Mimi and Maumau, Martine and DD Return! Or the Denver-Denver Loop of the 4 Friends (page 15 of 17)

Pow wow continuation And just for fun, photos of the kids





























It’s such a joy to see that the next generation is stepping up!! We were allowed to photograph the dancers until the moment we witnessed two young children receiving a feather in their hair. The announcer asked us to stand up and stop taking photos or filming. Everyone obeyed, stood up, and in silence, we watched this moment with the utmost respect. Once again, I regret that my school-level English keeps me from understanding the subtleties of this ceremony. 5 PM!!! People are heading toward the exit!!! We head back to the car, our heads full of everything we’ve seen and heard over these three hours!! We truly witnessed an exceptional event!!! What luck to have been in the right place at the right time again!! Come on, the sun’s still out!!! We still have time to drive to the North entrance of Garden of the Gods to see some of its red rocks at sunset.

Love your Pow Wow photos! That’s definitely something I need to add to my next trip out West (ugh, I’ll have to wait two more years—this year it’s Australia, and next year Florida and Louisiana).

Oh, it’s so sad seeing your trip come to an end—I just want it to keep going for pages and pages! :-)

Hello! 🙂 MM: Thank you for your steady presence and your kind little words. Katia: Cool!!!! Australia, Florida, Louisiana!!! Some great plans too!!! We were really lucky to attend this pow wow, even if we missed the beginning, which seemed amazing!!! We loved watching those dances and all those fabulous, colorful, and beautiful costumes. Yep, you guessed it right—the trip is coming to an end (and so is the travel journal, for that matter!!!). I don’t feel the same nostalgia I did when finishing my first travel journal because I know that as soon as we’re back from Guadeloupe (end of March), I’ll dive into planning our next road trip since we’re leaving again in September!!! Yesterday, we booked almost all of our accommodations (only one left to go)!!! We won’t stop haunting the forum, me and my questions!!! 😉 Martine 🙂

Garden of the Gods: This land, which belonged to the Native Americans, was purchased in 1879 by a businessman to build his country house. Upon his death, his heirs decided to bequeath it to the city of Colorado Springs on the condition that it be made freely available to everyone and that no construction be erected there. This small park, crisscrossed by hiking trails and a small road loop, features astonishing rock formations of an intense red sandstone. You’ll find tall cliffs and extremely thin spires, some rising over 90 m (300 ft). We parked at the north entrance: 1805 N Gateway Road 30 th street to do the easy loop following the Central Garden Trail. This is the central area that groups the main geological curiosities of the place. As soon as we got out of the car, the vibe was set. Yay, we found the Redrocks we love so much!! But the huge cliffs were already in the shade!! Darn!!! And it wasn’t even late!!! Oh well!!!

But as soon as we passed through the cliffs of North and South Gateway, we found bright sunshine!!! The sneaky things!!! They were hiding it!!! Some have made it their playground and are scaling the columns. A sign at the entrance gives us info on the different formations and trails.

The rocks, colored red or ochre, stand out against the green vegetation, and the spires rise against the blue sky!! As we walk, the colors explode: blue, green, ochre, and more or less intense reds!!! We fall under the spell of the place once again.







Some formations have very descriptive names: Kissing Camel:

Sentinel Spire

Giant Footprint Three Graces Cathedral Spire

Sleeping Giant (in the background on the right) We continue toward the Sleeping Giant, first on paved paths, then we climb the red rock following the marked route.

There’s a crowd up there scaling the big ol’ giant. It’s worth noting the park is right in the city center, and it’s the weekend, so it’s great that everyone can enjoy these natural wonders!!! Well, it’s time to head back to the hotel!!! On the way down, we pass a ton of newlyweds capturing the moment in these amazing landscapes. We skip the second hike we’d planned and head back to the hotel. Mexican meal: $150 (way too expensive!!!) at Crystal Park Cantina!!! In the bubbles of my hot tub, I’m thinking!!! We’ve been in the U.S. for almost three weeks!!! Oh no!!! The road trip is over!!! Tomorrow’s our last day!!! Time has flown by!!! Come on, let’s not mope and enjoy the present moment to the fullest!!! Tomorrow, we still have some amazing things to see!!!!

