Pikes Peak, America's Mountain 2

At the summit

The summit has very little snow. It was cold but bearable.

I couldn't go near the cliff where people are looking out.

Too scary....

The brave ones go near the edge to look out.

With mild dizziness and weak legs, I did not dare to go near the edge.

The Cograil is empty now.

We were given 40 minutes to stay up at the summit.

Within 40 minutes, we had to go to the restroom, buy food and take pictures.

America the Beautiful

We owe the inspiration for the lyrics of the beloved song, "America the Beautiful " to the stunning vistas from the summit of Pikes Peak. It was the summer of 1893, and Katharine Lee Bates, a professor of English at Wellesley College, was in Colorado Springs to teach a summer session at Colorado College. On July 22, Katharine, along with several others of the visiting faculty, took a trip in a carriage to the summit of Pikes Peak. Horses got them to the halfway point, and, as was customary, a team of mules finished the climb to the 14,115 foot summit. Because altitude sickness affected of one of the party, they only stayed on the summit a half hour, but the brief experience was enough inspire a poem. She wrote.. "An erect, decorous group, we stood at last on that Gate-of-Heaven summit...and gazed in wordless rapture over the far expanse of mountain ranges and sea like sweep of plain. Then and there the opening lines of 'America the Beautiful' sprang into being." ..... "I wrote the entire song on my return that evening to Colorado Springs."  ~ from http://www.cograilway.com/

I felt little bit dizzy up there. It was not like I couldn't move around.

But it wasn't the same with no energy.

We lose quite bit of water up here.

Drinking lots of water the night before and

carrying a bottle of water with you would help to get adjust to high altitude.

Incredible views

The cog train is waiting for our group.

A stop at a restaurant.

The statue of a prospector

The world famous Pikes Peak donut

I heard the recipe for this donut only works at this high altitude.

I am not a big fan of donut, but this one was delicious.

It's crisy outside and soft inside.

IT WAS GOOD!

But ...we did not have time to go back in line for more.

Time to catch the train.

If we miss our train, the conductor said we will become a hiker instead of a passenger.