Founder of Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs was founded in 1871 as a resort destination for tourists visiting the American West. Founder General William Jackson Palmer was a Civil War hero who also was the engineer-in-charge of building a railroad line for the Kansas Pacific Railroad from Kansas City to Denver (he would later found the narrow-gague Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, a critically important part of Colorado's history). In 1870, Palmer bought 10,000 acres of land in the vicinity of a wild frontier town named Colorado City (now just a neighborhood named Old Colorado City), and a year later Colorado Springs was born.

Lady Gadalupe Painting

I just love this painting. Everyday we drive by it kind of brightes up the street with its radiant colors.

Pioneer Museum

On a cloudy day...still beautiful!

Light & Shadow

I took this picture at our Mountain Zoo. I think it either the only Mountain Zoo in the whole states or one of the very few ones. It's a lot of up and down. No fun, when I have to push a stroller *lol* At the giraffes I really liked the way the sun would cast shadows onto their fur.

Air Force Choire

This picture was actually taken on Earth day at the Visitor Center of the Garden of Gods. From there you have a stunning view of Pikes Peak. The local Air Force Choire gave a performance there and it was really neat. The Air Force has a huge presences here in Colorado Springs. Besides the Air Force Academy, we have 3 Air Force Bases and the famous NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) here. It's said that their center is hidden inside one of the Mountains -Cheyenne Mountain...which I live right before. It's also said that, if there should ever be a 3rd World War Colorado Springs will be fore sure one of the first targets to be destroyed, for the above mentioned reasons. Yieks!

Howdy Cowboys

pioneer statue in downtown

Olympic Flame

The Olympic Committee is located in Colorado Springs. It includes the Olympic Trainings Center, an amazing Visitor Center as well as the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Rotunda. This is were I took this shot. I was standing in the middle of the Hall of Fame and above me, you could see through the ceiling the Olympic Flame. It was quite impressive!

High up

Rock Climbers at the Garden of the Gods

Quail Lake

My family's favorite place for relaxing walks. Lucky us, live only 5 minutes from this beautiful lake. I in praticular love how the mountains make sure, that the sky looks different each and every time we are there.

Garden of the Gods

The towering red rock formations of this park are truly one of a kind! The site is a National Natural Landmark, having been recognized as "a nationally-significant natural area." It offers towering sandstone formations, a wonderful view of Pikes Peak (our Mountain top) and a bunch of hiking paths. One also can go on guided nature walks, mountain biking and horseback riding trails, road biking and technical rock climbing. It's an amazing place!

View of Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, 10 miles (16 km) west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. At 14,115 feet (4302 m), it is one of Colorado's 54 fourteeners and it is a National Historic Landmark. Katharine Lee Bates was moved to write the words to the song "America the Beautiful" in 1893, after having travelled to the top of Pikes Peak on a carriage ride.