<– Day 47 – Thu. May 28th: Back to the Springs | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 49-50 – May 30th-31st: Last Dollar & Madonna –>

I’m checking out a McLaren and an Indy race car.

On Friday Guy Kathe invited us to visit Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR) and meet president of the raceway Bob Boileau.

PPIR began life as a horse racing track. In 1996, the facilities were transformed from hosting horses to hosting automobiles. The track subsequently closed in 2005, but reopened in 2008 when Guy and some partners purchased it. Eventually they brought aboard Bob as president.

Bob’s to the left. His collection of cars in is the background. He owned a Willys wagon until recently.

We arrived at the track at 1pm. We found Bob busily racing around on his golf cart. Almost the instance we jumped aboard his cart for a ride around the facilities it started to rain. The average rainfall in Colorado Springs in May is 2″. This year it has rain 10″!

Despite some intermittent drops, we got a quick tour. Bob pointed out some racing semi-trucks and explained that a new semi-truck racing circuit had formed in the US as a result of the success similar truck racing was enjoying in Europe. For some reason, more Europeans are showing up for truck races than for Formula One or other races. So, Bob and other track owners in the US hope to attract a similar following.

I asked Bob how he got started in racing. Bob’s told me his father was a racer who was involved in bringing Honda dealerships to the United States. Along the way he became the first to build and race a Honda car. That 1974 Honda is now in this Honda Museum. Bob began racing in 1982 and has enjoyed a successful career. You can see his eyes light up when he talks about cars. He loves them. Bob’s sons have followed in his path, becoming good racers themselves.

Overview of PPIR track that I found on the internet. the stands are on the left. I believe the photos is a few years old.

About this time during our visit the rain became pouring rain, so Bob wisked us to his office to show us an overview of the property. They have areas north and south of the track that they may use for off road racing or other group events. Then he showed us the race car that will likely win the Pikes Peak Climb this year. In 2014, it won all the practice runs. However, on the day of the race they discovered the frame was cracked, so they couldn’t race.

Continue reading →

<– Day 46 – Wed. May 27th: Georgetown Loop Train | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 48 – Fri. May 29th: Pikes Peak International Raceway –>

We decided to take the scenic route back to Colorado Springs from Dilon/Frisco, Colorado. Nothing too interesting happened, but here’s a recap anyway.

Today we drove from Dillon, Colorado, to Colorado Springs.

I should interject at this point that the Frisco area had some great food. There were many highly rated (in Yelp) places to eat. The first evening we tried Pho soup at Pho Bay. Ann’s seafood soup had more seafood than we’d ever seen in a seafood pho. Mine was equally large and tasty.

The next day we ate at Prost, a German-oriented beer and brat pub. They don’t serve a wide variety of food, but what they do (german sausages), they do really well. Since Ann can’t do beef, we tried four different sausages: a bison, an elk, a chicken, and a wild boar sausage. All were great! Their cucumber and potato salads were also delicious. There seem to be multiple Prost locations around the West, with one opening soon in Boise, Idaho.

Back on to Thursday’s adventure. After my burrito breakfast, we headed south out of Frisco, rising to 11,542 feet at Hoosier Pass, named for some enterprising placer miners from Indiana.

As we snapped our selfie, it suddenly began to snow. So, we jumped into the jeep and headed north toward Alma, the highest incorporated city in the United States (at 10,578 ft). There we spotted this CJ-3B, which might be the highest 3B in the US.

From there we drove through some beautiful high mountain valleys.

Eventually we reached Hartsel, where we found this CJ-5.

The remainder of the trip took us around Pikes Peak until we landed in Colorado Springs. We will be here a few days and then drive to Utah (route to be determined).

<– Day 46 – Wed. May 27th: Georgetown Loop Train | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 48 – Fri. May 29th: Pikes Peak International Raceway –>

<– Day 45 – Tue. May 26th: South Park | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 47 – Thu. May 28th: Back to the Springs –>

Today my only objective was to ride the Georgetown Loop train and explore the Lebanon Mine in Colorado.

Today I completed a short drive to Georgetown, where I boarded a train for the Lebanon Mine.

It wasn’t altogether clear to me at first, but after I boarded the train I learned that the Georgetown Loop train didn’t run in a loop. Instead, it runs between Silver Plume, the western terminus of the ride, and the Devil’s Gate Station, the eastern terminus. Essentially, it runs up the canyon and then back down. Technically, there is a loop, as the train does cross under its own track, but to me that distinction wasn’t clear in the name.

