Ghost Town Wild West Museum and Snow'y Weather

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Yesterday, we went to visit the Western Museum "Ghost Town" in Manitou Springs, which is a suburb of Colorado Springs. Although somewhat miniaturized since it was all in one building (two actually but connected) it contained re construction of most of  the different type stores and what would be found in a small western town in the 1800  (19th century)hundreds.

It's a lot different when you walk through the displays and savor the moment of what it must have been like to live in those days. We all fantasized about that while watching western movies. The multitude of artifacts piled into small spaces was almost overwhelming. Here are a few photos of the displays and shops as well as a home that must have been owned by royalty as I'm sure the average family didn't have the things shown here. (there were no "entitlement" families  back then). Prairie people were quite poor and only the well to do could afford what you see in the pictures.

Outside were a few wagons that were supposed to be authentic like the ones inside but the reality of the day was seeing the painted Elk. Apparently, some of the area artist had fun painting it.

A Child's Saddle

Where's the Fire?

Need something Sewed? Singer Machine

Are You Dead Yet?

Go West Young Man

You Want/Need it. We Got it

                                     

Sears? WOW

Can I go For a Ride?

Normal Street

I drank Too Much

Typical Room

We Can Make Anything

                                                      The President Slept Here

Rich Woman's Parlor

Spoiled Brat!

Whew! We Sure Walked a Lot

Back to Reality

Today it started snowing around 10:00 AM and hasn't stopped . Colorado Springs has over five inches so far and expects it to snow all day and night. Doesn't seem to be that much here in the USAF campground but we're under a lot of trees that protect  us. Temperature is 34 degrees and freezing is forecast for tonight. BBBRRRR, it's supposed to be spring.What happened?
Well, Boomer loves it!  He didn't want to come in, he was sniffing at every bare spot in the snow and prancing around like a kid.  Ten minutes after we came in, he wanted to go out again.

Clif Dwellings & USAF Chapel

Saturday, 10 May 2014

The day started with a decision not to drive toward Jackson, WY and the Teton Mountains. A fellow RV'er said there was a storm brewing in that area with heavy snow storms and freezing weather. So we decided to stay here in Colorado Springs until it passes.

So, off to the ancient Cliff Dwellings village for a visit. The dwellings are basically a village of homes built into the side of the mountains by the Ancient Anasazi Indians. It is a relocated village from the mountains to this location for preservation and tourists. Most of it is (seems to be) original adobe bricks & mud, but you can see the reconstruction and added cement? or plaster mud. But, it was a good representation and very interesting to see all of it. Hope you enjoy the photos.

                                                   Spirit Meeting Pit(room)& Watch tower

                                                                     Spirit Pit

                                                       Storage Bins Inside

                                                          Four  Family Abode

                                                    Three family Abode

There were a couple of Wolves on display.  The owners said that it took years to train them to accept humans and become docile. Yet, they probably still had the "call of the Wild" in them.. You know; Can't take the country out of a country girl. I feel that they  added a bit of excitement and education for the tourists. The handler had his hands full with the male while  the female just lay'ed around. They have four wolves, three males and the female, Waya.  She is the oldest and the alpha wolf and the leader of the pack.  One of the males will eventually take the lead.  Indian legend says that the hair (fur) of the wolf is good luck.  As Ghost was walking his trainer around, he was sheding "good luck" all over the parking lot, and I now  have a little container of "good luck".

Male, Ghost

 Anita with Waya

Jesse with Ghost

With nothing else to do, we visited the USAF Chapel that is located in the academy area of the base The academy is separate from the general population since  their entire curriculum is academics, sports and training. They are not hampered by the general population like most training commands aboard  Naval bases are. The Navy needs to learn from the USAF.

The base is approximately 10 miles long and seven or eight miles wide and  all the facilities are really spread out . The academy is approximately five miles from the base exchange, berthing and commissary area which is five miles from the North gate and about the same from the South gate. The Family Campground  and the football stadium is right in the middle of it all. The airfield is on the extreme South end of the base.

There are security check points located before you get to any of the non family areas as well as at the gates where you have to produce an ID card to pass through.

An All Purpose Chapel

                                                         

                                                   Protestant/ Jewish/Booda/ chapel

                                                              Protestant Side Windows

                                                             Protestant  Overhead Arches

                                                                Catholic  Chapel

                                                           Catholic Chapel  Side Windows

                                                     Protestant Organ

Photo of area behind chapel when completed

Harmon Hall Aircraft Display 

Although we have been delayed in our travels, we made the right decision to stay here until the weather improves.

We decided to not go up Pikes Peak. Many posted  signs indicated that if you have a pulmonary problem or have other problems that make you dizzy, don't go without a doctors OK. That plus two attempts gave me an eerie feeling that I wasn't supposed to go. So, we didn't.  I always wanted to go up there, but after the signs and talking with someone who had passed out because of his problems, I think I made the right decision.

ProRodeo Hall of Fame-Colorado Springs, CO

Thursday, 7 May 2014
We started out going to ride the Pike's Peak Cog Train which is a cog wheel climbing  a rail in the middle of the track  for steep hills, going up it pulls and going down it act as a brake. It is the same system designed by the Swiss for the train in Queenstown, Tasmania.  I,ll try to find the photos we took there. I't been cloudy and threatening rain all day and when we arrived at the train station it started hailing.  They announced that the train would not be going to the top today because it was snowing on the upper part of the mountain. We rescheduled for tomorrow.

We drove through Old Town, Colorado Springs and enjoyed looking at the ancient buildings and the preservation of them and  afterwards stopped at The Mason Jar Restaurant for lunch. We had a great Buffalo Burger and grilled Fresh Rocky Mountain Rainbow Trout.

Later, we enjoyed the Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame.  Nita is an avid fan of bull riding and I must admit I have also gotten hooked on it. It takes a lot of "Grit"to get on a raging , live bull and try to ride it for 8 seconds. The bull will twist and turn rapidly trying to throw the rider off and will try to attack him  afterwards. Hell, I couldn't ride the ones in the bars and their speed  could be controlled. Watch it sometimes and you will see and believe what I'm saying.

Guess who?

 "Miss Rodeo" of the year's dresses (white-leather)

Calf Cage

"Bodacious"-- The World's Meanest Bull

Barrelrider

On the way back to the "Boomer Bus", we stopped and took a few photos of a B-52 on display at the North Gate of the base.

It had a record number of 200 completed bombing missions and had downed four soviet  mig fighter aircraft  in Vietnam. It is also one of the nuclear loaded bombers that were kept in the air 24/7 during the "Cold War". How many years did that last?

                                                                       B-52

                                                    083--"Diamond Lil"  SAC Bomber

 Number of Missions Completed and No of AC Downed