Rocky Mountain High in Colorado

Pikes Peak in the Colorado Rockies from Austin Bluffs in Colorado Springs.

I love Colorado Springs! I had a great day reliving mostly fond memories from when I lived here 17 years ago. I also thought of some of the tougher things I went through at the time. All in all it was great to be back and I wouldn't mind living here again--at least visiting for an extended stay.

The campus of Focus on the Family
with Pikes Peak in the distance.

The day began with a self-guided tour of the Focus on the Family broadcast center and the Welcome Center. I felt like a kid again when I entered the world of Whit's End. It seems like they've expanded that since I last visited.

Brock Eastman and I with our books.

Over the lunch hour (nearly an hour and a half) I met with Focus on the Family employee and author Brock Eastman. Let me just say he is a very cool guy and it was good to meet him face-to-face after being friends on Facebook for sometime. I have read all his YA books and they are quite good.

We talked writer shop-talk and about other adventures. Shared challenges and ideas, etc. We then signed each others books and had our picture taken together. Did I mention that he is a really cool guy?

It was a typical sunny day in the Springs (300 days of sunshine per year), clear and chilly (50 degrees) with a breeze. I got out and enjoyed the scenery.

This is Glen Eyrie Castle at the Glen Eyrie Conference Center, one of a dozen buildings I worked in on the grounds.

This small building was my office.

First I hit Glen Eyrie (the Navigators conference center) where I used to work. It is so beautiful. It has changed little on the exterior, though continues to be made nicer on the interior. There is some construction going on for flood mitigation since Queen's Canyon had a fire last year and now there is no vegetation to control the torrential rains that can wash down off the ridge.

At any rate all I had to do was look at the exterior of a building and I could picture the interior layout. I spent a lot of time in and out of them all.

This was where I worked before that.

I also ate dinner at the other place I worked before I got the job at Glen Eyrie and it has been totally remodeled.

I then went out to Garden of the Gods which is is just awe-inspiring. It is one of the coolest places I have ever been. If you ever get the chance you need to see it.

One of the many stunning vistas I snapped at Garden of the Gods.

Needless to say it was a very swell day and I wish I could spend a few more here and climb Pikes peak again, see Seven Falls, drive out to Cripple Creek and the Gorge, visit Old Town and so much more.

Tomorrow I say goodbye to the Rockies and head across another boring state (Wyoming) for Idaho Falls, ID to visit another old band friend, Bill Dent.