Monday, August 08, 2005
HELLO GOD, IS THIS YOUR GARDEN?
The party of the Gods, Hera(mom), Athena(marty), and Apollo(sleep walking bear) got an early start on Wednesday to tour Colorado Springs. We went by the US Olympic training center and we really did just go "by" because they were working out front. They had this really cool statue that we thought we would get a picture of up close but the security guard, evidently not recognizing Gods when he sees them, told us to basically turn around and get out of there. I think he might have been related to Wicked Wanda of Wal-Mart in Goodland Kansas?
We then went on to the Broadmoor to take a picture of the famous hotel and ice rink, which like the USOC place, was under some sort of renovation. Our tax dollars are hard at work anyway fixing any and all types of government facilities. As Gods, we decided not to strike any one down because of this but to head to the Garden which bore our names.
A truly beautiful visitors center had been built with a huge platform for admiring the sites, picking up your paintbrush, and taking pictures. Of course, there was a gift shop too but we Gods love to see the capitalist system flourishing. They also had many informative displays about the history of the area, the indigenous population, and the wildlife of the area. A great addition to such a natural scenic locale that totally was unobtrusive to the local landscape.
We then drove through the magnificent "garden" and the only thing we really missed was cousin Herman playing tour guide. We also decided while beautiful, we really enjoyed the flat prairies of home more. Still, a very worthwhile natural wonder that is breath-taking. And, best of all, it is FREE!! Which we were quickly discovering on our trip that the least expensive sojourns were ultimately turning out to be the best!
Out of the Garden of the Gods and back into human reality however "reality" might not be the best word to describe Manitou Springs, our next stop. Manitou Springs is a granola eating, earthy-crunchy, artsy-fartsy, left-wing, Kerry-voting, socks and sandals wearing home of a very large collection of eccentrics, some might say freaks but that would not be politically correct. Starving artists, hardly. The homes were fantastic and the businesses stocked with pricey items that these Gods could not afford even if we had wanted to make a purchase.
Of course, in today's society, weirdness pays! Evidently in a big way! Although, this God is still a bit confused about how one dressing as if it were Halloween 24/7, 365 days of the year somehow made you a better artist than, say, someone, um, let's see, normal. But why be normal? Of course, I could list a thousand reasons. I'm also amused by these colonies of non-conformists who gather together in essence to form a conforming community of non-conformists. And I'm sorry, if you pierce "that" and put it on display, well, don't expect everyone to be thrilled. In any case, I was seriously wishing that I had my own car with my Bush/Cheney '04 bumper sticker. Now whose the rebel baby!
To each his own and we were off to Ogalala Nebraska. Which definitely wins the prize for the most fun name to pronounce on our trip.(Keokuk Iowa second, Nauvoo Illinois third) We did not always take the interstate and that had not presented a problem taking state highways and such..........until Northeastern Colorado. Little did we know that Road Construction Ahead on Colorado 71 North meant that the entire road was, well, GONE! All we needed to do was put a freakin' tarp over the top of the car and it was back to pioneer days in the Conestoga wagon. YEE HA! I would not have been surprised if a bunch of Indians had appeared on the horizon and we were ordered by the road crew to circle the vehicles. Of course, the Indians if they were watching were probably laughing their beads off at the stupid white man driving down a red dirt road in a cloud of dust so thick you could barely see. The Gods, especially this one who was driving, were ready to smite everybody in sight!
We finally made it to our motel in Ogalala NE and we even had time to go to the Goodall library for our internet fix. A very nice library that recently won some kind of federal grant money, again our tax dollars hard at work. I had Hera and Athena believing that Jane Goodall, the anthropologist was actually from here and that the library was named for her. Well, I thought it was funny anyway but, alas, completely untrue. Our next stop was Boot Hill and I think my fellow travelers were ready to add me to the dearly departed on the hilltop.
The Gods conjured up a major thunderstorm for us that night. All in all, a very good day, with many emotions, and a bang up way to finish it off, fit for the Gods alright!
We then went on to the Broadmoor to take a picture of the famous hotel and ice rink, which like the USOC place, was under some sort of renovation. Our tax dollars are hard at work anyway fixing any and all types of government facilities. As Gods, we decided not to strike any one down because of this but to head to the Garden which bore our names.
A truly beautiful visitors center had been built with a huge platform for admiring the sites, picking up your paintbrush, and taking pictures. Of course, there was a gift shop too but we Gods love to see the capitalist system flourishing. They also had many informative displays about the history of the area, the indigenous population, and the wildlife of the area. A great addition to such a natural scenic locale that totally was unobtrusive to the local landscape.
We then drove through the magnificent "garden" and the only thing we really missed was cousin Herman playing tour guide. We also decided while beautiful, we really enjoyed the flat prairies of home more. Still, a very worthwhile natural wonder that is breath-taking. And, best of all, it is FREE!! Which we were quickly discovering on our trip that the least expensive sojourns were ultimately turning out to be the best!
Out of the Garden of the Gods and back into human reality however "reality" might not be the best word to describe Manitou Springs, our next stop. Manitou Springs is a granola eating, earthy-crunchy, artsy-fartsy, left-wing, Kerry-voting, socks and sandals wearing home of a very large collection of eccentrics, some might say freaks but that would not be politically correct. Starving artists, hardly. The homes were fantastic and the businesses stocked with pricey items that these Gods could not afford even if we had wanted to make a purchase.
Of course, in today's society, weirdness pays! Evidently in a big way! Although, this God is still a bit confused about how one dressing as if it were Halloween 24/7, 365 days of the year somehow made you a better artist than, say, someone, um, let's see, normal. But why be normal? Of course, I could list a thousand reasons. I'm also amused by these colonies of non-conformists who gather together in essence to form a conforming community of non-conformists. And I'm sorry, if you pierce "that" and put it on display, well, don't expect everyone to be thrilled. In any case, I was seriously wishing that I had my own car with my Bush/Cheney '04 bumper sticker. Now whose the rebel baby!
To each his own and we were off to Ogalala Nebraska. Which definitely wins the prize for the most fun name to pronounce on our trip.(Keokuk Iowa second, Nauvoo Illinois third) We did not always take the interstate and that had not presented a problem taking state highways and such..........until Northeastern Colorado. Little did we know that Road Construction Ahead on Colorado 71 North meant that the entire road was, well, GONE! All we needed to do was put a freakin' tarp over the top of the car and it was back to pioneer days in the Conestoga wagon. YEE HA! I would not have been surprised if a bunch of Indians had appeared on the horizon and we were ordered by the road crew to circle the vehicles. Of course, the Indians if they were watching were probably laughing their beads off at the stupid white man driving down a red dirt road in a cloud of dust so thick you could barely see. The Gods, especially this one who was driving, were ready to smite everybody in sight!
We finally made it to our motel in Ogalala NE and we even had time to go to the Goodall library for our internet fix. A very nice library that recently won some kind of federal grant money, again our tax dollars hard at work. I had Hera and Athena believing that Jane Goodall, the anthropologist was actually from here and that the library was named for her. Well, I thought it was funny anyway but, alas, completely untrue. Our next stop was Boot Hill and I think my fellow travelers were ready to add me to the dearly departed on the hilltop.
The Gods conjured up a major thunderstorm for us that night. All in all, a very good day, with many emotions, and a bang up way to finish it off, fit for the Gods alright!
