After picking up Michael and Jason at Denver International, we headed back to Manitou Springs. We had heard about the Paint Mines Interpretive Park in El Paso County so we took the 25 mile drive (on dirt roads) to the park on the way back . . . well, kind of on the way back!We had to keep an eye on the weather, it changes rapidly this close to The Rockies. Since we were deep in country on a dirt road, it could be worrisome.The site was accessible through many walking trails. We walked through many varied colors and formations. There were several other large groups here and it is a spot where many engagement photographs were being taken (ugh!). A group shot with me at the camera! The formations were pretty neat, we saw several small ground squirrels and rabbits accompanying us on the trails.In the morning we drove into Colorado Springs to have breakfast at one of our favorite diners. After breakfast, we headed to the Broadmoor Seven Falls Park, which we have never seen due to its very limited hours of operation. Because of a dearth of parking, we parked in Manitou Springs and made the one+ mile hike to the falls. Because we were on foot, we received priority entrance and had the place to ourselves for a few minutes. The cars were lined up to the highway and because of the parking limitations were limited to about 15 minutes per stay.The only thing better that an ice-cold waterfall on a warm, steamy morning is someone in the falls . . . yes, that’s me. Of course I made sure this was allowed before entering the creek.I finally got Jason to give it a try. I also babysat a Huskey who wanted to get in the water (but his owners didn’t).After the falls, we walked back through Manitou Springs and the many shops. Next we drove to Garden of the Gods to let Jason do a little rock climbing.It was starting to get very warm and Jason found a nice shady spot to rest.Jason the “Tough Guy”.We stopped at the visitor center so Michael and Jason could see some of the history of the park. Jason is looking out towards Pikes Peak, the tallest mountain in the background. Michael and Jason were prepared to hike the Manitou Incline in the morning, hell, if I can do it of course THEY could do it!Michael and Jason at the start of the Incline. This staircase climbs over 2,000 feet in .9 mile and has 68% grades. Jason and Michael posed at several hundred steps into the climb. The apparent summit in the photo is a false summit but I didn’t want to spoil their fun. Cathy and I stayed in the shade at the start for a period of time then I hiked up the nearby Barr Trial to surprise them coming down. I met them about two miles up trail.
After the climb, we showered and drove into Old Colorado City to walk the shops (Michael was looking for a candy store, but he could not find one similar to what we are used to in Columbia (CA).In the morning, we had reservations on the first train of the day up the mountain. Even though the ride took almost two hours each way, it was still easier that running the distance. (26.1 miles roundtrip).Our car was totally refurbished while the railway had been closed for the past three years. A lot of the rails and cogs were repaired and/or replaced. The ride for the railway was sold out for more that a week in advance but we had made reservations the week before. We saw a small group of bighorn sheep on the way up. This is the longest and oldest cog railway in the world. When we got to the top, we found that the Summit Visitor Center and viewing platform were not yet complete so we just walked to different parts of the mountain for the views. We did know this in advance.Cathy and Jason are on top of Pikes Peak. The Barr Trail’s “16 Golden Stairs” are directly behind them, the end of the ascent run and the turn-around for the marathon. You can barely make out the town of Manitou Springs in the distant valley below.Michael and Jason played in the snow at over 14,000 feet.After the Cog Railway ride, we drove over the Woodland Park and visited their Dinosaur Resource Center. There are more than 65 dinosaur and marine skeletons on display, and Jason spent a good amount of time in the children’s interactive area. Here they are inside a full scale megalodon jaw.
Travelling with the Schinglers 
Nice pictures of the family!
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