

The curvy route to the 14,110-foot apex of Pike’s Peak is 19 miles. Each mile is represented by an animal that lives at that elevation. The animals are pictured on the mile markers. Mark and I bet on what animal would represent the final mile. I take mountain goats and all things similar. Mark goes with small rodents.

The representative for mile 19 is a pika—not a rodent but close. It’s in the same family as hares and rabbits. Mark wins the bet.Snow is on the ground this early September weekend though the warm sun is melting it to mud. At the top, Mark and I hop out and change into hiking boots, which are in the trunk of our rental. Dressed in shorts and sweatshirts, we step lively over to one side of the Peak for a look, scramble past the tourists to the other side, snap some photos and hightail it back to the car. Whew, is it ever cold.

Though Mark won the 19th mile bet, I have other bets I’d rather win. We are on our way to Cripple Creek, Colorado and black jack.

In Cripple Creek we gamble for a couple hours and only lose $10.50 before we head to our stop for the night in Canon City, Colorado in the middle of the state.

The next morning we drive west to Salida to the cemetery to hunt for my great-grandpa’s grave, but the graveyard is so big, we never find it, but I’m glad we stop in Salida. Downtown is north of Route 50 and is the only town for miles around, so if you’re near Salida and mealtime is approaching, stop in.

We fill up our tank and tummies and turn south on 285, which turns to 17, to the alligator farm/fish hatchery. The place is a working hatchery but has become commercialized due to the novelty of alligators in Colorado. Because of the natural springs, the water stays a certain temperature year round, warm enough for alligators. They were originally brought here to eat the fish guts that hatcheries naturally produce.

For $5 apiece Mark and I enter and see snakes, geckos, caimans and alligators. As a money-making ploy, an employee literally shoves a baby alligator at Mark and takes his picture. We don’t buy though.

Outside is a show. An alligator wrangler ropes one of the large reptiles, none of which is eager to participate, and he drags it up to land and sits on its back and demonstrates how to get the mouth open. And some fool people sit on the animal’s back and open its mouth, and their wives or friends take pictures for posterity. I consider myself a risk taker, but no, thank you.

After our fill of the fishery, we aim south toward Mosca and the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, one of 10 National Parks we plan to visit this trip.

The dunes appear out of nothing and nowhere. They are one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in the way of scenery. These are so much more than the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes in Michigan. Those dunes are nice yet spread out while the Great Sand Dunes in Mosca, Colorado are enormous dune upon dune upon dune upon dune.

I have so much to say about them, I don’t have room here. Check next column for the follow up.