Another Day in the Garden - This time with pictures!

Well another beautiful day for a training run in the Garden.  It was sort of brisk and this time I was overdressed.  Started to get a liitle warm about a 1/4 way into it.  Didn't much feel like running today so Cindy and I walked the uphills.  And this park as a ton of them.  Here is my running picture story - this is a view of the park after the first hill looking down into the main area of the Garden.  Off in the distance on the top of the last large rock formation, you can see Kissing Camels.  Unfortunately, the camel on the left lost his hump to a lightning strike. 

After a nice downhill and a really terrible uphill, this is the view you get.  As you can see, we haven't gotten to be very green around here yet.  Heck, we had snow yesterday.  We had grapple (new word of the day).  I called it packing material - snow pellets. 

Take a turn and look over your shoulder...here's Pikes Peak!  It sure is pretty all covered with snow.

Kodak moment!  More like rest break!  That's me & the Peak.

This rock formation is right next to the main parking lot.  Before you go grabbing your climbing gear, know first that you have to have a special pass to climb the rocks in the park.  Otherwise, there is a hefty fine.  Check with the Garden of the Gods Visitors Center for all of the rules/regulations.

This is probably the most popular car pull-off in the park for photographers.  There is an area for about 3-4 cars to stop at one time.  The tour buses do stop here too.  Don't even think of parking on the other side of the road.  That area is for bicycles, runners and hikers only.  You wouldn't like to have a bicyclist splattered across your rear window, would ya?!

Another view of the Peak.  Take a moment to ponder the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon.  For those who don't know, the Marathon is 13.1 miles up and 13.1 miles down.  The Ascent only does the up part.  This year, the Ascent will run on Saturday, Aug. 21 and the Marathon on Sunday, Aug. 22.  Can you believe some people do both?! 

Garden of the Gods most famous rock formation - Balanced Rock.  You can drive right by it.  

Had to through in one final picture of Pikes Peak. It will keep its white top until some time in June.  Visiting the Garden, along with its Trading Post, and the top of Pikes Peak are top on my list of things to do in Colorado.  Make sure you sample the doughnuts they make up at the top.  Anyone who can make them at 14,115 feet has my vote.  Baking at just over 6,000 is hard enough. 

Oxygen is overrated!