The drive from Albuquerque to Colorado Springs

We left what had become our home in Albuquerque at 10AM, to meet the terms of our rental agreement. We had spent the previous month enjoying Albuquerque, and the previous two days getting our things out of the house and packed into boxes and tubs and those things packed into the trailer. Everything that didn't fit in the trailer had to go into the car, so that's why it takes 2 days to pack the trailer. It takes a lot of art and care to get everything to fit into the trailer that has to go into it. The last item to go into the trailer is the ice chest with all the refridgerator and freezer items. We stop going out to eat and plan our meals strategically to eat everything from the fridge and especially the freezer so that whatever's left will fit into the ice chest. It wasn't that big of a deal on this move, because it's only a one day drive, unlike the drive when we left Colorado Springs to go to Spokane, Washington, which took 3 days. We used to drive (a similar distance)from Kansas city to Tampa, Florida in 2 days with a stop overnight in southern Tennessee, or northern Georgia. But we didn't have the trailer, and that puts a maximum speed of about 65mph, and an average of about 50mph with meals and bathroom stops.

It was a pretty drive with northern New Mexico being fairly hilly going north from Albuquerque to Las Vegas, and then the countryside becomes arid rolling hills most of the way up until just before you get to Pueblo, Colorado.

As you approach Colorado state border, things start to get more hilly, and seems to continue that way. Colorado Springs has Pikes Peak looming over the west side of town. You can see it from miles away being a mountain whose elevation exceeds 14,000 feet, while the City of Colordado Springs is at about 6,035 feet above sea level.

There's actually a hiking trail that climbs up to Pikes Peak that is about 12 miles long, and gains about 7,600 feet from a town, Manitou Springs, which is on the west side of Colorado Springs. Normally it's considered a 2 day hike, but a few serious athletes and dedicated amateurs have accomplished it in a single day. There is a full time staffed camp located up about half way with drinking water, campground and a restaurant. (but you have to have reservations to eat there)

Anyway, we arrived in Colorado Springs without any events, and that is a good thing.