What beautiful photos of those kids—it's so lovely! Yes, you were lucky, but it's also thanks to all your research! What a lot of prep work! And when I read that you've already booked almost all your nights and planned your route, I'm wondering🤪? HEY, do you even sleep, though😉? I have to say it again—I can't thank you enough for sharing! A thousand thanks😎 to you!

Hi there! 🙂 MM: The Pow Wow forced us to change our itinerary, but it was totally worth it!!! Haha, true, some pages were written in the middle of the night when Morpheus plays tricks on me!! Luckily, I don’t need sleep to be in shape. Martine 🙂

Day 21: September 22 – Manitou Springs Today’s our last day dedicated to sightseeing. Our hotel is right next to Garden of the Gods, and we planned to start by going back there to explore the section we didn’t see yesterday. This time, we’re taking the other entrance, the one next to the Trading Post: US Hwy 24. On the agenda: a short hike that’ll take us to the Siamese Twins. We’ll do the 1.6-mile loop counterclockwise—I think it’s easier that way. Once again, a gorgeous blue sky makes the red rock stand out even more. At the foot of these unique rocks, we’ve got an amazing view of the surrounding hills and the park’s formations, with the bare summit of Pikes Peak—4,301 meters high—looming in the background. We’re gonna photograph these conjoined twins from every angle—they’re stuck together at the belly. They’re hilarious with their grumpy faces, crossed arms, and no smiles. Ha, ha, ha—they remind me of DD when he’s mad!

They’re seriously tall, though! Still that vibrant red of the sandstone. The classic photo with Pikes Peak way in the back. Another pretty little hike—easy, too! This park is really something else. We stop to make our last purchases at the huge Trading Post before photographing the impressive Balanced Rock just before leaving the park. There’s a crowd around this giant, and we’re struggling to find a moment without anyone around it. Quick, it’s finally alone! Alright, that’s enough—we’ve got quite a few kilometers to go before reaching Calhan, where the last wonder of this incredible state of Colorado awaits.

Paint Mines Interpretive Park : 29950 Paint Mine Road Calhan. The site is 66 km from Manitou Springs. We program Calhan into Here We Go, and off we go on Highway 24 for our last discovery. There’s a Subway in Calhan (all four of us are die-hard fans of this fast food place, which we introduced to our friends back in 2017), so we decide to stop there. Right next door is an antique shop where we take a look after our meal. Cadillac Jack’s Antique Store From floor to ceiling, this huge store is packed with vintage items, each one more unusual than the last—from antique jewelry to perfume bottles, furniture, advertising memorabilia, and even slot machines. But the most moving part is the entire collection of old toys that delightfully transports our four old souls back to our childhood. We could’ve stayed for ages marveling at teddy bears, dolls, Dinky Toys, and electric trains, but time flies, and after this little trip down memory lane, we’re back on the road. We quickly reach the first parking lot after crossing a flat area of short-grass prairie. Once again, the sheer vastness of this country overwhelms us. Nothing stops the eye—it stretches as far as it can see!!!! The site is 1.6 km from the town in the middle of nowhere. It’s a geological wonder where Native Americans collected clay 9,000 years ago to color their pottery and for war paint on their bodies and horses. The vibrant color bands are caused by oxidized iron compounds found in varying amounts in the different clay layers. Mother Nature, through wind, water, and erosion, has carved ravines, caves, hoodoos, and canyons, with trails winding through them. Before climbing gently up the sandy path on the hill we start with a small canyon We walk through sturdy, light-colored rocks—white with hints of orange and pale yellow—occasionally passing columns and small flowers that add a splash of color.







We continue our walk, and more colors appear—darker pinks and flaming yellows. The rocks grow taller.

The colors become more and more vivid—it’s stunning.

We run into an American woman with her kids. She tells us there’s a cave a little further on. Off we go to the cave! We spot it in the distance and follow the little path behind the flowers. It’s easy to access. The walls are high and narrow, and the yellows blaze—everything seems lit up. It’s breathtaking.

