Riding the Cog Railroad to the Summit of Pike's Peak

We all enjoyed our ride on the cog railroad.  It has an interesting history, as it has been climbing the mountain since 1890.  The locomotives have changed through the years, but the track has stayed the same.  Some parts of the track are the original rails laid down in 1890.

The views from the train were spectacular.  It wasn't a perfectly clear day, but one could still see for miles.  The summit of Pike's Peak is at elevation 14,110 feet, and the air is very thin.  We experienced difficulty breathing as we approached the top.

The temperature at the summit was 25 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind chill of 19 degrees.  However, the air was so dry that it did not feel that cold.  There were clouds covering most of the peak, but in a few places one could look down on the world below.  On a clear day it is said that you can see seven states from Pike's Peak. 

We really enjoyed the trip up the mountain.  At the top there was a gift shop and restaurant that served fresh donuts and hot chocolate, and it all smelled incredibly good.  Annie ordered a cup of steaming hot chocolate, and Momma and Daddy each had a fudge dipped donut.  I wanted some, but they hadn't provided anything for people with dairy allergies. 

We were given about thirty minutes at the summit, and then our train headed back down to the base of the mountain.  The views on the way down were even better than we saw on the way up.  We got to have a close look at some yellow bellied marmots that were out sunning themselves on the rocks.  Annie and I thought the marmots resembled Spunkabitty.

Our ride on the cog railway was a grand opportunity to see the awesomeness of God's creation.