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<\/a><\/p>\nAs is usual for me, I decided to spend my free day seeing the sights.\u00a0 A quick review of my options courtesy of Roadside America Dot Com<\/a>:<\/p>\n The one attraction I decided to go see was a natural splendor.\u00a0 The Garden of the Gods is a park deeded to Colorado by some forward thinking philanthropist that stipulates the area is not to be developed and is always to be free to the public.\u00a0 The name derives from some mid 19th century guys, who might as well have been Bob and Doug MacKenzie.\u00a0 Setting eyes on the area, one of our 1800 pioneers said the place would make a great beer garden.\u00a0 The other concurred and said it was a place fit for the gods.\u00a0 An amalgamation of the two produced the name.\u00a0 It’s interesting to note that amongst his conditions of the dedication to the state, the donator specified there could be no alcohol created or sold on the land.\u00a0 So I guess the vision of the beer garden remains elusive.<\/p>\n Anyway, it’s a magnificent place to be sure… albeit much more effective when you’re able to walk alone amongst the rock formations.\u00a0 As more and more tour groups and hikers showed up, it got less and less fun.\u00a0 I think it’s great people (mostly) got away from their screens (still a number of people checking their phones as they walked).\u00a0 It just got to be too crowded for my tastes.\u00a0 But I’m a loner, Dottie.\u00a0 A rebel.<\/p>\n Pikes Peak is obscured behind the rain clouds so I drew a very poor approximation of where it should be:<\/p>\n The famed “Kissing Camels” formation.\u00a0 It’s one of the few formations I found.<\/p>\n Post Garden, I took the opportunity to have one of the supposedly top 23 burgers in Colorado.<\/p>\n It’s a good one, but the bun is a bit disappointing compared to the rest of the burger.\u00a0 Was it the famed Earl of Sandwich who said the bread makes the meal?\u00a0 Might’ve been Oprah.\u00a0 In any case, the burger was very good… but I guess that’s why there’s a top 23 and not just a top 10, right?<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Now, remember how Roadside America suggested eating inside a plane?\u00a0 I was intrigued and went to see it.\u00a0 It’s neat, I guess.\u00a0 But I realized I’ve eaten in a lot of planes (just scroll through some of the posts over on the TOURS<\/a> page) and the food is… well… if your restaurant aspires to being airplane food, you aren’t exactly aiming for a Michelin star, yeah?\u00a0 Maybe the Airplane Restaurant is excellent… I just didn’t want to chance it.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n A few stray shots from Springs Colorado and Manitou:<\/p>\n This is an oversized student desk.\u00a0 In my day, I recall them being much smaller when I went to school. ***<\/p>\n Hmmm… I’m not so sure this is a good idea, Mr. D.\u00a0 I’ve got all the king’s horses and the all the king’s men on speed dial.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n This is outside the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce.\u00a0 It’s as close as I was going to get to the Great Fruitcake Toss on this trip.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n I always love these give-and-take library boxes.\u00a0 I’m fascinated by what books are available.\u00a0 Here in CO, a lot of Stephen King and more than a few screenwriting how-tos.\u00a0 I like to imagine a writer got all he or she needed from the books and is now working on Hulu’s Castle Rock or something.\u00a0 It’s better than she or he giving up their dream.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Speaking of dreams — it’s the great pumpkin, Colorado!<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To run or not to run… that is the question.\u00a0 I have an anxious feeling and my stomach is a bit knotty.\u00a0 I’m a bit down… I don’t know if you can tell but between the Garden of the Gods and the rest of the day I stopped to get a haircut.\u00a0 I’m not loving it.\u00a0 And that’s only the most recent setback on this trip.\u00a0 But I have my bib:<\/p>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n