Silver Plume station

The ‘crowd’ waiting to board.

I boarded the train at Silver Plume and we headed south for a couple miles. At that point we disembarked for a guided tour of the Lebanon Tunnel. Our guide was a friendly young lady who was more interested in being funny than providing interesting information. But, I was after more technical information than the average visitor. Near the end of the tour, I ended up answering some participant questions and explaining that smelting lead was an important financial component of the silver-lead mining and smelting process.

After our half hour tour, we boarded the train for a trip down to the Devil’s Gate station, before heading back up the mountain to the Silver Plume Station. I was surprised we never reached Georgetown. If you’ve never ridden the train, or want to share the experience with your kids, you’ll probably enjoy this ride and the mine tour. However, I would have preferred to skip the train and get a more thorough mine experience.

On thursday we have nothing planned, except to drive to Colorado Springs, where we will stay a few days.

<– Day 45 – Tue. May 26th: South Park | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 47 – Thu. May 28th: Back to the Springs –>

<– Day 41-43 – May 22nd-24th: Omaha-Bound  | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 45 – Tue. May 26th: South Park –>

Ann in trouble, again.

After spending the weekend celebrating Ann’s son’s high school graduation, we left Omaha on Monday bound for Colorado. However, we decided to make one stop on the way at a place called Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska.

Today we drove from Omaha, Nebraska, to Golden, Colorado, with a stop at the Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska.

If you have ever driven through the middle of Nebraska on I-80 you’ve probably seen worn signs in dire need of paint advertising the Pioneer Village. The signage is unimpressive and left us with the impression that they might be relics of a place that no longer exists. However, after seeing a couple signs, we looked up the place and discovered that, indeed, it still exists. Even better, the reviews were generally positive.

We arrived to find a dated brick building. In the front windows paper letters ‘welcomed’ us. There weren’t many vehicles parked nearby, so we parked right in front of the entrance door. There wasn’t much to give us confidence. However, once we paid the entry fee and walked into the first large space, we could tell it would be a cool experience. There were cars and planes everywhere.

When we exited the first building, we walked into a large outdoor area with buildings set up around a circle. The represented the ‘old village’ part of Pioneer Village.

Some of the old buildings moved to the village.

Continue reading →

<– Day 44 – Mon. May 25th: Pioneer Village | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 46 – Wed. May 27th: Georgetown Loop Train –>

Is it wrong to be taking a selfie of our selfie?

On Tuesday, we headed into the Rocky Mountains. We were barely in the jeep a few minutes before spotting a M-677 and an FC cab being towed westward from Denver on I-70. I guess it means that this M-677 is sold! During the subsequent hour of driving toward Fairplay, Colorado, we saw a CJ-5, a truck, a CJ-3B, a CJ-2A, and others. It was a good day for jeep-sight seeing!

Today we drove from Golden, Colorado, to Dillon, Colorado.

Our first destination today was South Park City in Fairplay, Colorado. It’s a recreated 1880s mining town with more than 30 antique buildings. We pretty much had the run of the place to ourselves, with a cat as a guide through much of it. He seemed to enjoy the company. If you like old towns, then you will enjoy this one, too.

There were two long boardwalks on each side of Main street.

David at the Assay office; holding some rocks seemed like the thing to do.

Inside of the Assay office. There was lots of stuff to examine!

Continue reading →

<– Day 37-40 – May 18th-21st: Research | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 44 – Mon. May 25th: Pioneer Village –>

Abnormally cold drizzle. That defines the last few days in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It generally hits the 70s this time of year; instead temperatures didn’t get much higher than 45 degrees. Needless to say, about the only ‘sight-seeing’ I did this week was my trip to pickup Ann from the Denver airport. She was happy to see me and  return to our home (the jeep). So, other than that, I didn’t have much to report this week.

Today we drive from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Omaha, Nebraska.

On Friday May 22nd, we broke free of the cold weather and drove through a series of rain storms toward Omaha, Nebraska. We saw a couple jeeps along the way, but the rain made photos impractical.

We are heading to Omaha Ann’s son is graduating from high school in Omaha. We’ll be here about three days and then work our way back to Colorado. Hopefully, the weather will warm up and dry up as there are several things I want to complete upon our return that ought to be fun to share.

<– Day 37-40 – May 18th-21st: Research | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 44 – Mon. May 25th: Pioneer Village –>