Up, up, and away

Michelle and I did "The Incline" last weekend. It used to be some sort of railway near the cog railway up Pikes Peak. You can see it driving into Manitou Springs, an 8-foot dirt swath cutting through the mountain. The "No Trespassing" sign doesn't even cause people a second glance. The hike's about a mile, straight up. Huge steps, much more conducive to someone with far longer legs than I, and at an altitude guaranteed to raise your heart rate with every step. But how fantastic to be out enjoying another one of those "Colorado blue sky" days, working hard, enjoying the lack of humidity. I'm really gonna miss these. I highly recommend it if you're up for a morning challenge (it took us 2 hours round trip--the way down is almost 3 miles winding down the side of the hill). Maybe pair it with an ice cream cone in town when you get done.

From the top, looking straight down.