We Be Trippin': The Great DIS-nee Road Trip

[DSNY4ever]

Now that we have gotten a little chance to relax, we can explore the Tallac Historic Site and the Pope/ Baldwin Estates. Admission is free and we can explore the old buildings and learn a little about Tahoe’s history.

“Tallac Historic Site, run by the U. S. Forest Service, contains three historic properties that once belonged to the Baldwin, Pope and Heller families. The houses, built between 1894 and 1923, offer a glimpse of the lifestyles of Tahoe's early rich and famous.” This is taken straight from their site- but this is still relevant today...you can still drive through Lake Tahoe and see the homes of the rich and famous, they call them “cabins,” but they are usually log mansions

The view from this house-

This one is the honeymoon suite- do we have any newlyweds onboard?

They even have a little garden, but beware of bears!

Well I think it is time to hit the beach! I will take you to one of my FAVORITE beaches- Calawee Cove!

Beware of the Canadian Geese...the like to nibble toes while looking for treats in the sand!

Well that’s it for Tahoe! We’ll have one more stop along the drive before we head back to Washington or Colorado, so stay tuned!

 

[FirstTimeCaller]

Thanks for the tour. I love Tahoo. My wife (although she wasn't my wife at the time) and I once got snowed in at Tahoo and had to stay an extra day, missing a day of work. It was a horrible inconvenience.

 

[catotigger]

DSNY4ever:

Thanks for the wonderful tour! It looks like you live in a lovely part of the world! I am really serious about trying to visit during the Tour of California!

I lived at Travis AFB as a kid (6-ish) so I have vague memories of that part of California. I'd love to come back to the area some day!

Isn't it amazing how many neat places there are? As we've travelled around the country on our virtual tour, I've seen so many places I'd love to visit.

Of course, where do I ACTUALLY go when on vacation? Yep, you know where!

 

[DSNY4ever]

Yes Tahoe is beautiful. Folsom is nice but a big plus is that we are so close to Tahoe, but then we also have just a few hour drive to San Francisco, Monterey and Yosemite. And Cat, I pass Travis AFB whenever I have to drive back toward SF to see my parents! We are lucky to have nice weekend getaways nearby...but yes we also do our "big" vacations at the happiest places on earth..a couple trips to Disneyland and then every few years a BIG treat to WDW!

 

[DSNY4ever]

Well I couldn’t find any giant balls of yarn to show you or anything quirky like that- this is probably the funniest thing we have around here and it is called Apple Hill. It is a large group of Apple Orchards that we pass on the way to Tahoe. Everyone gets off the freeway and there are tons of Apple Orchards selling apples....and everything you can possibly make from an apple. You can get any apple treat imaginable and they also have pumpkins, berry picking, cherry picking and arts and crafts for sale. Our favorite treat is the fresh hot Apple Cider donuts...they melt in your mouth, our favorites can be found at Boa Vista Orchards, High Hill Ranch, and Rainbow Orchards. Of course we have no photos of them, but here are some other things you can enjoy at Apple Hill-

So pick out whatever treat you would like, and grab some for the road, because that’s the end our stop in Northern California. I hope you enjoyed it!
Are we ready to head back to Colorado or Washington before we hit Southern California? Glad to hear you got settled in DisneyFalcon!

 

[3guysandagal]

Great tour DSNY4ever!

Since you mentioned a bit of a bear problem...

I hope you’ve stretched! Let’s head out into Desolation Wilderness. Feel free to sing or clap your hands as you hike because this is definitely bear country...but luckily it's not grizzly bears!

They even have a little garden, but beware of bears!

I thought this might be a good place for a little info regarding hiking and bears...

Bears can be a menace to humans, so back country hikers may be wise to wear little bells so the bears can be warned off, and to carry pepper spray just in case. It is also advisable to know the difference between black bear droppings and those of grizzlies. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly fur from small animals such as squirrel or rabbit. Grizzly bear droppings, on the other hand, have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

Just thought you'd like to know.

 

[catotigger]

Great tour DSNY4ever!

Since you mentioned a bit of a bear problem...





I thought this might be a good place for a little info regarding hiking and bears...

Bears can be a menace to humans, so back country hikers may be wise to wear little bells so the bears can be warned off, and to carry pepper spray just in case. It is also advisable to know the difference between black bear droppings and those of grizzlies. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly fur from small animals such as squirrel or rabbit. Grizzly bear droppings, on the other hand, have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Oh - my! That is too funny! It had me going until the ba-rump ba-rump punchline!

 

[FirstTimeCaller]

Great tour DSNY4ever!

Since you mentioned a bit of a bear problem...





I thought this might be a good place for a little info regarding hiking and bears...

