There's no place like home?? ~part 1

Initially my trip was to include a side trip to Salt Lake City. I was bummed when plans changed, due to my friend's ever-changing schedule (she is a pilot with the Air Force and just got a job as a pilot for the airlines), but that means we got to see more of Colorado, which is awesome. Next time, we vow to take a longer road trip (Grand Canyon perhaps!), even though we did put on 400 miles in one day! We saw SO much. I am so grateful to both of my friends for taking time to take me all over to see as much as possible in such little time. We had a GREAT time, and I can't wait to go back! I texted Mike while I was there that I would be sending a moving truck to collect them and all of our stuff...I love it that much. At least Maddie said she'd move out there with me.

(This isn't quite the order I did things...but nevermind that!)

Standing in front of my future home (I wish)





my friend, Sarah, being silly!

The Chapel at the Air Force Academy (last time I was out here, 12 years ago, my photo of the Chapel is awful because there was dense fog...couldn't even see the top half of the chapel! This time, the weather was PEREFCT every day!

I love this next picture, one of my favorites from the trip. We were 1000ft from the summit of Pike's Peak...but we couldn't go further due to 80mph winds! So we drove up 13 miles (out of 19). Next time we'll make it to the summit!!

That's Pike's Peak at dusk. Oh, and I'm looking out my friend's back door!!










We drove through Garden of the Gods. We thought we'd walk it the next day, but ended up doing some other things instead. So that is on the list of things to do next time I go!



Instead we made the hour+ trip to the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canyon City. It is referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River. Not the greatest photo, I couldn't get the camera to work just right for whatever reason. The gorge is 1000 ft deep, and at the bottom is the Arkansas River, where we could see rafts flying down the river (uh, you would never find me there. It's amazing enough I didn't pass out on the bridge. I am not so good with heights out in the open air like that. And it was super windy so the bridge was swaying. Yikes! Anyhow, it was very cool to see. And the fact I walked across is super amazing.)







so my friend flies planes and has mad photo taking skills!



Part 2...coming soon!!