Manitou Springs
Save yourself the blushed faced like I could not – it is pronounced ‘Manitoo’. If you happen to find yourself there on a warm 75-degree day, there’s a chance you’ll get parched. Poke around a little bit and you will find a few springs that are constantly pumping out a certain type of water. So for any babies reading this – fornication. If that word isn’t enough to make you turn and crawl away, this will: that spring water is high in manganese and should not be consumed in copious amounts, especially by babies. It also tastes like a seltzer that was opened, spit in, and then left in the beating sun since your first communion.
Other than the water, the main strip is a great time. It’s filled with friendly people, touristy shops, and my personal favorite, jerky shops. I recommend the Peppered Elk and Bison combo. They have an array of things to do entertainment-wise. Their main attraction in terms of entertainment would have to be the indoor/outdoor arcade. It spans between three or four different buildings and if the partygoers do end up parched and opt out of nature’s piss seltzer, they can pop right over into Manitou Springs’ oldest bar, the Royal Tavern.
It is a fun spot with good times, and I could not recommend it more. Travel a little further up the road and you’ll find yourself at this trip up next.
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Above is a picture taken by a drone that I unfortunately cannot credit or claim credit for. However, it does much more justice than any of my photos could have. If you are ever in Manitou Springs, Take. This. Ride. I am only using this photo because I am unable to replicate the sight my eyes bore witness upon. On one side, you could see parts of Oklahoma, the other Kansas, and in between are peaks and valleys that could make a grown man cry.
It was truly a breathtaking experience that opened my eyes up to what untouched lands really look like. I refuse to write any more about this on the off-chance I spoil anything for you guys. Get a round-trip ticket to Denver, I’ll pick you up, and we are taking this cog rail together. All that being said, a Dollar General would be beyond picturesque at the peak.
Garden of the Gods
Google Garden of the Gods and you will find many pictures of the red rocks jetting into the sky. What you won’t find is this little number taken by moi from one of the trails once again lacking oxygen. I may not be the wizard that Cangro is with his camera, but my iPhone 11 fairs well.
The hike itself was incredible. There was plenty of time to explore the parts where the rocks truly did jet right up out of the ground and into the sky. However, I was looking for a bit more danger that my ankles weren’t prepared for. We headed out to a path that wasn’t grueling but did include a ‘watch for rattlesnakes’ sign. Perfect. Just enough danger to make my suburban New York City ass sweat. There wasn’t too much elevation gain, but enough to make myself feel athletic. The hike itself was a couple miles and it gave us a chance to soak up the Garden (Colorado’s Garden, not New York’s Garden) from a completely different perspective than what is considered touristy.
Words of Wisdom From the unwise
Whether it be the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Garden of the Gods, or even just a few hours trip around Manitou Springs to shop, I encourage everyone to check it out at least once in their lives. I mentioned being a tourist a couple times in this post as well. Best advice I could give is go be a fucking tourist. There’s a reason tourist traps are a thing – they’re usually awesome. Don’t sweat what the local who grew up there and will never have the chance to leave thinks about what you’re doing. When in doubt, Lime it out. Hop on the scooter, find a hot spring, burn some Colorado lettuce, and enjoy the things that make places like these enjoyable!