Bernie's out west Journeys "Seeing America First": 2017

Friday, December 22, 2017

Hi this is Bernie J of Bernie's Journeys, “Seeing America First”.

Today’s show continues the theme of finding local authors willing to share their great love for the Colorado Springs region and for all of the great state of Colorado.

Susan Joy Paul has hiked, climbed, snow shoed, rappelled, or otherwise traveled across the state of Colorado, reaching the summits of more than 600 mountains along the way.

She has climbed all the 14ers in the state, reached the highpoints of every Colorado county, and is the only woman to have summited every “ranked” peak in El Paso county and Teller county.

In her first book, Touring Colorado Hot Springs 2^nd edition, Susan started with the 1^st edition authored by Carl Wambach to refresh this well received 1998 travel guide.

In her second book, Hiking Waterfalls in Colorado, she hit the trail, visiting 150 of the state's waterfalls. Her third book is titled; Climbing Colorado's Mountains.

All these adventures started from her home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Joy-Paul/e/B007S5PI5C/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Bernie's Colorado Journeys; learns about CO hot springs from author Susan Joy Paul

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https://www.denveropenmedia.org/shows/bernies-colorado-journeys-learns-about-co-hot-springs-author-susan-joy-paul-show-30

Everything Bernie’s Colorado Journeys at

http://www.colorado.com/tours/bernies-colorado-journeys

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Thursday, December 14, 2017

Hi this is Bernie J of Bernie's Journeys, “Seeing America First”.

When I moved to COS a while back I was told not to miss the fireworks show on New Year's Eve shot off from the top of Pike's Peak. It wasn’t till later that I learned that people actually hiked up the mountain to do the deed.

The Pikes Peak AdAmAn Club has been a tradition since 1922. It is a unique group of mountaineers, who each year on December 30th and 31st, climb the icy slopes of Barr Trail on the east face of world famous Pikes Peak.

The Club is dedicated to the memory of the original five guys that thought it would be more fun to climb a cold mountain than dance with a warm girl (or so I’ve been told).

Their had the idea that each year, only one new member would be added to the Club, and as a result, the name AdAmAn (add a man) was chosen. Each year, members choose one new member from a list of applicants, and today, ladies your also welcomed.

As the group hikes they flash mirrors from a location at timberline to friends and families in the Colorado Springs area and in the early afternoon, they finish the ascent to the summit. The climb from timberline (~12,000 feet) to the 14,115-foot summit is often accomplished on icy and snow swept slopes with wind chills as low as -50 degrees.

At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, they launch a spectacular fireworks display, which on a clear night, can be seen for hundreds of miles along the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies and eastern plains.

In a previous show I interviewed Donald Sanborn the President The Pikes Peak AdAmAn Club and I quickly learned that slogging up the mountain is only half the battle, there is also the coming down. A number of four-wheel drive clubs have banded together to bring the hikers back down. For that info I was put in touch with Larry. We had a nice chat and I learned that climbing Pike Peak is only one part of the AdAmAn Club experience.

I was given the very unique opportunity of being invited to ride up and down with the 4-wheel drive folks and experience the light show from the top. Thanks Larry!!!

http://www.adaman.org/

https://twitter.com/theadamanclub?lang=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJxNYD9hmIY

Listen to the show;

https://www.denveropenmedia.org/shows/bernies-colorado-journeys-learns-more-about-news-year-eve-fireworks-pikes-peak-show-29

Friday, November 24, 2017

Hi this is Bernie J of Bernie's Journeys, “Seeing America First”.

A passenger railroad car being restored, or more correctly being created in Colorado Springs doesn’t seem to have “stop the newspaper presses” importance but when you get “the rest of the story (apologies to Paul Harvey)” you may be glad that that you listened awhile.

While wandering around the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation on Steel Dr. COS you’ll fine a large fabric Quonset hut in the back occupied by the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Narrow Gauge Restoration.

There are many railroading enthusiasts around the country but few work in the 1 to 1 scale, meaning full size stuff, as these folks do.

They support the mission of The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS), Inc. and is a nonprofit organization that shares stewardship with the C&TS Railroad Commission of a unique railroad property of important historic significance and remarkable scenic beauty.

The East end of the C&TS is in Antonito CO and the West end is 64 rail-miles away in Chama, NM and while Antonito CO is a good couple of hours ride, about 200 mile south-west of Colorado Springs, residents of COS have a very unique reason to make the trip, it's a substantial train fare discount because COS has made a long term loan/lease agreement of its 1883 Steam engine No.168 to the C&TS but that's another story I’ll have to do.

The passenger car being brought back to life from a farmer’s field is a “Pullman” sleeper. This style was known as a "Tourist" or "Emigrant" car…having rattan or wooden seats that converted to beds by night and OBTW you needed to supply your own bedding, but at least you knew that the bugs in the blankets were yours.

So what’s the big deal, George Mortimer Pullman (1831-1897) was a Chicago industrialist that built railroad Sleeping cars. Well - the fun fact is that some of his start-up money was made in Colorado during the Gold Rush years, where in Arapahoe Gulch at his 1600 acre Cold Springs Ranch, he figured that it was more profitable to sell goods and services to Miners, than to dig for gold himself.

Through great detective work by the “Friends of …” they learned that the bones of this Pullman sleeper was originally bought by the railroad that owned the current C&TS tracks. This car will be going home after its restoration.

The work is coming along nicely, it’s looking like a rail car again and while I was told that the car will be restored to its former good looks, safety was not forgotten, it will be solid for a 21^st century ride. This wooden car now has steel strengthening required by today’s federal railroad regulations. Beauty and strength, what a combination.

Come to Colorado Springs, visit the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation, talk with The Friends of the C&TS and then head out for a heritage train ride where you shouldn't need to bring your own bedroll today.