Saturday was a big day for my little family. DH has been the Company Commander for a Military Intelligence company here in the Colorado Ntl. Guard for two years. He built the company from the ground up and has done an amazing job! He has really won the respect of both his superiors in Colorado and Vermont and the soldiers under him. His time as a commander is over now, so he chose for the change of command ceremony to take place up on Pikes Peak, a nod to his company's status as part of the famed 10th Mountain Division.
It's quite a drive to the top of the mountain. It takes about two hours just to get from here to the base of the mountain, and then the 16-mile drive to where the ceremony was held took nearly another hour. This is not a drive you want to take if you have any fear of heights! One of my passengers did, so she spent the drive looking straight ahead and trying to ignore the sheer dropoffs and dizzying views just outside her window, bless her heart. Very narrow roads (most without guardrails!), hairpin turns galore, and a grade so steep we were in 2nd gear most of the time. Whew!
After the ceremony was over we drove three more miles up to the very top of the mountain. The summit of Pikes Peak sits at 14, 110 ft. above sea level. Needless to say, the views are incredible! In fact, those views are what inspired Katherine Lee Bates in 1894 to write the words that later became "America the Beautiful."
At the summit we took in the view,
snapped a few photos,
and sampled the famous Pikes Peak donuts, which have been made with the same recipe for the past 100 years (although they're now fried in oil, as opposed to bear fat!).
This coming weekend is the
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an event that can only have been thought up as a dare. The first race was held in 1916 (it's the 2nd oldest auto race in the U.S.) and racers go up those same twisty, narrow, nerve-wracking, guardrail-free roads that we drove, only they do it at speeds up to
130 mph! Just the thought of that makes me want to wet my pants, I'll tell you. The current record of
10:01 minutes to the top was set last year and there's a $25,000 bonus prize offered to anyone who can break the 10 minute mark this year. I'll be watching for sure!
Saturday was a big day for my little family. DH has been the Company Commander for a Military Intelligence company here in the Colorado Ntl. Guard for two years. He built the company from the ground up and has done an amazing job! He has really won the respect of both his superiors in Colorado and Vermont and the soldiers under him. His time as a commander is over now, so he chose for the change of command ceremony to take place up on Pikes Peak, a nod to his company's status as part of the famed 10th Mountain Division.
It's quite a drive to the top of the mountain. It takes about two hours just to get from here to the base of the mountain, and then the 16-mile drive to where the ceremony was held took nearly another hour. This is not a drive you want to take if you have any fear of heights! One of my passengers did, so she spent the drive looking straight ahead and trying to ignore the sheer dropoffs and dizzying views just outside her window, bless her heart. Very narrow roads (most without guardrails!), hairpin turns galore, and a grade so steep we were in 2nd gear most of the time. Whew!
After the ceremony was over we drove three more miles up to the very top of the mountain. The summit of Pikes Peak sits at 14, 110 ft. above sea level. Needless to say, the views are incredible! In fact, those views are what inspired Katherine Lee Bates in 1894 to write the words that later became "America the Beautiful."
At the summit we took in the view,
snapped a few photos,
and sampled the famous Pikes Peak donuts, which have been made with the same recipe for the past 100 years (although they're now fried in oil, as opposed to bear fat!).
This coming weekend is the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an event that can only have been thought up as a dare. The first race was held in 1916 (it's the 2nd oldest auto race in the U.S.) and racers go up those same twisty, narrow, nerve-wracking, guardrail-free roads that we drove, only they do it at speeds up to 130 mph! Just the thought of that makes me want to wet my pants, I'll tell you. The current record of 10:01 minutes to the top was set last year and there's a $25,000 bonus prize offered to anyone who can break the 10 minute mark this year. I'll be watching for sure!
cute family pic! I'm trying to decide if those donuts really look good or not.
ReplyDeleteWe love Colorado Springs! My husband lived there for years and his mom, sister and brother (and their families) still live there. Pikes Peak looks gorgeous! Congrats to your hubby!
ReplyDelete10 mins to drive what took you more than an hour. Oh heck no- that's crazy talk!!
ReplyDeleteThe donuts looks delish though!
Beautiful family you have there:) Congrats on all your husband's success, I'm sure your support and love was a big motivator in all of his achievements so it's something you all should be proud of!
ReplyDeleteMaren is getting cuter and cuter by the day!
What a wonderful day. Congrats to your hubby. What will he do now?
ReplyDeleteMaren is such a doll!
Congratulations to you all! Military service is a family affair. What does this mean? Is he done with the reserves? Or moving on to something new? Love Marin's patriotic duds!
ReplyDeleteWhat a darling family!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day. You must be so very proud of your husband!
My husband's Dad was in the Air Force for 26 years and his most fondest memories are when they were stationed in Co Springs.
I really want to someday make it to the top of Pikes Peak. The pics are stunning Heidi!
Congratulations and thank you to your husband for his service. --Mary
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm stuck on the 'racing up the the mountain' bit. Give me a minute to catch my breathe, my heart is racing at the thought!
ReplyDeleteOk...my palms are sweating. {I'm *terrified* of heights.}
Wow, I never caught that before, that your husband was in the service. A big 'Thank You!' to him for his service to our country. You got some really great shots up there. I can't imagine how awesome that view is looking out over all that land. Love the one of all three of you! Maren is adorable.
~ Jennifer
YEAH!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an AMAZING place to relinquish command. Very, very cool.
By the way...Heidi...You look BEAUTIFUL!
So,now what are your plans? Will you still be in CO or moving on?
Hoping all is well!
congrats to your hubby! We've taken that drive before and I have to say I'm surprised by the short sleeves. When we went, even though it was in the 90's down below, it was FREEZING at the top!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a sweet little family! I remember visiting Pikes Peak... it was beautiful. But I had altitude sickness. Darn! Thanks for your advice yesterday about my pink bathroom, I really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteI just love the pics of you, Quinn and Maren. What an adorable family. Tell your hubby congrats from the Damato's. So what is next? I was terrified of the sheer drop off last time i drove up pikes peak. It was a studding view though! Love ya girl!
ReplyDeleteSO, I have to confess, I check on your blog on occasion, as a minor blog stalker. i love it, after seeing the ribbon topiary on a link several months ago. I was excited to see that your husband serves in the military! Is he active duty national guard, or 'regular' national guard? I know that commanding is a huge responsibility, I'm sure he is proud but happy to be done with it!
ReplyDeleteWe live around Fort Benning in GA, but we would love to get out to Colorado! We are thinking of getting out of active duty and going natl. guard, so that is an option for us. My sweet DH just got promoted to captain, but he still has a platoon, so he is enjoying that!!
Anyway, just thought I had to say Hello after being an admirer from afar for quite a while!!
What a sweet post Heidi! Congrats to your husband! We are all proud of him out here in blogland, and thankful for his service!! I like the look of those doughnuts! I couldn't help but think about how many cars have gone offf the edge in that race, that is insane!Have a great day...and I love the new look of your blog. Kristin
ReplyDeleteWay to go DH and way to do it right! Pikes Peak is an awsome place to visit, I think everyone should see it at least once, it is breath taking!
ReplyDelete