Bears can be a menace to humans, so back country hikers may be wise to wear little bells so the bears can be warned off, and to carry pepper spray just in case. It is also advisable to know the difference between black bear droppings and those of grizzlies. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly fur from small animals such as squirrel or rabbit. Grizzly bear droppings, on the other hand, have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

Just thought you'd like to know.

That reminds me of another joke...

Two hikers are walking in the woods when they happen upon a particularly nasty looking bear.

One of the hikers immediately drops his backpack and pulls out a pair of sneakers which he then proceeds to swap with his hiking boots.

"What are you doing?!?" asks the other hiker. "There's no way you're going to outrun that bear!" To which the first hiker replies: "I don't need to outrun the bear. I just need to outrun you!"

 

[DSNY4ever]

Haha First Time Caller you are cracking me up Yeah we just have the black bears here. I have yet to see one while hiking (good thing because I can't outrun DH ), but boy do they love to hang out in the campgrounds at night and hunt for coolers and try to break into the dumpsters. Every site has a bear locker, but there is always that one camper that leaves something out- and the fine for anything with a scent being left out is now $1000. We couldn't sleep last time we were there because people were ringing bells, yelling and banging pots and pans for the bears to go away- my DH slept through the whole thing

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Oops!! I missed Dsny4ever's handoff!! Is it my turn? Or Washington? I don't care, just let me know!

 

[Marshay]

Bears can be a menace to humans, so back country hikers may be wise to wear little bells so the bears can be warned off, and to carry pepper spray just in case. It is also advisable to know the difference between black bear droppings and those of grizzlies. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly fur from small animals such as squirrel or rabbit. Grizzly bear droppings, on the other hand, have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

OK, so I didn't even see that one coming!!

 

[Circusgirl]

Oops!! I missed Dsny4ever's handoff!! Is it my turn? Or Washington? I don't care, just let me know!

If you can route the bus your way, that would be great!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

If you can route the bus your way, that would be great!

Okay then lets detour to Colorado!! I should be able to have something later today!

 

[Marshay]

Okay then lets detour to Colorado!! I should be able to have something later today!

yeah! Looking forward to it!!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Welcome to Colorado everyone!!

Let’s start off our tour in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs is my home no matter where the Air Force sends us. I may be biased but I don’t think you’ll find many prettier cities in the US.

"America the Beautiful" was written by visiting English professor Katharine Lee Bates in August 1893, after she witnessed the breathtaking view from the summit of Pikes Peak.

Colorado Springs has a population of 370,000 people. It’s located at the base of Pikes Peak, a stunning 14,115 ft mountain. The city averages 250 days of sunshine a year!! Colorado Springs was ranked the best place to live in US in July 2006, in the big city category, that is from all the cities with 300,000 or more people living there.

I would love to invite you to all stay at my house, but I don’t think the renters would appreciate it very much!!

So let’s check in to our rooms. It's only the best for us so we’ll be staying at Colorado Springs 5 star resort – the Broadmoor. Nestled in the shadow of Pikes Peak, they don’t come much prettier.

According to the website, the Broadmoor has 700 rooms and suites, 185,000 square feet of flexible event space, 18 restaurants, cafés and lounges, three golf courses, a tennis club, and world-class spa. It also offers an award-winning spa, fitness center, two swimming pools, three outdoor hot tubs, one lap pool; 54 holes of championship golf, seven tennis courts with camps run by Hall-of-Fame member Dennis Ralston; children’s programs; 24-hour room service and 25 specialty retail shops.

Now which room to choose?

How about the Devereaux Suite?

Or the Carlton Suite?

The Gaylord Suite doesn’t look too shabby!!

After we check in maybe we should get in a quick swim:

If anybody’s hungry there are plenty of award winning restaurants to choose from:

Charles Court Patio Room:

The five diamond Penrose room:

How about some Golf?

This year the US Senior Open was held at the Broadmoor. There was at least one uninvited guest:

Alright, we’re probably all exhausted from the drive and all the activities at the hotel. So let’s get a good nights sleep and we’ll explore Colorado Springs tomorrow!

 

[Marshay]

yeah, more Bears!!!

The Broadmoor sounds fantastic!! I definitely enjoyed the swim and the delicious meal.

The mountains and sunsets are just divine.

 

[FirstTimeCaller]

I call dibs on the Gaylord suite. It looks fantastic! See ya all in the morning. Nighty night.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Good morning everyone!! Let’s go wake up firstimecaller in the Gaylord suite and get some breakfast to start our day!

The Broadmoor has an amazing Sunday brunch in the Lake Terrace Dining Room. Over 70 items, ice sculptures and live piano music. So let’s pretend it’s Sunday (and still morning!! ) and dig in!!

Alrighty, first lets head over to Pikes Peak. Here’s some information about it:

The center of Colorado Springs area activities and the crown jewel of Pike National Forest is Pikes Peak - America's Mountain. Hosting nearly half a million visitors each year, Pikes Peak offers both the young and the young at heart unforgettable adventures and activities.

