Panic on Pikes Peak

Last weekend, after we did the obligatory family get together, Someone suggested that we ‘drive up Pike’s Peak”. I thought this would be a gentle trip up the base of the slope, to some scenic elevation ¼ ways up.
It turns out Pike’s Peak is over 14,000 feet, and you can drive all the way to the top. Someone wanted to do just that.
I began to have doubts around 7,000 ft. It was cloudy, so we could not see the top; if I could see I would have feigned illness or done something drastic to turn around the rental car. Assuringly, there were signs of civilization; a souvenir stand was nearby and plenty of cars were going up. More important, plenty of cars were coming down and they did not look too bad off.
In the shop were two T shirts for sale; one says “Real Men don’t need guard rails” and the other “I survived the drive down”. Another said ‘got oxygen?” but this did not worry me so much as the first two.
Near the timberline we lost the paved road. Indeed there are no guard rails; I hadn’t realized how comforting those little strips of metal can be. The road zigzags and ascends at a fast clip. Around every corner comes large cars coming down. Being the passenger, I was next to the edge, looking down 12,000 feet. Then the fog hits. Or was it clouds? Even Someone was shaken. We could not turn around (lest a descending car appear out of nowhere and hit us). We didn’t desire to go forward. Thank goodness for Rangers! One showed up and assured us that just around the curve is clear sky. And he was right – we could see the road again but we could also see we were on the edge of a very tall cliff. The ascent took what felt like hours. Above the timberline it is desolate. Then – oh joy! The top! It felt like the top of the world. What do we find there(besides it was snowing)? A group of Amish - and another souvenir stand. How did the Amish get up here? Must have been the train, which apparently takes you up the backside of the mountain without any drama. We took this photo and started the descent.
Low gear is a must; it requires a lot of breaking. By the time we got halfway down, the lower parts no longer seemed so scary. There is another ranger to inspect our brakes to see if we were too hot. He was looking at the wrong things.

So I can say now I have been to the top of Pike’s Peak. I have a mug to show for it. And a magnet for the fridge - a bear of course.