Time Flies When You Have a Baby!

Wow!  I can't believe it has been over two months since our last post!  So much has happened in such a short period of time.  To begin, Matt took a new job with a company in Salt Lake City two weeks after Benson's birth, which required our family to relocate to Utah.  After some quick packing, lots of help from Emily and Chloe, and unanticipated good-byes to our Denver family and friends, we loaded up two cars and a moving truck and made the 8-hour trek (9 1/2 with newborn Benson) to Utah.

We arrived in Orem on October 1, and stayed at the Grande Hotel Ririe for three weeks (five star accommodations, world renowned cooking, concert pianist, like heaven on earth!).  Mom and Dad Ririe were so kind to accommodate us.  While there, Matt and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary on October 15 (what a wildly wonderful year! Had I known how wonderful marriage with Matt would be I would have gone out with him the first time he asked! Oh how I love this marvelous, selfless man.).  We also celebrated Matt's 29th birthday on the 17th.  Each day Matt made the long commute to and from work near downtown Salt Lake, while Benson and I continued getting to know each other and adjusting to mortality.  A beautiful learning curve!

On October 20, we moved into an apartment in Cottonwood Heights and will be here temporarily until  January when we move up the street to house sit for relatives leaving on a mission.  The apartment we found is a lease transfer from a family who needed to leave their contract early, which lease happens to end in January, the same time the couple we are house sitting for leaves on their mission (which we did not know at the time we signed the lease).  We are amazed at how Heavenly Father continues to bless our family, especially in the significant timing of numerous unforeseen events over the last two months.

More highlights since we moved - Halloween with the Riries, a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Jenkins last weekend and Benson's Blessing yesterday in our new ward .

Benson's first Halloween (Matt crocheted the beenie)

Grandpa Jenkins and Benson taking naps

Attempting some family photos near Snowbird  in Benson's first blizzard

You WILL take family pictures and you WILL like it!

Benson's first snow angel (actually, Matt is holding him so he's not really touching)

Grandma and Grandpa Jenkins - doesn't she look like she's made for the snow?

Benson's Blessing, Sunday November 11, 2012

Benson's Photoshoot

Today, we took little Benson over to Matt's sisters home - Emily Smith.  She has invested in a new camera and is excited to develop her skills and portfolio in photography and had asked for the opportunity to shoot Benson's newborn pictures.  We were so excited!  When we arrived at her place, everything was ready to go.  There was a little elevated station set up in Chloe's bedroom for easy picture angles and she had warmed the room up to an almost unbearable temperature for us (which put Benson right at ease).  It was perfect!  And ... after a couple of accidents, Benson finally fell asleep and we think Emily got some great pictures and has done a great job.  Take a look for yourself!

If you like these, check out other pictures she is taking on Emily's Facebook Page!

Benson meets Family!

This last week has been phenomenal!  We have had so many people reach out to help and have had some important visitors come into town.  Lisa's Mom, Judy Jenkins, came in and spent almost an entire week with us.  When not taking care of Benson and giving Lisa time to nap, she helped make meals, clean the house, do laundry, etc.  She was an absolute heaven-send and we were so happy and grateful for her visit.  It was a very sad moment when we had to finally say goodbye and watch her enter the airport on her return to Boise.

We were also pleased to be able to introduce Matt's parents and brother Steven to Benson.  They drove out and spent a couple of days here as well and we were able to spend some enjoyable time together.  How blessed we feel to have the support of family members!  Thank you all for your love and generous service!

One memorable experience occurred when we were all together Friday night.  After dinner, we looked in the game closet and pulled out the old game "Moods."  If you haven't played it, the basic idea behind the game is to repeat a predetermined phrase in one of ten available moods.  Points are then awarded on how well others can discern your acting skills and correctly identify the mood you were acting.  Anyways, if you'd ever like a good laugh, invite Matt's Dad, Brent, and brother Steven over and have Brent try to romantically speak to Steven.  We were rolling with laughter!  