From the "fire cave," we can still see beautiful formations with the drivable road in the prairie just above.

What a lovely spot. We keep walking, gaining a little elevation. We overlook the first canyon, and the people below look tiny.

Painted mine continued .... We’re now above a completely white canyon that we won’t be walking through.

Still the vastness. At the foot of the overlook, at the top of the prairie, more formations. We keep going. Again, the formations change as we walk along. Funny little white “balls” appear on the spires and rocks. We don’t know where to look anymore!!!



We could’ve kept going and explored more of the site’s trails, but it’s time to head back to Manitou Springs. We need to find a laundromat to clean the car and pack our bags—even though we don’t have any, and really, really don’t feel like it. We head back to the parking lot, still admiring this stunning place.

In the car, we chat: another incredible spot!! Plus, we were really lucky with the weather. Without the sun that made everything look amazing, the experience would’ve been different. But where’s our Maumau? I strain my ears and look out the window. Oh no!! It’s him calling—he’s stuck in the restroom because the door stubbornly refuses to open!! DD rushes over, and with the help of a young American woman, he finally manages to free the prisoner from his little cell.



Seriously, after the stuck door in the Badlands and the one that wouldn’t close in our sketchy Rock Springs neighborhood, our relationship with doors ends on a high note with Maumau locked in a restroom in the middle of nowhere. Our friend was already imagining having to break the window to escape!! More fear than harm—we’re laughing our heads off as we hit the road back to Manitou Springs. We find a laundromat right next to the hotel. It’s not great, honestly—we leave a ton of quarters in a vacuum that doesn’t suck up anything—but it should do the trick with the rental company. It’s too late to explore the town. What a shame!! Great meal at Manitou Brewing Company, 725 Manitou Avenue (100 € for 3 burgers, 1 wings order, and 4 beers). We take a little nighttime stroll, then head back for our last night in the U.S.

Amazing, the park ... the photos. For the last one, it leaves you dreaming on the plane.

Hi Martine,

I was able to pick up reading your travel journal on my smartphone. Like you, the Mollie Kathleen gold mine really interested us.

Oh wow, "Garden of the Gods" in the sun! Gorgeous! During our trip in July 2013, sniff, the rocks were partly covered in mist and it rained on and off. So we couldn’t really appreciate the park.

And I just discovered the pow-wow you attended. I didn’t know there was one in that spot. Wow, amazing!

See you soon,

Christine

Hi Marimijean,

Pow-wows don’t just take place in September. Depending on where they’re held, you can attend them at other times of the year. When we were in New Mexico, we made sure to plan our itinerary so we could stay in Taos during the annual pow-wow. If I remember correctly, it was mid-July. I think there’s a website where you can check the pow-wow dates for each state.

Have a great afternoon!

Christine

Hi Martine,

Thanks to your travel journal, I discovered Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

I see the rocks are so colorful. I love it. If we go back to that area, we’ll definitely include it in our plans—I really want to walk among those unique, colorful rocks.

A huge thank you, Martine, for this amazing journal. And right to the end, you had me laughing. Ah ah, thank goodness Maumau could get out of the bathroom quickly!

Have a great rest of your afternoon!

Christine

Hi Martine, I had planned to go to "Paint Mines Interpretive Park." I don’t know if we’ll make it this time since we’re not planning to pass through the area. But I still made a note of it—you never know! 🙂 Noëlle

Good evening Martine, Oh, Paint Mine! It's so beautiful (in the sunshine, too—you were lucky). A little slice of paradise that's still relatively unknown, and that's just fine. 😊 Gorgeous photos. Thank you!

Good evening! 🙂 Thanks so much, loyal friends, for all your comments!!! I’m almost done!!! Just one more day and the travel journal will be finished. Martine 🙂

Make it last a little longer, I’d really gotten used to coming by to visit you.

