Our second day started with a drive to Colorado Springs and a visit to the United States Air Force Academy. The Academy has a beautiful setting against the mountains on it’s own huge property. One of the features is the chapel and it’s fantastic organ. The chapel is open to all religions and currently has four chapels within it’s walls (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish & Buddhism). The students had just returned to the school and were getting ready for lunch, which is fed to all students at the same time in one large hall. It is a great privilege for students to attend any one of our military academies.
Next we took a tour of the U. S. Olympic Training Center. It’s wonderful that our Olympic athletes have such a tremendous place to train and that the costs are absorbed by so many great sponsors. After the Training Center we went to the Broadmoor Hotel. This is a famous old hotel that is simply beautiful to walk around. They have two beautiful golf courses and next year will be the venue for the LPGA Open. I have been there when the LPGA played here before and the location and course makes for a terrific tournament.
A trip to Colorado Springs wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Garden Of The Gods. This is a city park but it is very special because of all of the red rock outcrops that are there. It’s a short drive through extremely beautiful landscape. Many come here to climb the sheer rocks of the park. I think they are crazy!
Always a great end to a day of tourism in Colorado Springs is a trip to the Flying W Ranch with it’s old time town of shops, dancing indians, chuck wagon dinner and singing cowboy show. The Flying W has been a staple in Colorado Springs for over 50 years. It’s not something that you would want to do frequently but it’s also something that no tourist should miss. It’s just a great evening full of food and entertainment and, maybe best of all, it’s not expensive.
