The Top of Pike's Peak (And the Way Up)

Hello there my little muffin-birds!

(Can that be taken in a good way?)

This begins the first of many posts from Colorado, so I decided to kick it off with a good one.

Would this qualify as a gem of a photo?

Deteriorated log cabin count: 1

On a 1.5 hour train ride, you resort to taking dicey pictures.
Also: developing your bladder of steel.

This *may* or *may not* be Pike's Peak.
I seriously have no idea.

A view coined 'Inspiration Point' by the woman who wrote the song America the Beautiful.

Alright, this next one needs a preface:

about halfway up the mountain, the train took a stop to change the switches on the track.

A woman sitting near me spotted a black blob, and screamed "A bear! Oh my Lord, it's a bear! Sweet glory!" (may be a bit exaggerated...) Of course, everyone on the train was losing their minds, because God knows they've never seen a bear before. So, as a person who enjoys crushing people's joy on a daily basis, I zoomed in.

Not a bear.
Hello, cow.

Hello, creepy creatures of the mountains.

Hi again cow!

A mining district.

The closer we got to the top, the more limited the views got.

Eventually, this was all anyone could see.
HOW WAS SOMEONE DRIVING A TRAIN UP A MOUNTAIN IN THIS?!

As soon as we got off the train, it started to hail.
#funtimes

It kind of looks like the end of the world.

The summit of Pike's Peak.
Location: the middle of the parking lot.

The Pike's Peak Highway, which was closed for a brief moment in time while we were at the top, on account of the weather.
IT'S THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER.

The incline on the way down.

 Yay Pike's Peak!

Now excuse me while I go stuff my face with onion rings and ice cream.