TL: Lisa's Mom - Judy Jenkins. BL: Matt's Parents - Brent and Beverly.  BR: Emily's Block Tower

Boy Oh Boy!

We have just participated in one of the most sublime experiences of our marriage.  On August 22, 2012, we welcomed into our family a sweet baby boy, Benson Matthew Ririe.  We'd like to share the story on his getting to our family and a couple of thoughts on how he has changed our lives.

Benson's original delivery date was announced as August 29th.  However, during an ultrasound at 28 weeks, it was discovered that Benson was in a breech position (meaning he was head up - which is the opposite of how baby's are normally born).  We actually tried a lot of little exercises and even a couple of wives tale tricks to encouraging him to flip on his own.  If you ever have a breech baby, these are a couple of the things that we heard would work.  For the record, we only tried the handstands in the pool, pelvic tilts, walking, and the flashlight and none of them worked.  Here's a list of things other women have sworn work:

• Handstands in a Swimming Pool
• Putting Ice Packs at the Top of the Uterus (baby will move their head away from the cold)
• Shining a Flashlight in the womb (the baby will move away from the light)
• Walking with one foot on the sidewalk and one foot in the gutter.
• Just lots of Walking
• Pelvic Tilt Exercises
• Laying on the floor with your hips lifted at a 45 degree angle (normally on a couch)
• Getting on all fours and trying to manually turn the baby yourself.
• Acupuncture on the mother's baby toe
• Chiropractics

At 38 weeks, Benson was still breech.  We scheduled an appointment to meet with a perinatal specialist to discuss one last option in hopes of avoiding a Cesarean Section delivery.  The option is called ECV (external cephalic version) and is performed by a doctor who manually turns the baby around by pressing on the stomach of the mother.  As part of our consultation with the specialist, it was discovered that the umbilical cord was wrapped around little Benson's neck and as such, the doctor recommended that due to the increased risk of complications we forgo the procedure and schedule a C-Section.  We were happy to accept the advice of this specialist and scheduled the C-Section for August 22nd.

We checked into the Parker Adventist Hospital Wednesday morning at 5:30.  Upon arriving, the nursing staff showed us the room we were expected to stay in for the duration of our hospital time.  Nurse, Doctor, and Anesthesiologist each came into the room to discuss the procedure and confirm our consent to the risks associated with the surgery.  Once all of the paperwork had been completed and no further questions were had, they left us alone in the room for a few minutes as we lay tired and anxious for the coming delivery.  Matt put on his hospital-issued scrubs and tried to look as much like a doctor as he could.  At 7:30, the nurse came and invited the two of us to follow towards the operating room.  Matt was left to wait just outside the OR as Lisa was admitted to the room where they began preparations for the surgery.  A nurse then escorted Matt into the room at 7:57 and at 8:07 a.m., Little Benson Matthew Ririe was born.

Lisa and Matt, just before entering the Operating Room.

He was quickly moved over to the corner of the room where he was cleaned, weighed, measured, and swaddled before he was handed over to Matt - a new Dad.  Benson's official birth weight and length are 7 lbs. 6 oz. and 20 inches. What a thrill to hold this beautiful little boy for the first time!  For nine months we had waited ... wondering who this little guy would be.  And now, for the first time ever, holding a little boy that we would call our son was such a sacred and humbling moment.  Some pictures were taken with Matt and Benson before they were ushered over to introduce the little guy to his new Mom.

Benson Matthew Ririe is born!  Here's a Collage of the Operating Room.

As a result of the surgery, Lisa was still not in a position to hold little Benson.  However, she did get to spend a few minutes cheek to cheek with him as Matt held them close to each other.  After some time, Matt and Benson were moved into a recovery room and Lisa joined them a few minutes later after the surgery was completed.  Here she was able to hold him and love him for her first time and she too was overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude for a healthy baby boy.