Day 22 - September 23, Manitou Springs - Denver airport. Last day on American soil. I woke up first, as I often do before the phone alarm, and I reflect. Like last time, I’m torn between the joy of reuniting with my tribe (yes, my little ones miss me!!) and the sadness of seeing our trip come to an end. No more mischief and laughter, no more pillow fights in hotel rooms, or the pleasure of sharing magical places (it’s so much more beautiful when you’re with the ones you love!!!) Here’s my recap: 3 weeks of discovery, locals who are always smiling and ready to help, amazing weather, 5 states crossed in nearly 6500 km, extraordinary roads and landscapes, unexpected encounters (like my little grandfather who charmed us with his flute or John Patrick who gave us a private tour of Fort Laramie), our first bison, the mustangs, places so full of emotion you could almost feel it—like Medicine Wheel, the Mollie Kathleen mine, or Fort Phil Kearny—remote spots in the middle of nowhere, rewards after dozens of kilometers of dirt roads!!! All of this flashes through my mind!!! We’ve added the Big Five to our photographic trophy list (not my idea, but from the *Guide du Routard*): the elk, the bear, the Bighorn, the moose, and the mule deer. I was worried I wouldn’t feel the same surprise and wonder as our first trip, but I can assure you that this 2019 journey gave us just as much as 2017 did. I won’t dare rank all the stunning places we visited (I couldn’t anyway). I’ll make an exception for Yellowstone—unclassifiable—but for the rest, a huge crush on the Badlands and Antelope Island for their wild side and incredible landscapes, as well as the little trails of Wildlife Road at sunset in Custer Park. For the flops, I had to rack my brain to find any: That sneaky sun that stubbornly refused to break through the thick clouds at Mammoth Hot Springs. Phantom Road, which took us a lot of time. Arriving late in small towns, which kept us from strolling through the streets. And finally—and this is my fault—not going out to see the stars at Cedar Pass Lodge. Even though our flight doesn’t leave until 5:30 PM and Denver is only 160 km from the hotel, our stressed-out guys want to leave the city *extremely* early!! I still managed to negotiate—with great difficulty—a stop at the US Air Force Academy, which is on our way. I don’t remember what time they made us leave the hotel, but we’re in front of the site by 8:30 AM, and tours start at 9 AM. Too late!! We need to find the Hertz counter!!! We need to fill up the tank. There’s going to be traffic!!! And blah blah blah and blah blah blah!!! Faced with the Maumau and DD coalition, I give in. We arrive quickly and without any issues at the airport. No problems with Hertz, and we’re inside. I’d read an article about Denver airport and its mysteries (don’t miss the gigantic and eerie blue horse with red eyes that’s there), and we take the opportunity to look for the diabolical frescoes I’d seen online. Some of them are truly terrifying!!! Weird airport!! Especially since we stumble upon a whole exhibit about haunted Colorado, which Mimi and I devour. Meanwhile, the guys take off, and we spend a little time looking at the photos and trying to decipher the explanatory panels about ghosts, haunted hotels, cemeteries, abandoned mines, and mysterious objects. We’ve got several hours before check-in!! I can tell it’s going to be long!!! Luckily, the photos help us wait patiently. Here we are on the plane!! This time, it’s really over!!! Tomorrow, we’ll be back in France with family. Well, forum friends!! It’s always hard to finish a travel journal that you’ve spent so many hours on for weeks, and I’m leaving it with a little regret!!! Thank you for accompanying me and supporting me with your kind words, which really encouraged me to keep writing. I hope it can help future travelers who wander through here—don’t hesitate to contact me via PM if you have any questions. As you know, I’m leaving again in September, so I’m turning to the experts: please answer the many questions I’ll soon be flooding the forum with. Until then, I’ve only got one thing to say: See you soon, and above all, take care of yourselves and be happy with those you love. Martine 🙂

Hello, congrats on this great travel journal—it’s a nice change from the super well-known spots in the US Southwest. Thanks for the patience and time you put into it; personally, I couldn’t do the same! (And I’ll save my time to read them... 😛) Keep your youthful and playful spirits! 😉 Onward to the next adventure!!

Fabien

What a stunning travel journal ending on a high note with Painted Mine!! You can be really proud of the quality of road trip you put together for your travel buddies—or just your companion 😉! Thanks Martine for sharing... 🙂