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Pike's Peak Cog Railway
 A
second business trip to beautiful Colorado brought Henry to Colorado
Springs. After the meetings ended (click on
The Cooking Club),
an Associate and I took the Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway to the mountain
summit. The trip takes a hour and 10 minutes each way on the second highest
cog railway in the world. We were able to spend about half an hour at
the summit. The trip up is hardly a snore! Temperatures drop
about 3.5 degrees for every thousand feet increase in elevation and we
climbed from 7500 feet at the station in Manitou Springs to 14,110 feet at
the summit. We traveled through four climate zones: Foothills, Montane,
Subalpine and Alpine, the latter is above the tree line. Along the way we
saw deer, big horn sheep and Yellow-bellied marmots.
The railroad was
first organized in 1888, but the first service did not reach the summit
until 1891. In order to reach the summit, you traverse 46,292 feet of
track and climb two steep grades of 25%, the most famous of which is called
"son of gun hill". Early cog rail engines were powered by steam.
Over the years there have been 25 engines with the newest ones powered by
diesel with two connected articulating cars that can carry up to 240
passengers.
The view from the
summit are spectacular. You can easily see four states on a clear day.
We were actually able to see Denver International Airport which is about 2
hours northeast by car. Also at the summit is a monument which is a tribute
to Katharine Lee Bates. She wrote "America the Beautiful" after taking
a trip to the summit by wagon in 1895. Originally written as a poem,
"America the Beautiful" was eventually put to Samuel Ward's tune "Materna"
and the song almost became the National Anthem. And yes, there is an
auto road to the summit - not many guard rails though! To view the photos,
click on MANITOU AND PIKE'S
PEAK RAILWAY.
Winter Park & Rocky Mountain National Park
In
advance of a business meeting in Winter Park, Colorado, Henry spent some
advance time with his former roommate. Before the AAA National Office
moved from Falls Church to Heathrow, I spent about 20 months in transition
near Washington, DC. My roommate, Bruce, now lives in Colorado and this was
great opportunity to stop in and say hello. After a great visit with his
wife Judy, their daughter Holly, and Bruce, I headed west to Canyon Drive
that runs between Boulder and Nederland. Absolutely beautiful!
Along the way on
Canyon Drive, I took a short walk off the road to view Boulder Falls.
2011 was a very heavy snowfall. The snow melt has resulted in strong
runoffs. As a result, Boulder falls was just vibrant. The day
was crystal clear - not a cloud in the sky and the view of the falls was
just awesome.
After the falls, I
continued west towards Nederland and got a great shot by "Hurricane Hill" of
the Barker Meadow Reservoir. Then I travelled South on the Peak
to Peak highway and again captured some neat shots of the mountains and
ponds. Travelling west and again north, me and the car rental climbed
Berthoud Pass which is 11,307 feet above sea level. Again, the scenery was
just spectacular. Upon arrival in Winter Park, I took the Scenic
Zephyr chair lift to the summit of the Winter Park Ski Area. You would think
the mountain would be empty in the summer but no, there was a wedding, and
at least 50 or more "world cup" mountain bikers that were "skiing" the
mountain down to the bottom.
I had dinner with
some of conference attendees, and then five of us headed into the woods in
search of moose. The moose "won" as we didn't see any, but the walk
was enjoyable out into the bush. We returned at sunset after viewing a
nice half moon rise. That was quite a day!
After the business
session ended the next day, about a dozen of the attendees formed a six
vehicle caravan and we headed to the summit of Trail
Ridge Road, the highest road in the US at 12,183 feet! Along the way
we travelled through Grand Lake and into Rocky Mountain National Park. Near
the summit, we saw a herd of Elk about a 100 strong. They were so close to
the road you could almost reach out and touch them. It was mating
season however and the bull Elks were quite protective of the herd.
When you see those photos note that all the "males" have smiles on their
faces!
The view from the
summit was outstanding. The photos are nice, but they don't capture what you
see with the naked eye. If you ever get the chance, take the Trail
Ridge Road from Estes Park to Grand Lake, it's a drive you will never
forget. And by the way, you can't go in the winter - the road is
closed. To enjoy the photos click on
WINTER PARK COLORADO.
St.
Andrews, NB & Acadia National Park
Henry traveled to St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick in early June for a
business trip. St. Andrews sits on the Passamaquoddy Bay and boats one of
the highest tidal cycles in the world. Daily the tides rise and fall
at least 15 feet making some islands passable only in low tide.
Ministers Island is one such example where you can drive on the ocean floor
during low tide, but don't stay too long or you don't get back! The
downtown historic district caresses the St. Andrews Harbour.
Fishing and tourism are the major industries. The City also is home to
many artisans who sell their crafts, paintings, blown glass, etc. at street
markets and in more upper scale shops. The weather was overcast, but
you will enjoy the many photos.
About 75 miles south
of St. Andrews is Campobello Island. It is accessible by ferry from
Deer Island, NB in the Summer or by driving across the FDR Memorial Bridge
from Maine. Unfortunately, the ferry was not open during my visit so
Henry drove the long way around. Campobello Island was the summer home
of FDR and his family. The 34 room Roosevelt Cottage is wonderfully
restored and a must see. It sits overlooking Friar Bay which separates
the Maine Coast from New Brunswick's Campobello Island. While on the
island, Henry visited two lighthouses, Mulholland Point Light and Quoddy
Head Light, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. The
Mulholland light was built in 1885 to guide freighters through the narrow
channel between Lubec Maine and the western edge of the island.
About 125 miles
south of Campobello, near Bar Harbor Maine is beautiful Acadia National
Park. This is the easternmost point in the US - the sun rises here
first. If you haven't visited the Park or Bar Harbor, it's a must
trip. The park is actually located on Mount Desert Island. Henry took
the Park Loop Road and visited Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the
island (1530 ft), the famous Sand Beach, Thunder Hole where the tides crash
into the rocky coast, and Otter Point. He also visited the stunningly
beautiful Asticou Azalea Gardens which were in full bloom. The day
ended with a beautiful sunset on the bay in Bar Harbor.
It was difficult to
choose the photos to post as an amazing vista awaited the camera lens at
every shot. To view and enjoy, click on
ST. ANDREWS & ACADIA.
The Best of Henry's Scenic Photos
2010
Most
of you know that I enjoy taking photos and traveling around too. Over
the years, I've displayed my photos on this website and then after an
appropriate time, I replace them with new and different ones. You
might enjoy some of my favorites from this past year. Each are labeled
so you will know where they were taken. To enjoy them, click on
THE BEST OF HENRY'S SCENIC
PHOTOS 2010. An earlier version of my photos
is below or click on THE
BEST OF HENRY'S SCENIC PHOTOS - 2009.
The Best of Henry's Scenic Photos
- 2009
Here's an earlier selection
of "The Best of Henry's Photos."
To enjoy them, click on
THE BEST OF HENRY'S SCENIC PHOTOS
- 2009. As I travel around, I'll keep clicking and posting.
Enjoy!
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