In the Recovery Room.  The top right picture demonstrates just how much Benson loves  baths!

After some time in the recovery room, the three of us were moved to our room.  However, to help balance things out, we were actually moved to a different wing a little later that day and Lisa was asked to stand for the first time since the surgery to get into a wheel chair.  We ended up in room 329 where we stayed until our official discharge from the Hospital on Saturday the 25th.

Emily Smith, Dr. Furr, Our Hospital, Room, and Benson

Well that summarizes the quick journey.  It should be said that the operation went as well as could be hoped for.  We had an incredibly talented OB, Wayne C. Furr, M.D., who performed the C-Section (pictured with Benson above).  Prior to his beginning of the first incision, one of the head nurses requested everyone's attention and informed them that he (Dr. Furr) and another doctor from his practice (Dr. Lane) were two of the best doctors that they would see perform one of these operations.  Hearing this was very comforting and confirmed our total trust in him.  Then, during the surgery, Dr. Furr lightened the situation for everyone when he saw the baby for the first time, exclaiming, "Man! That is an ugly face! ... Oh, That's the Butt!" Hearing him joke a little bit really relaxed Lisa and we were grateful to have his expertise.  Later, we learned that the umbilical cord had actually been wrapped around our little guy twice!  -  Thankfully, we didn't attempt version.

We were also blessed with an incredible nursing staff.  Each nurse that was assigned to us was so kind, thoughtful, and willing to do all that they could to make Lisa's stay a little easier.  We had a few favorites for sure who would come and look after us.  It actually took us three days to finally decide on a name for our little guy, so at the beginning of each shift, the new nurse would peek her head in and ask if we had given him a name yet.  We were happy to have such a great group of people looking after Benson and Lisa.  Were there to be any complications, we would have felt confident in their abilities.

Finally, we want to thank all of our family and friends that came by the hospital to visit.  We have loved sharing this little guy with those that have reached out and hope to one day share him with everyone of our good family members and friends.  In the short time that we have had him in our family, our family has seen an increase in love, understanding, and unity.  We have drawn closer to our Heavenly Father and gained a greater appreciation for the inspired Plan of Salvation that He has given to allow each of us this mortal experience.  We know that families can be eternal and that a return into God's presence is possible.  It is our greatest hope that we will be able to raise up this son to understand these truths and the path by which they may be accomplished.

We know Benson will grow quickly over the next few months and so we will try to be good about updating his progress here.  So consider this the beginning of a new journey and feel free to join us on it!

Camping: Are we Crazy?!

So... 4 days before our scheduled C-Section, we were invited to go camping with Matt's sister, her family and some of their friends, Ryan and Kim Wall (whom Matt actually knew from college).   We waited until the last minute to finally confirm, but felt that as long as it was close enough to get to a hospital if needed, we could do it.  Sadly, we had actually said no to another group of friends because they were camping too far away.

When we arrived at the site we wanted to camp at, the camp manager notified us that the site had been full for a matter of days.  So we looked around and found a better site than the campground could offer and we enjoyed some peace and quiet with no neighbors close by.  Other than a couple of small contractions, we had a great time and slept actually very well given the circumstances.  Camping is so fun!

Devil's Head Hike

Last week Matt was reading "The 2012 Ultimate Summer Guide" (in the June edition of Denver's "5280" magazine) and came accross a beautiful hike on the Devil's Head National Recreation Trail.  When he told me it was to hike to the top of a "fire tower," I was envisioning something like a giant telephone pole - not having a clue as to what a fire tower was - and wondered how an almost seven-months-pregnant lady was going to climb this "tower."  Fortunately, the stunning picture of the trail lured me in, so Saturday morning we made the one-hour drive to the trail head, just outside of Sedalia, CO.

The trail was as beautiful as the pictures, and the weather perfect!  The 2.8 mile round-trip hike rises about 1,000 feet in elevation through impressive evergreens, aspens, and giant granite boulders, to land at the base of an old fire tower.  Then it's another 143 steps to the top of the tower (a look-out fort that sits on the top of a mountain peak - not a telephone pole!).

