GARDEN OF THE GODS Adventure with Christa and Nik: April 22, 2018

We set out late morning, with a picnic lunch, to go to Colorado Springs for THE GARDEN OF THE GODS.  I had been there twice before, very briefly, but it was Christa and Nik's first time.  Along the way we saw CASTLE ROCK.  We were driving and I took several pictures, but they did not turn out well, so I found this one online.............I DID take a pic from the exact same angle!

Once we got to Colorado Springs, we located the GARDEN OF THE GODS and went to the Visitor Center.

It is very nice, very clean and there are lots of workers available to answer questions and hand out maps.  I picked one up.  The best part was the view from a walk out platform:

Then we headed into the park, which was pretty crowded.  It was a while before we found a parking spot.  Once we did, we walked the Ridge Trail.  We came to a spot that looked difficult so I backed out.  Christa forged onward and Nik and I backtracked..............we met up not too far from where we started.   I think I took this picture as she was finishing up the trail. 

Then we walked through the Central Garden Trail, which is "at the heart of the park at the base of the highest rock formations" At one point, Christa and Nik took off to explore a side trail, while I waited.  When they returned, they gave me a bracelet which they found.  It is exactly the kind of bracelet I would have chosen.  We finished the Garden Trail and I took a LOT of pictures:

Christa and Nik like to take selfies!

There are spots where you can easily walk right up to some of the rocks and touch them, and we saw a couple of rock climbers

Then we decided it was time to head towards the exit, but stop to see Balanced Rock on the way:

and  Steamboat Rock is right across from Balanced Rock:

We only saw Toad and Toadstool Rock from a distance, but I found a picture online:

We had kind of planned to do something else in Colorado Springs but Christa said "I think we should eat and then go home" and I agreed.  We decided on the Airplane Restaurant.

It was a neat experience and the food was good.  Christa and I both had salmon (different menu items( and Nik had a HUGE salad with chicken fingers on it, and he could not finish it.    Here is my supper

The food was pretty good, but probably not excellent.  

It was a great day!   When we got back, I uploaded pictures, had a piece of pie and took a shower and was in bed by 9:30 p.m.