It’s the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend and time to do some exploring. After a late breakfast on a sunny morning in Colorado Springs William points the car toward Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, about an hour ride. We drive through Manitou Springs toward Woodland Park along Colorado Highway 24. As the elevation increases 2,400 feet (730 meter) the skies darken and the temperature drops. I’m glad that I packed a sweatshirt and some spring jackets for us.
The scenery is incredible as we drive up to the National Monument. We are already aware that the visitor center is closed due to Covid-19, but we are able to see some parts of the park from the road including the Hornbeck Homestead.
After taking some photographs at the National Monument we take Teller County Road 1 into Cripple Creek, increasing up to 9,500 feet in elevation. Cripple Creek is a former mining town, now a tourist destination, and one of a handful of cities in Colorado where gambling is allowed. Unfortunately today it is a ghost-town. The casino’s, restaurants, hotels and stores are all closed due to the covid-19 Stay-at-Home orders.
As we drive back toward Colorado Springs the mountains are beautiful, but an icy rain develops. The temperature outside the car registers at 34F (1C). I can see why people who live in this area have generators and put in a months worth of food before winter! As we make our way down toward Manitou Springs and into Colorado Springs (elevation 6,000 feet/ 1,830 meters) the sun reappears and the temperature returns to an acceptable 75F (24C).
After taking some photographs at the National Monument we take Teller County Road 1 into Cripple Creek, increasing up to 9,500 feet in elevation. Cripple Creek is a former mining town, now a tourist destination, and one of a handful of cities in Colorado where gambling is allowed. Unfortunately today it is a ghost-town. The casino’s, restaurants, hotels and stores are all closed due to the covid-19 Stay-at-Home orders.
As we drive back toward Colorado Springs the mountains are beautiful, but an icy rain develops. The temperature outside the car registers at 34F (1C). I can see why people who live in this area have generators and put in a months worth of food before winter! As we make our way down toward Manitou Springs and into Colorado Springs (elevation 6,000 feet/ 1,830 meters) the sun reappears and the temperature returns to an acceptable 75F (24C).
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