At the top, Bill Ellis, an 80-yr-old US Forest Ranger greeted us.  This is his 28th summer working in the 100-yr-old fire tower.  At the base of the tower sits a small log cabin he and his wife live in from May to October.  There is no road-access to the cabin, so they hike down once a week, load their back packs with food and supplies for the following week, and hike back (it is estimated they carry 1400-1500 lbs of food a year)!  I didn't feel nearly as pregnant after learning their story!  The fire tower is the only one of its kind left in Colorado, as most are now electronically managed through cameras.  The fire tower receives thousands of visitors every summer.  Inside the tower is a list of the top ten most frequently asked questions for Bill (check out the photo for his responses).

We would definitely do this hike again, so if you're ever passing through Denver let us know and we'll take you with us!

Camping is Here!!

Matt and I have been camping twice now this summer and it is so much fun!  We have a few couples in our ward and their friends that we've been going with.  Our first adventure was over Memorial Day weekend, and then we went again last night, both times to Kenosha Pass.

Matt wanted to sleep here, but I talked him into a tent :)

Last March we were so anxious to go camping before the weather got warm, that we set up our tent in our living room and had a sleep over for date night.  It was a good thing since we quickly discovered that our "three-person" tent (more like a one-person-laying-diagonally or two half-persons) did not fit our queen size air mattress fully inflated, nor did Matt and I from head to toe.

Regardless, we couldn't resist and took it camping with several folded blankets for padding (way better than a half-inflated air mattress).  We had a blast with our friends being up in the beautiful mountains, and decided that we would try camping as much as possible this summer before the baby comes.  Knowing I'm not getting any smaller before the end of summer, we took advantage of a great Target deal for a Coleman six-person tent that fits both our queen size air mattress and eventually a pack-n-play for next summer :)

So we went camping again, this time with an air mattress!  I felt like royalty and we're excited to use it again soon!

We're having a Boy!

Little Baby Ririe - Practicing the BYU Cheer!

It’s official!  We’re having a boy!  Okay, so we may have already known that, but today we were reassured of the news.  Today was Lisa’s second ultrasound.  Per the birth mathematicians, our little guy is 21 weeks and 2 days, and based on everything the nurse measured (head circumference, abdominal cavity, umbilical cord, femur, IQ, etc), our kid is right on schedule to be born near the previously announced expected delivery date of August 29^th.  We are so excited!  It is definitely a little bit overwhelming that in less than 20 weeks, the two of us might be holding our very first child – but … wow!  We will be holding our very first child!

So to step back a little bit.  Lisa and I have only been married now for 6  months.  A lot of people would counsel that newlyweds need at least a year to get to know each other before entering the parenting stage of life.   Reasons for waiting could include additional time to allow the relationship to mature, time to become more financially stable, time to simply enjoy living before you are bogged down by the consistent demands of children, time to pursue careers, schooling, or other life goals.  The problem with these reasons, is that they all involve time.  When time has passed – it is gone forever and can never be redeemed.  I am currently 28 years old – and Lisa 27.  For us, a lot of time has already passed.  We have each already pursued a degree, enjoyed and begun careers, and had time to become financially stable (although we would love to have a lot more!).  We have used much of our time – and the reality of a marriage in our later twenty’s is that that time is now gone.  

As Lisa and I looked forward into the future, we started asking some important questions – How many children do we want? And how much time between children is needed to fully appreciate and dedicate attention to each?  As we started asking these questions, the next question became very real – How old do we want to be when our children are graduating from High School?  Hmmm.  This question really got us thinking.  20 years from now, I will be 48 years old.  If we were to have 5 kids, spaced at 3 years, I’d be nearly 60 years old as the youngest prepares him/herself for college.  Now that final number can change based on the number of children you have and the spacing between each  - both questions of which we cannot answer at this time.  But we do have control over when we decide to have children.  In addition to our desire to have children, we also recognized that we have been commanded to do so by our Heavenly Father and promised that they would bring joy and happiness into our home.  So after weighing all of the above – we decided that our family was the most important thing and we would make it a priority.

