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Seventy miles south of Denver on
I-25, COLORADO SPRINGS was originally developed as a vacation spot in 1871
by railroad tycoon William Jackson Palmer. He attracted so many English gentry
to the town that it earned the nickname of "Little London." Despite sprawling
for ten miles alongside I-25, modern Colorado Springs, a bastion of conservatism
compared to liberal Denver, still retains much of Palmer's vision, thanks
to a high military presence, fundamentalist religious organizations, the
exclusive Colorado College and a well-to-do Anglo-American community. |
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Motorists whisk through the incredible
Garden of the Gods, on the west edge of town off US-24 W, without bothering
to get out of their vehicles. This gnarled, twisted and warped red sandstone
rockery was lifted up at the same time as the nearby mountains (around 65
million years ago), but has since been eroded into finely balanced overhangs,
jagged pinnacles, massive pedestals and mushroom formations. The visitor
center, at the park's eastern border (tel 719/634-6666), has details on hiking
and mountain biking trails. |
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The scenic pine filled campus
with a Rocky Mountain backdrop, is home to America's future Air Force officers.
Enter Colorado's third most popular attraction at the North Gate for a glimpse
of a B-52 bomber. Travel six miles to the visitor center, chock-full of exhibits,
short films and a gift shop. Tour the stunning Cadet Chapel with 17 magnificent
spires reaching 150 feet into the sky. Or check out Falcon stadium where
the Air Force Falcons Football team plays, and keep an eye above where the
skies are colored with cadets practicing parachuting and flying Thunderbird
jets.  THE CADET CHAPEL Soaring 150 feet toward the Colorado sky, the Air Force Academy Chapel is an all-faith house of worship designed to meet the spiritual needs of cadets. It contains a separate chapel for each of the three major religious faiths represented in the Air Force - Protestant, Catholic and Jewish - plus two all-faiths worship rooms. There are two main levels, with the Protestant nave on the upper level. The Catholic and Jewish chapels and one all-faiths room are located beneath it. Beneath this level is located the larger all-faiths room and two meeting rooms. Each chapel has its own entrance, and services may be held simultaneously without interfering with one another. The aluminum, glass and steel structure features 17 spires. There is no significance to this number. Original designs were judged to be too expensive, so changes were made, among them a reduction in the number of spires. The changes did not alter the basic design or the interior square footage of the chapel, however. The shell of the chapel and surrounding grounds cost $3.5 million to build. Furnishings, pipe organs, liturgical fittings and adornments of the chapel were presented as gifts from individuals and various organizations. A designated Easter offering was also taken at Air Force bases around the world in 1959 to help complete the interior. The principal designer-architect of the chapel was Walter A. Netsch Jr. of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago. Construction was by Robert E. McKee, Inc., of Santa Fe, N.M. |
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| Tips for Your Trip Take Your Time and Enjoy Your Trip Allow at least two hours to make the 38-mile round trip to the summit. Uphill traffic has the right-of-way at all times. Watch for maintenance equipment working on the road, and do not straddle rocks or grader ridges. Stopping Whenever possible, use the turnouts provided. If you must stop on the roadway, choose a straight section where your vehicle is clearly visible to the other motorists. If you plan to be away from your vehicle for an extended period, leave a plainly visible note on the windshield saying where you are going and when you will return. On The Way Up If your engine begins to labor on steeper grades, shift to a lower gear to maintain speed and engine cooling. Shift your automatic transmission manually to stay in a lower gear. When you reach the summit, run your engine at fast idle for a few minutes to dissipate engine heat. If You Need Help Pikes Peak Ranger personnel are on duty and patrol the road at all times when the Highway is open. If you have any kind of trouble, send another motorist for assistance or wait for a Ranger. Stay with your vehicle. Call 719-684-9138 from your cell phone to reach a Ranger. On The Way Down Use your lowest gear to allow your engine to brake your vehicle. Don't ride your brakes; this will cause them to overheat and cause problems. Be Kind To The Mountain Please avoid polluting streams and reservoirs, and dispose of litter in trash receptacles or vehicle litter bags. Be Courteous If you have several vehicles behind you, pull over and allow them to pass. Do not pass on corners. Do not speed. Please Help Prevent Forest Fires Fire is the main threat to this watershed, the main source of water for the Colorado Springs area. If you smoke, use your ashtray. Fires are allowed only in designated grills - make sure fires are out before you leave. Overheating If your engine overheats, run it at a fast idle. You may wish to run water on the radiator core. Water stations are located approximately 3, 10, 11 and 13 miles past the Gateway. Health Tips If you have a history of severe cardiac or respiratory problems, we recommend that you do not make the ascent to the summit. Babies under 4 months of age should not make the ascent, either. Driving Tips 2 hour round trip Use lower gears 1/2 tank of fuel
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