By Mike Marino Purple Kush? Purple Haze? Purple Mountains Majesty? Hell, this is Colorado, and it's all about the mountains (mostly!) big mountains, so, excuse me while I kiss the sky!
This road-trip, it's Pikes Peak or Bust! Discovered by Zebulon Pike, who stumbled onto a large 14,000 footer, (the Colorado term for the highest of the high in rocky peaks.) C'mon! How the hell do you "discover" a 14,000 foot mountain that's been sitting in plain sight for eons? Native Americans lived in the region for centuries prior, (dinosaurs before that) and will take issue with history's version of it's "discovery." Besides, you can't miss a geological formation the size of Godzilla, can you? Let's face it Old Zeb, you and the peak named after you just got busted! The Peak, at Colorado Springs, is big, but remember, it's a mountain, not a 14,000 foot high fully loaded MMJ dispensary (imagine that possibility!)
In it's shadow, 35 miles southwest is Canon City, (pronounced "canyon") a small town with a large gorge that's one of Mother Natures beautiful creations. From horseback riding to mountain biking and white water rafting, the great outdoors is available in any dosage you want to prescribe for yourself. It also has that wild and wooly old west howdy pard ambiance in a movie set town called Buckskin Joe's, where a few John Wayne flicks were filmed, as was "Cat Ballou" with the outrageously comedic performance of Lee Marvin. I had the high altitude pleasure of living here doing my best impression of John Steinbeck, writing, drinking, and smoking a few years ago, with a little radio tossed in for good measure. The blue skies, yellow aspens and snow capped mountains are a spiritually satisfying technicolor explosion. As an outdoor paradise, it's positively orgasmic. The town is Colorado classic with a historically quaint downtown district with brick buildings that have witnessed a gunfight or two. (During the "railroad wars in the 1800's, Bat Masterson and Doc Holiday rode shotgun for one of the companies trying to be the first railroad to forge through the gorge, and thus, hold the lucrative rights to operate.)
It's citizenry has an independent artistic, leftie streak as wide as the Continental Divide is high. In a nostalgic Colorado galaxy, far, far away, there dwelt in the kingdom, a group of vino infused mad monks who believed heavenly wine is next to heaven itself, and there's nothing wrong with a little earthly pleasure. So piety went out the door, and the Bacchanal was in full swing. Today you can enjoy the fruits of their labor and vine, at the Holy Cross Abbey Winery. Enjoy a bit of heaven on earth yourself and toast a monk! Shopping is artful, eclectic, and fantastic, with gallery culture abundant as white water snow melt in spring racing down from the mountains fuel injected with viagra. Kitsch and Chintz, the deranged Siamese twins of the souvenir worlds sideshow have offerings that border on the tongue in cheesy cheek, from weird little voodoo-like dolls of mythological Jack-a-lopes, to politically incorrect rubber bows and arrows and tomahawk sets.
The Royal Gorge is a magnificent natural manifestation just outside of town. Originally a hunting camp for Native peoples, the Gorge park has 21 rides and attractions, including the worlds highest suspension bridge that is a high flying walk over the canyon below. The Royal Rush Sky-coaster is an adrenalin rushing 50 mph free-fall at 1,200 feet above the raging river below. The tamer incline railway lets you descend 1,500 feet into the canyon enjoy the river spray, and the legions of whitewater rafters shooting by you at a fast and furious pace.
You can "all aboard!" two-rail it from Canon City in one of the open air cars on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, as you slice through some of the most spectacular scenery in the canyon along the Arkansas River where white water rafters use their paddles splashing the train riders in a good natured Colorado "greeting".
Buckskin Joe's has gunfight re-enactments, wild burro's walking the dusty streets, and can even be seen emerging from the saloon (I've seen this and I was straight and sober at the time!) It is an old gold rush town that was moved to it's present location, supposedly ghosts roam the streets at night. Why not, wild burro's belly up to the bar don't they? There's a stage coach ride, horseback riding nearby and the Frontier Town Miniature Railway to the edge of the canyon. Along the way you can see preserved dinosaur prints, and in town there's the Dinosaur Museum for a real jazzy Jurassic experience.
The Arkansas river is world famous for Class Five whitewater rafting through Bighorn Sheep Canyon. While some of you will choose to roll in the rapids, others may want to rock it, climbing some of the 700 rock climbing routes. Cabins and tent sites, are as plentiful as knotty pine bars in the North woods. Rustic, natural and adrenlin pumping? I guess that is as good a way as any to describe any Colorado adventure. Like whitewater rafting...Colorado is a damned Class Five rush!
For more information, visit their website at: http://www.canoncity.com/index.php