21 weeks and 2 days into pregnancy, we couldn’t be happier.  It is amazing how much stronger our family has become over these last few months as we contemplate the responsibility that lies ahead.  More so than before, Lisa and I are a team with a God-given duty to raise one of his children in our home – teaching him to make correct choices, be kind and empathetic towards others, develop a strong work ethic, and learn of his Heavenly Father and the plan He has prepared for him.  Our small two-person team gets better every day and we continue to be amazed at the trust we feel to have this incredible opportunity.  On one of our nightstands, two of the ultrasound images are tucked into a picture frame.  They give us a detailed image of what our baby boy looks like right now.  He looks strong, healthy, and happy.  It is simply amazing that the human body can produce such a perfect child. 

Well, the time we spent with our ultrasonographer was priceless.  For just a couple of extra dollars, we were able to get a DVD of the entire ultrasound session which allows us to watch all of his movement inside of Lisa and hear again that amazing heart beat.  We thought we'd share a couple of pictures and a quick video clip of the heartbeat.  Again, we feel so blessed and are so happy for this child to come to our home.  We couldn't be more excited!

Here are a couple 3D Images, profile shots, and a heartbeat

The Incline

Colorado Springs is known for a lot of different things: The Air Force Academy, a great zoo, majestic views of Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods, home to the US Olympic Team, and a whole lot more. However, there is one thing that Colorado Springs doesn't get a lot of attention for and that is the hike known as 'The Incline.'

I first heard about the incline from a friend while back at BYU. I was told that this was a hike of hikes and that it is something I had to do during my life - and the sooner the better. Great athletes have come to the mountain to prove their athleticism and endurance. The challenge is a personal challenge - how quickly you can summit the hill, and then, can you beat it during your next attempt. As I love hiking, love challenges, and love mountains ... the mention of this climb sank in. And so, during my first work assignment in the Springs several years ago, I made a quick trip from the downtown arena one night and made my first hike to the top of the Incline.

My second hike came while Lisa and I were dating. She came out to Denver for a weekend visit and we discussed the possibility of going down South to Colorado Springs. I warned her about the hike and yet she still accepted the challenge. I must not have told her enough though - because to her dismay, she brought only a pair of levi-capris. Not the best athletic apparel. During that hike, about half way up - for the first time in our courtship, Lisa brought up the 'What if we were to get married' discussion. And so, again, the hike itself will always have an important place for me as I reminisce. And in the case that someone were to read this and decide to make the attempt, I thought it important that I be a little more specific about the realities of the incline.

About the Incline:
The Incline is the remains of an original cable tram that was built in 1907 to support the construction of a hydroelectric plant and waterline higher up the mountain. After use as a construction line, the line was fitted with passenger cars which allowed tourists to be hauled up to the top of the peak, from which they could then branch out into the park's beautiful network of trails and forestry. Today, what remains of the old cable railway are approximately 2800 railroad ties. When viewed from far away, the trail appears as a scar in the mountain side, separating the mountain in half. When viewed from the bottom, these railroad ties form a staircase that seems to reach up to heaven. The property on which the challenge sits is privately owned by a utilities company. In the year 2000, 'No Trespassing' signs were placed at the bottom of the hill with hopes that tourists and athletes would be deterred from using this trail (and furthering its erosion), but those signs go ignored as thousands of people each year give their best efforts at this daunting task.