After failing to reach the 14,110-foot summit in 1806, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike named the mountain Grand Peak and proclaimed that no man would ever climb it. Grand Peak was later renamed Pikes Peak in honor of Pike's discovery. Since the days of Zebulon Pike, the mountain has been ascended in a variety of ways, including a famous wagon trip more than a century ago that inspired visiting professor Katharine Lee Bates to write "America the Beautiful."

Today, Pikes Peak is one of America's most-visited mountains, allowing visitors of all activity levels to enjoy the beautiful scenery at their own pace. Relaxing vacationers can ride through the clouds on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the world's highest cog railroad. While traveling on the Cog Railway, visitors are able to absorb panoramic views of Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods and the Rocky Mountains.

For those who prefer to drive up the mountain, Pikes Peak Highway weaves 19 miles to the summit.

Pikes Peak also attracts a multitude of diverse athletes and spectators by hosting two very unique annual races. The Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the second-oldest car race in America, attracts some of the top names in the motor sports world. Racers have exceeded over 130 miles per hour on a few of the stretches of the 12.5 mile course, which features 156 turns.

The Pikes Peak Marathon is the second-oldest footrace in America. Each year, runners ascend and descend the mountain on a 28.2 mile course, which is considered one of the most demanding in the world.

We could spend all day staring at Pikes Peak, but there’s so much more to see!! So let’s get going..

Next we’ll move on to a place near and dear to my heart, the United States Air Force Academy. Dh graduated from the Academy in 1989. The Air Force Academy is one of Colorado’s largest tourist attractions, with over a million visitors annually.

From their website:

The Air Force Academy Mission is to educate, train and inspire men and women to become officers of character, motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation.

The Air Force Academy Vision is to be the Air Force's premier institution for developing leaders of character.

The Air Force Academy is one of the most selective universities in the United States. Applicants are judged on academic accomplishment, demonstrated leadership, athletics and character. They must also pass a fitness test, undergo a thorough medical exam, and secure a Congressional nomination.

From Wikipedia:
In addition to a rigorous military training regimen, cadets also take a broad academic course load with an extensive core curriculum in engineering, humanities, social sciences, basic sciences, military studies and physical education. All cadets participate in either intercollegiate or intramural athletics, and a thorough character development and leadership curriculum provides cadets a basis for future officership. Each of the components of the program is intended to give cadets the skills and knowledge that they will need for success as officers.

Here’s some pictures of the beautiful campus:

The Chapel:

Graduation day:

A graduating cadet this year probably did not make the secret service happy!!

Next let’s head over to the Garden of the Gods.

There are way too many beautiful pictures of Garden of the Gods to post them all, but here’s a sampling:

Now how about Seven Falls. Seven Falls cascades 181 feet in seven distinct steps down a solid cliff of pikes peak granite.

Okay enough sight-seeing in Colorado Springs. How about a little shopping and dinner?
This ones for all the scrapbookers out there. Colorado Springs finally got an Archivers!! I love love love Archivers!!

www.archiversonline.com

How about dinner at the Peppertree? It’s a little expensive but we’ll splurge!
http://www.peppertreecs.com/

Alright, back to the hotel. Tomorrow we’ll leave Colorado Springs and head off to other parts of Colorado!!

 

[Marshay]

The Broadmoor has an amazing Sunday brunch in the Lake Terrace Dining Room. Over 70 items, ice sculptures and live piano music. So let’s pretend it’s Sunday (and still morning!! ) and dig in!!

A graduating cadet this year probably did not make the secret service happy!!

This ones for all the scrapbookers out there. Colorado Springs finally got an Archivers!! I love love love Archivers!!

www.archiversonline.com

Hey, I only got through about 26 items at the Sunday brunch!! I'll hang here a bit longer ... only 44 more to go!!!

I love that picture of Bush and the cadet!! What a great photo op but you're right the SS were all on HIGH alert there!!

Oh, I am so completely jealous. You have/had an Archivers!!! We had a similar store called Recollections but they went out of business...we were sooooo hoping that Archivers would take over their space...but they didn't.

Garden of the Gods is fabulous!!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Hey, I only got through about 26 items at the Sunday brunch!! I'll hang here a bit longer ... only 44 more to go!!!

I love that picture of Bush and the cadet!! What a great photo op but you're right the SS were all on HIGH alert there!!

Oh, I am so completely jealous. You have/had an Archivers!!! We had a similar store called Recollections but they went out of business...we were sooooo hoping that Archivers would take over their space...but they didn't.

Garden of the Gods is fabulous!!

Thanks Marshay!! Yes that picture of the cadet just cracks me up!!

I love Archivers!! I couldn't get the photo to work. I spend a fortune there whenever I go in.