Morning hike in Frisco, then a beautiful drive over the Continental Divide via Loveland Pass. I know I'm overusing the superlatives in this blog, but we really are seeing so many spectacular places!
Got to our friends Jim and Sandy with time for dinner and a nice neighborhood walk. Since the altitude is "only" 5,430 ft., no panting was required!
Museum day. Made it to both the Indiana State Museum and The Eiteljorg Museum. The Eiteljorg Museum is about both traditional and contemporary native American art, and western art in general. There was a new exhibit on humor in Native American art that i didn't expect to like much, but turned out to be good fun. I particularly like the belt in the photo--those are mouse traps rather than the usual conchos. The state museum was about the history, both natural and modern. My favorite here was a working model of how a mastadon's teeth worked as compared to a mammoth. Both are herbivores, but the mammoth ate grass so teeth needed to grind. The mastadon ate branches and leaves, so need sharper teeth that can cut off a mouthful. Finished with a nice visit and dinner with Bob.
Busy day! Started with an 8:30 tour of Churchill Downs. It was worth it! The house was a local who hasn't missed the Derby since he first week be when he was 16. We guess he's "our age"--knew all the basic stuff, but also lots of fun details. E.g., having a seat doesn't mean you can see the race--even those in expensive seats. The horses only run when they are three years old. Unfortunately, no horses were there before cause they're doing done renovations. All bets are in cash, and so are payouts. Next was a walking tour of historic Louisville. Lots of old mansions. Many were made into apartment buildings, but are being restore and returned to single family him homes. Most were mixed architectural styles--if Mrs. So-and-so wanted a turret, she got one whether it "fit" or not. There were also beautiful walking paths which many of the houses faced, so it was the back door that faced a street. Plus, Louisville dinner. This time pulled pork, properly coo...
More glorious big rocks, this time at Garden of the Gods. Took a guided nature walk, but of course can't remember most of what she told us. The rocks are basically sandstone, with the red caused by iron in the rock. The ice capped mountain in the background is Pikes Peak. Also went to the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum. Some interesting exhibits, and the building is quite wonderful. It seems the woman who wrote the lyrics to America the Beautiful, Katharine Lee Bates, was on the summit of Pikes Peak when she wrote the poem (in 1895). The museum the courthouse at one time, so rather grand with stone pillars, painted ceilings and an old "birdcage" elevator that still works and you're encouraged to use. Dinner at one of Colorado Springs MANY breweries. The custom with many (all?) of the breweries here is to arrange to have food trucks provide food and the brewery only provides the beer. They seem to have a schedule so the trucks rotate--a given brewery will have a diffe...
So nice to see you guys and show you around the mountains as part of your great big journey home! :)
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