The climb starts at about 6,600 ft. It is just over a mile long. The rise in elevation for this hike is 2,000 ft. which averages out to just over a 41% grade. The hike itself begins relatively flat and then steepens as you continue to climb to a maximum grade of 68%. In researching the climb, I wanted to find out how my times of hiking compared to the general public. I found the below information. Keep in mind that the average human has a very casual walk on flat ground of about 3 mph - which would result in a 20-minute mile. You can also compare these to the record one-mile run of 3:43.

What's a good time for hiking the incline?

• Unofficial Record: 16:42 by Mark Fretta, a former #1 Ranked Elite Triathlete.
• Under 20 Minutes: Superhuman. Only a handful of professional athletes are known to have broken this threshold.
• Under 25 Minutes: Elite Athletes. Even this pace requires mandatory running or stair skipping. Only a few men in the region can beat this time.
• Under 30 Minutes: Hard-core. Only a few women and a few more men make this time. For a time like this, you must push hard without any breaks.
• 42.5 Minutes: The average recorded ascent time. However, note that this is likely skewed by athletes who hike several times a week at sub-25-minute climbs.
• 55 Minutes: An unscientific guess of the time it takes an average person to make the hike. Still, a big accomplishment.

On Thursday, after our drive to the top of Pikes Peak, I drove the Jenkins by the Incline and told them a little bit of my experiences, including the time that Lisa and I had hiked it last year. I dropped the party off near the bottom of the trail and allowed them to hike up to where they could stand at the beginning and see the hill in its full might. When they returned to the car, it was made known that Kirk wanted to return to give it a try - and Judy, who is now training for a half marathon, could substitute the hike for a 5-mile run on Saturday. So we planned it into our schedule. The below picture was their first real view of the The Incline.

The First Look

Our Climb:

Early Saturday morning, the four of us jumped back in the trusted car and made the trip back down to the Springs. We miraculously found a parking spot right at the base of the Barr Trail (a nearby trail that leads to the top of Pikes Peak and a route most people take to descend from the Incline after having reached its top). We took a couple of pictures near the base of the hike before starting the ascent. When we finally began, the clock read 8:38, we began our climb.

The beginning of the climb is relatively easy. My only complaint is that the stairs are too close together and you don't know if you should take them one at a time or two. But after only a hundred yards or so, the grade increases a little bit and you force yourself into a steady rhythm - taking one stair at a time. You take breaks when you need them and start again when you feel like you can.

I don't have a lot to write about the climb itself, other than that it is tough. The Jenkins, not having yet acclimated to the 'mile-high' elevation of Denver were not as prepared for the reduced oxygen as a lot of the other hikers that joined us on the trail. Lisa, who at the time was almost 20 weeks along in pregnancy, needed to avoid over-exerting herself and required a slower pace which I was happy to match. And so, our climb was a little bit slower than perhaps the superhuman sub-20-minute pace, but we were all pretty tired by the time we got to the top. As you progress, your hands seem to find their way to attach to your quads - pushing on them with each step to provide additional strength to your legs. Looking up can be discouraging, looking back can be inspiring, and looking in front of you is a reminder that your legs still have yet some work to do.

One discouraging aspect of the climb is its false summit. As you hike, the true summit hides itself behind a false summit about four-fifths of the way up. Many people push themselves to complete the hike at this false summit--exerting the last of the strength and will, only to realize that there are still several hundred yards of steps to be had at a steeper grade than what they had just completed.

One of the fun things about the hike is the people that you see. On the trail we watched as individual after individual made the climb up. Some by themselves, and others in large groups of friends. Some brought their dogs along, which for the most part seemed to climb with ease. Some of the people were doing it for the first time, struggling and wondering how they let someone talk them into it while others were excited for the adventure and were pushing themselves to the limits. Many use the hike as a training exercise. We passed one man as he came down, who looked to be about 70 years old, who mentioned that he had just summited the top for his 8th time that morning. Another younger man that we passed had a 50-60 pound backpack on, full of water, to help him develop greater strength.

At about 9:48 we finished our climb. Our time: 1 Hour and 10 Minutes. To be sure, Judy came in first a couple of minutes before the rest of us with Lisa and I pulling in at the rear. As proof of our accomplishment, here is our picture at the top.

Lisa and Judy along the Hike

A man we passed - his pack holds 50-60
pounds - and this was his 3rd time up that morning!

Lisa and Kirk - at the 'False Summit'

We made it! And Judy reminding us who made it first!

After a little bit of a rest, some hydration, and a granola bar - we began our descent. Most people don't climb down The Incline to return to the base as the stairs are gravel-covered and slick. Most people take a small trail to the side which connects with the Barr Trail. From there, the return is about 2.5 miles as the trail zig-zags back and forth in the mountain side. It is during the easy descent where the beauty of the area is fully appreciated. Beautiful pine trees line the mountain sides with new life all around as Spring really sets in. On the one side, you can see the Garden of the Gods with Colorado Springs in the distance, and on the other, the large and beautiful mountains with Pikes Peak at their head. Gravity's pull invites most hikers to jog this section of the climb and the dirt trail provides a cushioned surface to make the jog less impactful to the knees and other joints.

Lisa and I about halfway down the Barr Trail.
If you look closely, you can see the Garden of the Gods.

We eventually returned to the car. All accounted for and no injuries to report other than some muscle soreness that would continue into the next day. I would report that the trip was a success. This was my third time to the top of The Incline and I would recommend it to anyone. It is an experience different from any other. Maybe next time, I'll be able to beat my first time of 32 minutes.

Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods

The Jenkins parents came into town Wednesday night and stayed with us through Easter Sunday. It was so fun to have these two great people in our home. And though it was just a few days, it was a great blessing in our lives and wonderful for me to have some quality time with the in-laws as we haven't been able to spend a lot of one-on-one together since our wedding.

Thursday morning, we decided to take a trip to 'America's Mountain' or Pikes Peak. The mountain is not the highest in the state, but is certainly the best known. It stands at 14,114 ft with a road and a railway that reach the top. The top boasts an un-obstructed view of the surrounding area and a restaurant to help you enjoy it. Anyways, having never been to the top ourselves, we thought it would be a good experience to make the trip.

Upon arrival at the fee station, the park ranger informed us that due to a recent snow, the streets hadn't been fully cleared and we would only be able to drive 16 of the 19-mile road to the top. Deciding that 16 was better than none, we made the payment and started to climb the hills in our little Corolla. After only a couple of miles, we spotted this sign for Big Foot Crossing! Of course we had to stop to get a picture.

We found this sign on the drive to the top of Pike's Peak.
Who knew that Big Foot lived in Colorado!

And not too soon after, we found an almost identical carving of Judy!

While we were up there, we found
this carving of Judy

We continued up the mountain, trying to get glimpses of the beautiful surrounding scenery. There are small natural lakes and reservoirs in the area that can be viewed from the drive and these just add to the beauty. After the 16 miles, we arrived at 12,280 and got out to take a picture. As you look around, you get the beautiful mountain ranges and valleys on the West, North, and South. To the East, there is nothing. It is flat for as far as the eye can see and very barren looking. It makes me feel so sorry for the people that don't have mountains in their lives! Here is our picture:

Kirk, Judy, Lisa, and Matt at 12,280 ft.

Snow Capped Peaks

Some Red Rock above the Treeline

The car performed a lot better on the descent and we were out of the park in no time. Near the base of Pikes Peak is a beautiful outcropping of red rock. The Red Rock is not commonly found in the area and as a result, it appears out of place. Not only is the color unique, but the way the rocks rise out of the ground makes this spot a majestic site. The place has been named the 'Garden of the Gods'. Having a little bit of time, we decided to drive through. Here are just a couple of the things we saw:

Balance Rock

The rock juts out of the ground creating a 'fin-like' structure.

By the end of the trip, we were all pretty tired - but the trip was great and was another reminder of the beautiful earth that we live in and how much we have to be grateful for!